I’ve been on a brief hiatus. Sorry about that. But occasionally I teach a little something. Consequently, I have to grade papers, and that’s all I’ve done this week. So, I have to tell you all about them. My students are, uhm, well, let me just tell you about them. I teach about 4o 18-19 year-olds how to write, and our text takes its topics from African and African American history. Here is a bit of what’s entertained me for the past week.
Student 1 in a final essay: (And I paraphrase, not too loosely) Young people today have too much other stuff to think about than Black history. People need to realize that things have changed and racism doesn’t exist anymore. People are equal now.
Let’s just call that the Carlton Banks Complex. And this is the same student who admitted to being racially profiled in his brand new luxury vehicle from his parents. Hmmmm.
Student 2: This character has turned in sub par work all semester with 20 point font, no type of subject-verb agreement, poor spelling,–get the point? Oh yeah, and he overslept for most of the classes in the semester. So, on the last day that I would accept papers, he gives me a rewrite and two essays I’ve never seen before. The rewrite is one we’d worked on together almost two months before. The other two began on line one in 12 font with cover sheets attached. Looked like they might not waste my reading time. Upon further inspection, they did not have his last name numbering each page as MLA Style requires, but that’s a small matter, right? Get this. The cover sheets were in his usual 20 font and they.were.stapled.UPSIDE.DOWN!!! That still wasn’t good enough because the last two essays were written using words that I know he can’t even pronounce!! What the *bleep*?!!! Can you say p.l.a.g.i.a.r.i.s.m? And what grade do you think he got? Mmmhmmm….Or my name ain’t what it is.
Oh yeah, did you know the Ancient African Americans created the pyramids? Sure did.
Oh, trust, there are more examples of the lunacy that has passed my eyes, but for fear of either boring or outraging you, I stop.
Now, you think about it. Do you really want the children to be your future? I think I’ll take a page from the Miseducation of Lauryn Hill and decide deep in my heart to decide my own destiny…
Just my thoughts…
NLC