two days...

Ah, another week. I asked my students if they knew what the electoral college was and then launched into a completely confused and jumbled explanation. There were a lot of blank stares being thrown around the room. Luckily, it was Halloween so attendance was below fifty percent anyway, so at least I didn't damage all of the young minds I might have. Halloween is apparently a no-go for attendance in Bushwick because of increases in gang related activity. I heard the phrase, "Yup! It's our birthday!" thrown out by one kid (he was referring to the Bloods). My students still look so baby-faced, it's hard for me to understand to what extent their interactions with gang culture differ from suburban schools in the Midwest, where students have access to the same symbolism but lack any sort of real proximity. The question on my mind when this stuff comes up is: which kids are in gangs and which kids are playing like they are? What would Sudhir Venkatesh do? Maybe I'll book it up to Columbia and ask him. One girl told me, "All I wanted to do was have a nice Halloween and go trick-or-treating and now everyone is telling me I'm going to get shot!" Don't feel too sympathetic for her, because she then continued to explain that if the Bloods needed targets for their initiation rituals, they should go to Africa where there are plenty of people who can be put out of their misery. I can't make this stuff up. I should also mention that Monday is Black Solidarity Day at my school. This white boy hopes that my students pay attention during the assembly.  

I'm nervous about Tuesday. 

Ben Affleck does an amazing Keith Olbermann.