I have been a Special Educator 1970-2000
I'm over it.
This time around, they asked me to write a play. I refused. The only way I would do it would be to include the kids. They wrote the play. I only transcribed it.
Kinda.
"We want to wear masks."
They did not mean covid.
School districts rarely approve of masks. But the kids wanted to wear masks because they wanted to make a statement that said: We wear masks around you because we are supposed to be dumb and happy but we are not really. I made them write it down in words. But we are not really. Says everything.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law that makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children.
The IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to more than 7.5 million (as of school year 2020-21) eligible infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities.
Infants and toddlers, birth through age 2, with disabilities and their families receive early intervention services under IDEA Part C. Children and youth ages 3 through 21 receive special education and related services under IDEA Part B.
Oh. So this would be a resistance play.
Much of it was about SPED. "We are not babies."
The SPED kids converted two neurotypical children who bossed the SPED kids around and paid the price. The price was consignment to SPED. "So they knows what it feels like."
The teachers went pale. The pre-approved theme was supposed to be about Red Riding Hood. I. Am. Serious.
Fuck Red. And fuck Riding. And fuck the Hood.
"I have crayola and construction paper in my classroom in case you want to make Grandma's House red."
No Grandma's House this year. This year was for Other Things.
We wanted white cardboard, yardsticks, glue, and permanent markers, black. The SPED kids made signs for the demonstration. WE HATE SCHOOL. SCHOOL WILL MESS YOU UP. FUCK SCHOOL. SCHOOL IS SHIT.
The yardsticks held the signs up. No one had ever been to a demonstration. But they had seen lots of it on TV (they make cars).
All I did was write it down. How stupid are you. I have an agenda. They just knew I did. They took bets on it. "We're the retards. HA!HA!HA!HA!"
"I think that word sucks cock."
I said. I'm looking for cops in the parking lot. No cops.
No one flinched at the word cock. They had all seen porn and the girls teased the boys about it.
"Tim, we're not stupid."
"Well, I'm stupid, but what side wins and who loses."
School lost by a landslide.
Bruce was the leader. He arrived at school every day in a suit. "Boys suck cock." Everyone agreed.
What does sex among the disabled (all of them were disabled by whatever disabled them) have to do with school. That one made them laugh so hard, they wept.
Never mind. What is the demonstration against school about. Beyond complaint. I have my own fucking complaints.
"Don't tell anyone about his pottie mouth."
I stuck my tongue out at Bruce. "I had a suit once just like that."
"You've never wore a suit in your whole pottie life. I get to use the camera." They wanted a video of their play. This was dangerous. I doubt I will be invited back.
We Hate School was a hit. I will probably go to jail or prison or be forced to teach school again. Teachers are afraid and need to know what is coming at them. This time.
I was not a hit. Not even close. Put that in your newsletter and smoke it.
"You are risking our jobs."
"I didn't do it for you. I did it for the school board. But I keep the video." Nods and smiles. I do too much nodding and smiling.
It is my mask.
The teachers were right. I was risking their jobs. Where do you even begin.
"Why aren't these kids being included. Why do kids -- whose entire existence will be school -- or program after program, hate school so much. What I saw was a lot of behavior on the part of teachers who seemed heavily invested in control.
I would be tempted.
I did it to spread around ideas (like equality) the same way their daddies' spread shit all over the ornery ground before planting. This is farm sweatneck country. Which is fine, but we need to have a conversation about pesticides. Then you plant. It will be a garden of chaos and in a few more years, an opposition. I did not say organized but they want the school paper.
Starring them. I did not write that thing.
The demonstration on stage was the best.
Someone said cock. We made our own fucking masks.