Kids Can

I am teaching To Kill A Mockingbird right now and I want to tell you a funny story. At the beginning of the book, Mr. Radley is dying and Harper Lee writes how the sidewalks were covered with straw, the street was blocked off with sawhorses, and even the doctor parked around the corner. I think that is interesting so I was talking to the class about how great that is to let someone die in peace and quiet. One boy kept on saying how he didn’t understand that and how he would go over yelling and was just being purposefully belligerent and frankly ridiculous. He is quite loud and we couldn’t really move on with our discussion, until a kid in the back yells out, “It’s respect for the dead, you asshole!” Just the way he said it. It was so perfect, I had to tuck my head down and lift my book up to hide my face, because I just couldn’t help smiling. I was laughing inside. As a teacher, I had to say that was unacceptable language, and plow ahead with the discussion. But it was so funny. My kids rule.