![]() ![]() I’ve been teaching for more than a decade. We had the same innocuous conversation and ze went to eat. Ze came through the line with the same big smile. Here was this cute little thing and I didn’t even know what to call her now.īut the next day things progressed as usual. I nodded and then it was time to let her get her lunch. “What’s that?”Īnd she proceeded to explain that she didn’t feel comfortable identifying as male or female. Until a few weeks ago when she appeared at the front of the line with her long hair chopped off into a bob. I only see her at lunch, but she always brightens my day.įor months, it went like clockwork. I’d ask how her day was so far, about pets, homework. She’d ask me how my day was, what I was teaching my students, how my daughter was. It goes on like that for about a half hour with little variation – until she gets to the front of the line.Īnd we’d be off on a conversation. “Aaaargh! Why you always stopping me!?” They often say.Īnd I let them through to continue the game tomorrow. Letting only two hungry 5th graders in to get their lunch at a time and making the rest wait does not make you popular. ![]() It’s certainly more widespread than I ever would have thought until a little girl taught me a lesson… well, not a little girl, really.Ī few months ago, I would have said she’s the cutest little girl in the lunch line.īright, vivacious, always a friendly smile and a kind word.Īs a teacher given the unenviable role of line monitor, I have to find the bright spots where I can. Some kids don’t feel comfortable with a traditional gender identity. ![]() In fact, some of them are neither girls nor boys.ĭoes that mean they should be discriminated against? Does it mean we should judge them, tell them they’re somehow less valuable than the other kids? Tell them who they are by telling them where to pee? I have a lot of different girls and boys in my classes. ![]()
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