Life
[email protected]
Yesterday was interesting, cool, and sweet.
Julian (14) and I were doing some cleaning in the Library, where we'd piled
lots of stuff. I was going through a box and came across his "School Days"
book, from when he spent time in school through the third grade.
We looked through it together. There were his report cards, some examples of
"work", his school pictures, his first baby tooth, a letter to Santa, and his
birthday party invitations. His first few years at school were not
particularly scathing, actually. The teachers liked him a lot, although they mentioned
his handwriting (which is still awful) and his lack of participation in class,
except for when they were doing arctic and carribean animals ("Yeah, you're
finally doing something that interests him!")
His first few years mentioned that math was his strongest subject, and the
second grade teacher mentioned that he was great at creative writing!
The third grade teacher wanted to refer him to special ed because of his
handwriting, his lack of participation in class, and that he wasn't memorizing his
times tables. He came out of the third grade with little confidence,
especially in math and writing.
I said that I wish I could run into her. Julian laughed and said, "With your
car?" I said no, but that I would tell her how much she had hurt Julian, but
that I was also grateful in one way, because third grade finally convinced his
other two parents that we should pull him out of school.
Then, last evening, we attended a candlelight vigil in support of equal ma
rriage rights for gay folks. I was a speaker, and Julian spoke too. We live in
Massachusetts, and my partner, Beth, and I are planning to get married
(legally!) on June 5th.
Julian was sweet and eloquent, speaking in front of lots of people. He said,
"I hope the legislature understands that, even if my family looks different
from other families, that we're still a family and deserve civil rights. I hope
that they won't write discrimination into our constitution."
Afterwards, a man came up to him and asked if it was hard to talk about being
gay with his friends. Julian explained that he is not gay, and the man
started apologizing profusely. Julian said it wasn't a big deal, that he didn't
consider it an insult. It reminded me of when he was little and people thought he
was a girl. They'd get all flustered, but he didn't think that was an insult
either.
This kid is so cool. I'm so lucky to get to hang out with him.
Kathryn
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Julian (14) and I were doing some cleaning in the Library, where we'd piled
lots of stuff. I was going through a box and came across his "School Days"
book, from when he spent time in school through the third grade.
We looked through it together. There were his report cards, some examples of
"work", his school pictures, his first baby tooth, a letter to Santa, and his
birthday party invitations. His first few years at school were not
particularly scathing, actually. The teachers liked him a lot, although they mentioned
his handwriting (which is still awful) and his lack of participation in class,
except for when they were doing arctic and carribean animals ("Yeah, you're
finally doing something that interests him!")
His first few years mentioned that math was his strongest subject, and the
second grade teacher mentioned that he was great at creative writing!
The third grade teacher wanted to refer him to special ed because of his
handwriting, his lack of participation in class, and that he wasn't memorizing his
times tables. He came out of the third grade with little confidence,
especially in math and writing.
I said that I wish I could run into her. Julian laughed and said, "With your
car?" I said no, but that I would tell her how much she had hurt Julian, but
that I was also grateful in one way, because third grade finally convinced his
other two parents that we should pull him out of school.
Then, last evening, we attended a candlelight vigil in support of equal ma
rriage rights for gay folks. I was a speaker, and Julian spoke too. We live in
Massachusetts, and my partner, Beth, and I are planning to get married
(legally!) on June 5th.
Julian was sweet and eloquent, speaking in front of lots of people. He said,
"I hope the legislature understands that, even if my family looks different
from other families, that we're still a family and deserve civil rights. I hope
that they won't write discrimination into our constitution."
Afterwards, a man came up to him and asked if it was hard to talk about being
gay with his friends. Julian explained that he is not gay, and the man
started apologizing profusely. Julian said it wasn't a big deal, that he didn't
consider it an insult. It reminded me of when he was little and people thought he
was a girl. They'd get all flustered, but he didn't think that was an insult
either.
This kid is so cool. I'm so lucky to get to hang out with him.
Kathryn
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
24hrmom
<<This kid is so cool. I'm so lucky to get to hang out with him.>>
He sounds so cool! It's tons of fun to get to hang with them, isn't it?
<<I said that I wish I could run into her. Julian laughed and said, "With your car?" I said no, but that I would tell her how much she had hurt Julian, but that I was also grateful in one way, because third grade finally convinced his other two parents that we should pull him out of school.>>
I had a previous teacher encounter a couple weeks ago. I was at Toys R Us with my two youngest and at the cash we ran into my eldest son's 3rd grade teacher. I must say that she was the one great teacher we ran across (he left midway through grade 4). She was on maternity leave with 2 young kids in tow. She asked after Joseph and I said he was doing great. She was happy to hear that; then I added, "we're homeschooling, not sure if you knew". She didn't, and quickly followed that up with "How does that work? You have the curriculum?" I explained the provincial curriculum is available online but you don't need to follow it, just tell them you're homeschooling and that's that. I could just see the wheels turning as she plopped her purchases on the counter ... likely imagining how she'd feel when her kids got one of the many other teachers that don't care about the students as much as she does.
Don't know what I'd say if I ran across his 4th grade teacher however! Hopefully along the lines of what you suggested ... or maybe I'd lose my nerve and just gush about what an amazing kid he is and how happy we are to have him home with us. Which he is and we are! <g>
Pam L
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
He sounds so cool! It's tons of fun to get to hang with them, isn't it?
<<I said that I wish I could run into her. Julian laughed and said, "With your car?" I said no, but that I would tell her how much she had hurt Julian, but that I was also grateful in one way, because third grade finally convinced his other two parents that we should pull him out of school.>>
I had a previous teacher encounter a couple weeks ago. I was at Toys R Us with my two youngest and at the cash we ran into my eldest son's 3rd grade teacher. I must say that she was the one great teacher we ran across (he left midway through grade 4). She was on maternity leave with 2 young kids in tow. She asked after Joseph and I said he was doing great. She was happy to hear that; then I added, "we're homeschooling, not sure if you knew". She didn't, and quickly followed that up with "How does that work? You have the curriculum?" I explained the provincial curriculum is available online but you don't need to follow it, just tell them you're homeschooling and that's that. I could just see the wheels turning as she plopped her purchases on the counter ... likely imagining how she'd feel when her kids got one of the many other teachers that don't care about the students as much as she does.
Don't know what I'd say if I ran across his 4th grade teacher however! Hopefully along the lines of what you suggested ... or maybe I'd lose my nerve and just gush about what an amazing kid he is and how happy we are to have him home with us. Which he is and we are! <g>
Pam L
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
In a message dated 3/11/04 6:07:40 AM, KathrynJB@... writes:
<< Then, last evening, we attended a candlelight vigil in support of equal ma
rriage rights for gay folks. I was a speaker, and Julian spoke too. >>
HEY! They showed that on the news this morning, a view from the air (window
maybe or helicopter?)
I thought you might have been there, but didn't know you'd be a speaker!
Sandra
<< Then, last evening, we attended a candlelight vigil in support of equal ma
rriage rights for gay folks. I was a speaker, and Julian spoke too. >>
HEY! They showed that on the news this morning, a view from the air (window
maybe or helicopter?)
I thought you might have been there, but didn't know you'd be a speaker!
Sandra
Sylvia Toyama
That was such a sweet story, Kathryn. Yes, Julian is a cool kid!
Sylvia
---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Search - Find what you�re looking for faster.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Sylvia
---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Search - Find what you�re looking for faster.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
heather mclean
> Then, last evening, we attended a candlelight vigilThat is wonderful. Congratulations! You all must be
> in support of equal ma
> rriage rights for gay folks. I was a speaker, and
> Julian spoke too. We live in
> Massachusetts, and my partner, Beth, and I are
> planning to get married (legally!) on June 5th.
thrilled.
In some disturbing news, I recently heard about a
local teacher who has been fired (legally!) apparently
due to her sexual orientation.
http://www.wingspan.org/content/news_wingspan_details.php?story_id=111
heather m
tucson az
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Finance: Get your refund fast by filing online.
http://taxes.yahoo.com/filing.html
[email protected]
In a message dated 3/11/2004 8:25:50 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[email protected] writes:
HEY! They showed that on the news this morning, a view from the air (window
maybe or helicopter?)
I thought you might have been there, but didn't know you'd be a speaker!
********************
As much as I'd like to be famous like that, you probably saw one from Boston.
We were in Salem, and there were about 100 people there.
Kathryn
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected] writes:
HEY! They showed that on the news this morning, a view from the air (window
maybe or helicopter?)
I thought you might have been there, but didn't know you'd be a speaker!
********************
As much as I'd like to be famous like that, you probably saw one from Boston.
We were in Salem, and there were about 100 people there.
Kathryn
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[email protected]
In a message dated 3/11/04 10:09:14 PM, KathrynJB@... writes:
<< As much as I'd like to be famous like that, you probably saw one from
Boston.
We were in Salem, and there were about 100 people there. >>
Well from this distance, they're the same. <g>
<< As much as I'd like to be famous like that, you probably saw one from
Boston.
We were in Salem, and there were about 100 people there. >>
Well from this distance, they're the same. <g>