THE EVALUATION OF THE VICIOUS SMILES SCHOOL - Chapter 41

SAM

I volunteered to see that a nice lunch was provided for the adults and the students. The State Department would pay the for this day. I chose to give everyone a taste of our typical SMILES lunch. I asked our food manager to bring his staff and everything he would need to the university's faculty dining room. With the manager, came three high school girls and  tws boy from Smiless who would earn fifty dollars. It was going to cost a fortune, but the donor for the day would pay for it. We had set up five tables seating six persons each – four students, two girls and two boys/ and one adult woman and one man at each table. I chose Veronica and Bob from Bayshore, Joe and Maria from Smiles. I tasked everyone at my table to just enjoy being with one another and avoid 'talking shop. We had a delightful lunch. The companion adult at my table had a hard time believing our waiter was a Smiles student. 

Before we went back to our meeting room. I asked Dr. Joe, "Well Dr/ Davis, do you think our SMILES school is a training center for vicious behavior?" Joe and Maria glared at me as if I had just fallen off my rocker. 

I was looking forward to the four evaluators' comments, and Dr. Joe didn't let me down. I asked him. “Well, do you think our SMILES school is a training center for vicious behavior?"

He smiled and said, "No, and I think I'm the one who got an education today, and, Sam, are you teaching free thinking?"

"No, we are nurturing free thinking. We are convinced that all humans are born with an open, or free mind, and that the centuries-old method of teaching so-called 'facts' is not education but indoctrination. When I was in college, I saw a textbook that had what I thought was a cartoon in the introduction depicting a boy with the top of his head open like a can lid, and 'facts' being poured into his head. I laughed and read a bit of the text.

The cartoon was supposed to represent the challenge of education - pouring 'facts' into the heads of our students. I was shocked," Everyone was smiling except Dr. Phyllis Langdon, who continued wearing her usual frown.

Dr. Davis wanted to know where the students learned 'facts', and I said, "Everywhere. But definitely not by memorizing lists of words, dates, or stories, but by reading, watching documentaries, participating in class discussions and debates, and writing stories, and by keeping their eyes and ears open. I don't believe there has been a better time in history for a student to learn. Oh, and they have an entire library in their hands called a smartphone."

Dr. Jack Dillon added this: "I just returned from an educational trip to Finland. I was with a small delegation of educators. We wanted to know how they managed to have a 90% - plus graduation rate from high school, and nearly all went on to college or trade school. Now, I would say their philosophy matches that of Dr. Sam Collins. We visited several schools, and several were K – 12 and all had friendly staff like Two Thousand Smiles.”

"And what are these free-thinking students doing after graduation, may I ask?" Dr. Langdon asked Jack.  Before he could answer, she added, "I understand that all the Scandinavian countries have generous welfare systems."

"Interestingly enough, they have fewer incarcerated men and women per capita than we do here in the U.S.,” Jack responded. I am anxious to visit Two Thousand Smiles school." He turned toward me. "Sam, what is the best day to schedule a visit?"

"Any weekday. Just let me know you are coming so I can ask everyone on our staff to smile." 

Everyone but Dr. Langdon smiled and/or chuckled. I wanted to explain further why we treated our students the way we do. "We are convinced that our culture or society nurtures fear, anger, and even cruelty, and school does its part in this nurturing with its impersonal and often strict way of over-controlling the way it treats the students."

Dr. Langdon looked aghast at me as she asked, "Well, how in the world do you control your students"

"We do not want to control them; we want to EDUCATE them. That is, we want to help them know themselves and their fellow students, and educate literally means to lead – not control. Did you think they were out of control when they welcomed us back into the room this morning?

"Well, they were not being obedient. They were not instructed to do what they did."

"We do not want them to be obedient; we want them to be creative and joyful. I hope you understand what I'm going to say. There is a documentary titled 'Ordinary Men' that depicts a group of ordinary middle-aged German men who were drafted into the German army during World War II. Being too old to fight on the front lines, they were ordered to line up the Jewish prisoners - men, women, and children - and have them dig a long trench and then line up with their backs to the trench. Then these middle-aged soldiers were to shoot them so they would fall into the trench. If it was a mother with an infant, they were instructed to have her hold the baby over her heart so they could kill them both with one bullet. Then the film showed the soldiers at a beer-drinking party, laughing and enjoying themselves."

I saw the shocked look on all their faces, and added, "I had always thought that the soldiers had been forced to do such things, but the prosecuting attorney stated that they were instructed to do it, not ordered or be executed, and they could refuse and do some other kind of menial work. Only about twelve out of thousands opted out. This is an example of obedience."

Jack Dillon said, "The Finns had and have far fewer murders and violence of all kinds than either Germany or the U.S... I believe respect and cooperation are far better preparations for life and for a society than obedience and conformity. Tell me, Dr. Collins, how are the Smiles graduates doing now? How  many are in prison?"

I chuckled at the last question as did all the rest except Dr. Langdon. I responded, "I have witnessed 12 graduation classes, and that is over two hundred students, and I'm one of five staff members who keep track of our alumni. They are a very cooperative bunch, and many visit our campus regularly. And none are in jail or prison. Like Finland, over 90% go to college or trade schools. Now, I'm wondering how many of the graduates of Bayshore High School go to college or trade school. Do any of you know?” All three Bayshore staff members shook their heads. I asked, “Do you know how many high schoolers help out with younger students, or even know any of them?”

The principal, Teri Osman, responded, “Only older siblings and their friends. There is no formal program connecting kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high schools. Do you three Smiles staff members really believe integrating all the grades is an asset to your students?”

I jumped in, “That is like asking if living a full life is an asset. I would really like to know how many Bayshore students graduate and go on to college. Would you have someone there  let me know?” Teri Osman said that she would do that.

Dr. Davis said, “Let’s get back to our task of evaluating our 5^th graders. I have completely changed my mind about this bunch. I now see them as a very lively and resilient group. I would have liked to attend the School of Two Thousand Smiles. And I believe we should inform Mr. Deep Pockets that there is nothing to worry about from this quarter.”

Dr. Dillon asked, "What is the fellow worried about? I was left out of most of the information before this morning."

I answered, "We learned this morning that a very rich fellow whose fifteen-year-old-son was sent to the hospital by my twelve-year-old student, who objected to him molesting his friend, a girl, and started to hit him.  He cannot believe that his son is such a weakling and keeps trying to find some way the twelve-year-old has been trained to be an abnormally vicious fighter."

"Why didn't he simply go to court?”

"No attorney would take his case after seeing the video of the incident. I asked the school secretary to send the copy over to me in case we needed it." I looked around the group and said, "I can show it to you if you would like. It is only three minutes long."

Dr. Shirley Samper responded, "We all have gone to a lot of trouble putting on whatever we want to call it, uh, contest, and I'd like to see it." Those who had not seen it before were all riveted by the scene, and Dr. Dillon asked, "How badly was the boy hurt?" Dr. Dillon asked why they didn't go to court.

"Dislocated shoulders and elbows. I have another video that shows our later meeting with him, his parents, and their attorney. Do you want to see it? Everyone wanted to see it, also.

After seeing the video of Steve Norse, the father, knocking his son off his chair and their attorney quitting, Dr. Davis said, "So, why in the world doesn't that dad just accept the fact that his son is just an inept bully?" Several muttered comments like, "That's a good question."

Dr. Phyllus Langdon muttered, "And how did you punish him for hurting the fellow so severely?"

"He came into my office and was very fearful that he would be expelled because he had been in our school for only about 10 weeks, and he said, 'I know I went too far. I saw my stepdad's face on that guy and I, well, just lost it." He begged not to be expelled. I told him that he was carrying around a great deal of anger toward his dad, and that six weeks of counseling might help him with lightening that load. He saw the counselor for eight weeks."

"And that was all?" Dr. Langdon asked astonishingly, "No detention? Or extra homework?"

I worked to control my outrage and said, "Dr. Langdon, we are here to educate. That is, to nurture the best in our students, so they can become their best selves; not mold them into our image of what a good young person should be."

"You say that one of the boys that is with you today is here"

I asked her which one she thinks it is, and she said, "Well, I would guess that boy named Joe that accosted Dr. Joe Davis earlier today"

I wanted to jump up and yell, "Lady, you are a f__king racist!" But I didn't. I just said, "No, it is the helpful young man with the southern accent. I do hope you understand and believe that our students truly enjoy our school and being with one another. Our biggest problem is getting the kids to stay home when they are sick."

Dr. Jack Dillon looked at his watch and said, "I am on a tight schedule today – it's my teenage daughter's birthday party, so, I'd like to say that I believe all twenty of these students are a pleasure to be around and will be assets in our society and that the spirit and free thinking encouraged in the Ten Thousand Smiles school will help them to become leaders who know themselves and desire to create a better world. Whoever writes up a report on our day, please put a positive spin on it."

DEVELOPING PROJECTS TO HELP THE WORLD - Chapter Forty

DANNY

I was glad I was asked to help with the groups, and I worked to put myself in the same group as Veronica in the Bayshore group. She is as pretty as Ella and Evie, and I can kind of flirt - I think that's what they call it- and I finally think I know what flirting is - with her today and never see her again. Veronica, as a spokesperson from Bayshore, asked, "Anyone have any ideas?"

Ella offered this: "My grandmother died and was at her home before she died and was enrolled in Hospice. And when I saw the Hospice group of very kind people who give care and comfort to the dying. I was thinking, why can't we create a group like that for new mothers and their babies?"

Arthur, a Bayshore fellow, added, "And we could help with that. My mom said that way back in what they called the Great Depression, there were thousands of abandoned babies, and they were being cared for by different welfare people, but many babies died, and they didn't know why. They heard about Mexico City and that they had just as many abandoned babies, but not nearly as many were dying. So, they sent some folks down to Mexico to see what they were doing. The delegates came back and said that 'we', the folks in New York, had cleaner and nicer facilities, but in Mexico they had women come in all day and night to hold and cuddle the babies. The American caregivers began to have women come in and just hold the babies, and the number who died went way down.

I like that, and we can form a group like Hospice, and we'd get some adults to help us and maybe even help form a men's group to help us." I stood up and shouted, "Hey, you all (I'm sure it came out in my usual ya'ahl) - we just came up with about four great projects = we can form small groups to visit Mothers with babies and young children like hospice does for the dying, and for groups to get senior men to help us and other folks. I hope this is helpful."

Veronica said, "Danny, you're hopeless." But she smiled when she said it, and she went on to say, "I think we could do it, and look and sound like the children; they will think we're cute, but I think we can find a few elderly men who will take us seriously. I heard my dad say that his Rotary club didn't do much to help others. I'll start with him. Then we need to learn for ourselves how to talk like people who think and not act like whiny brats. Maybe we need to form study groups for that too."

I patted my forehead like I was trying to pry loose some good thoughts and said, "Hey, you Smiles people, we go to school with hospice kind of people; all our teachers are like Sam and Patria, so they can help us form groups and guide them into being kind and thoughtful and all the positive stuff."

Ella said, " Danny, the word is 'qualities', not 'stuff'." I nodded and grinned, and Ella went on: "Veronica, you live several miles from here, so maybe you could form a small group of fifth graders and elderly men there, and we'll start both here. And I can start with both of my grandpas who live near our school. And I know there are a lot of lonely people. My mom says that it is true for far too many people in our society, and she hasn't done anything about it. I'll have to approach this with her in a very gentle way – she's very wary of anyone, including me, who sounds bossy or like a smart aleck."

Chris said, "It will be fairly easy for us here because we all go to the same school and I'm sure all staff members at Smiles will be for and with us. I think that our entire staff is like the folks at Hospice – kind, understanding, and respectful."

"You're kidding, right?" Said Judy, a loquacious girl from Bayshore. I noticed that the elderly woman evaluator nodded solemnly, and Judy went on. "I'm going to be interested in what our teachers and principal have to say about all this – if they will tell us." Dr. Langdon's smile went away.

Joe Johnson looked stunned as he asked, "You mean you're afraid to ask?"

Judy glared at him and said, "I once heard a teacher say that one of her profs in grad school said, 'Don't smile till Christmas.' And she said she was sure he meant it, and that teacher of ours swallowed a bit of that. Hey, that could be another project: create a group and help them to be like your Smiles school."

Arthur responded, "And get ourselves kicked out of school. Here's a better project: We need to refine a lesson that we can teach everyone, and it is that punishment is not a positive way to correct behavior. Instruction and encouragement are much better." 

Joe Jackson, added, "You Bayshore guys sure make me appreciate our school. Now, I think we are being called to join everybody."

One of the adults told us to give everyone a report on the projects we have come up with. Ella and Veronica took turns announcing the projects we had come up with. Veronica went first; "We propose that first, we need to form a group to learn and practice talking like thinking and sensing persons and not whiny and dumb kids."

Ella followed, "We all thought that all teachers needed to treat students the same way Hospice workers treat the dying and their families, and we could form teams to do that when we learned that ourselves."

Veronica: "We could also form small teams to visit ailing seniors in hospitals and nursing homes."

Ella: "We want to educate everyone, especially those who care for or teach children, that punishment results in fear and anger and should be replaced with respect, encouragement, and guidance. Yeah, I know, we sound like we want to change the world, because we do!" 

Dr. Shirley Sampler clapped and almost shouted, "That is wonderful. Thank all of you!" Our Dr. Sam, Dr. Patria, and our principal, Sarah Bosch, also clapped. Dr. Samper turned to her three co-evaluators and asked, "Is this a good time for us to get together with the four of us, or should we include the principals and teachers?

Dr. Joe Davis responded, "I would like to meet with all the evaluators first, then just us four."

The old doctor looked somewhat relaxed and almost smiled. I would have liked to be a fly on the wall of their room.

ELLA URGES SMILES KIDS TO BEHAVE COURAGEOUSLY - Chapter Thirty Nine

ELLA

We all looked like a bunch of lost puppies, and I didn't like it, so I said, "I don't think the adults have any idea about what to do, so let's do what the old grumpy Doc told us to do – Behave. – That's what he told us to do. I would like to behave this way: Let's take our name signs and line up in two rows, facing each other in a sort of honor guard fashion in front of the door they will be coming through. And when they come through the door, we give them a cheer. What do you think? Are you with me?”

Joe Jackson almost yelled, "Hell yeah! And how about this for a cheer, Hey, hey, Ho, Ho, We're ready to go, Where to, We don't know! Come on gang – including you Bayshordians!”

Veronica of Bayshore shouted, "I'm in! Come on guys, pick up your name and let's line up any place near the door – follow Ella and Chris." She picked up her card and stood across from Joe Jackson. I saw Joe wink at her and was surprised that Veronica winked back. She waved her Bayshore bunch to join her and to line up in no particular order, facing each other near the door.  Her fellow spokesman, Bob, was the last one, just as Joe Jackson began his Hey, hey, cheer.

The adults entered – led by our Sam Collins, who smiled and began clapping and was followed by Petria Oreala and Sarah Busch, who also smiled and began clapping. Drs. Davis, Phyllis Langdon and Jack Dippon followed our three. They looked puzzled and alarmed. Davis, the leader, gasped and said, "I told you to behave. What is THIS?”

Veronica, bless her heart as my grandma would say, "Dr. Davis, you told us to behave, and so this is the way we decided to behave. Is that not what you ordered?”

Davis sputtered, "And who came up with this outrageous behavior?”

Joe said, "I did," and, turning away so Davis couldn't see, waved us to follow him, and, one after another, nine Smiles and seven Bayshore students said, "I did.”

Dr. Shirley Sampler chuckled and clapped and said, "Well, I'm delighted with all of you. You have definitely behaved in what I think is a delightful way. She turned to grumpy Davis and added, “Well, Dr. Joe, I think we have a partial answer to how we need to proceed from here on – we need to include all these guys.”

Dr. Joe looked questioningly at Sampler and asked, "In what way exactly?" I thought he sounded angry. "This bunch, all 20 of them, seem to be incorrigible rebels and brats, it seems to me.”

Dr. Sampler replied, "And that, Dr. Davis, is why I said you were out of touch with school children. I see them as being creative. I think we had a narcissistic nitwit for president because too many people were not thinking critically. So now, let's ask them how we should evaluate them. Make them part of the process." I was flattered that she looked right at me and smiled. "I bet that both you, Ella, and you, Veronica, have already come up with a better plan, haven't you?”

This was an opening I was looking for, and I said, "I have. We should divide ourselves into three or four groups, and then each of our Smiles groups will join a Bayshore group to plan a creative action we could take. We can show you how we think by cooperating and creating better than competing.”

Dr. Phyllis Langdon angrily asked, 'And where did you learn this, young lady?”

"From being in school and learning and doing it.”

For the first time, Dr. Jack Dillon entered the discussion, "I have not said anything earlier because I was a late addition to the evaluation team and needed to learn about what this was all about. Now I know enough to agree with this thoughtful young lady. Now, who has an idea of how we should divide up the groups?”

I was glad that Danny volunteered and said, "How about two groups of three and two groups of two from each school, with each group having both boys and girls. So, we will have each group join with a similar group from the other school. So, we'll have four working groups with five members each. What do you all think of that?”

Lenny Pence from Bayshore shared this: "I like the idea, and one of the three groups could have two girls and one boy, and another would have two boys and one girl, so the four combined group of five would be even.”

Veronica added, "And the four spokespersons can choose who could make up each group – with their consent. of course.. As Danny would say, 'You'll be okay with that?'" Danny chuckled and nodded.

Dr. Shirley Samper clapped and said, "Dr. Davis, I think we are already learning about how this group acts, plans, and thinks. Don't you?" Grumpy Davis just frowned, seemingly unable to understand what Samper was talking about.  She then turned to me and asked, "And who chooses  the topics that will be discussed?" 

Chris responded, "Each group decides. This is what this is all about, is it not? How we act, plan, and think.”

Samper nodded, and Dr. Dillon said, "That is what I have come to understand. So I recommend that you begin." He looked at the other three evaluators and the principals, and all nodded, except for Davis and Langdon, who looked lost.

The four of us asked Danny to set up the four groups, which he did in five minutes, and we chose a leader for each group – a girl for the groups with three girls and a boy for the group with four boys. I shouted, "Okay, you all, choose your project that will help us change the world."     

STUDENTS ARE NOT OBEDIENT NOR CONFORMING - Chapter Thirty Eight

STUDENTS ARE NOT OBEDIENT NOR CONFORMING

SAM

We decided to keep this news to ourselves and just let our kids have an interesting experience and make sure they are treated positively and fairly. Earlier, I had been a little concerned about who our evaluators were, and I had checked whether they represented both traditional and progressive ideas on education.

I was glad to learn that the four were graduates of Harvard’s and Columbia’s programs, and Okia University and Bank School of Education were represented. I looked up Okia and Bank and was glad to learn that they were progressive and creative. 

Dr. Joe began to explain how the contest will be structured: “All four of us visited both of your campuses, and now we would like to ask you, students, a few questions about what you think of your schools and how you experience them. We will write up our thoughts, and these will be available to you after today’s exercise.” He had asked each principal to choose one boy and one girl to be spokespersons for their team. Bob and Veronica were chosen for Bayshore and Chris and Ella for Smiles. Dr. Davis asked our articulate Ella, “Ella, is calling your school Smiles rather than the rather lengthy full name okay with you?” Ella looked over at Chris, who nodded and said yes. “Good, thank you. So, Chris, I noticed that your 250 students and many others joined a sort of morning jamboree of singing and dancing, and I was told this happens every morning. What do you think about this?” Chris gave Joe a big smile and replied, “I love it. I’ve been at Smiles for five years and look forward to this event every day. I wish we had started this morning’s event with one.” All ten students and the two teachers from Bayshore frowned. Dr. Davis turned to Bob, Bayshore’s spokesman, and asked, “Well, Bob, why the frown?” Bob kept his frown and replied, “It just seems frivolous – because education is a serious business, and this gives the wrong message.” Ella jumped in and said, “I think education can be fun and serious – both/and, not either/or.”

Dr. Phyllis Langdon, another evaluator who looked nearly as old as Joe Davis but far more unsmilingly serious, asked Ella, “Well, young lady, how long does it take to get the students into their classrooms after this jamboree?” I was proud of Ella as she quickly responded, “I’ve never timed it, but I would guess about ten minutes. I wonder about how long it takes the Bayshore students?” Dr. Langdon turned to Bob and asked, “Do you know, Bob?” Bob replied, "As a matter of fact, I have timed it, and it is between eight and eleven minutes.” He looked quite proud of himself. The serious Dr. Langdon said, “Smiles School has about 250 students from first grade through twelfth grade, and Bayshore has only first grade through fifth grade, and each school has about the same number of students. Now, Ella, what do you think of this?” Ella smiled and answered, “I like our system. It is like having a big family. I know the founder of the Smiles schools; he’s my grandfather, and he says there is just too much age segregation and loneliness in our society, and it starts with the schools. At Smiles, I have a big sister whom I see every day and have lunch with two or three times a week, and a little brother whom I see every day. I like this; no, I love this family.” Dr Pheylus turned to Bayshore’s girl spokesperson, “Veronica, do you feel you have a big family at Bayshore as Ella describes? And would you like it?” Veronica frowned, shook her head, then smiled, “I might like it – these guys seem happier than Bayshore students. If they are learning as much as we do, then I’d like to be like them.” Dr. Langdon looked surprised and a bit puzzled.

Dr. Joe said. “That is all the time we have for this. Now let’s begin hearing how you students handle the topics we have for you. We will give you and your partners a topic on history, geography, or current events, and then you two will come up with your thoughts on that topic and problem. You will have 5 minutes to confer with one another, then share your thoughts with all of us. The four of us evaluators will be paying close attention to your discussions. Your opposing pair will be given the same topic and will be evaluated right after you. We will go back and forth, so it will, say, be Bayshore first, then Smiles, then Smiles with the second topic, then Bayshore, and so on. “So, now for Bayshore 1 and 2: Our first topic in history is for Veronica and Robert.”

Chris waved his hand vigorously, and Dr. Davis tried to ignore him. Chris would not be ignored, and so he nearly shouted, ”Dr. Davis, you said that I was a spokesman for our Smiles team, so I wish to speak. This back-and-forth for 5 minutes per team doesn’t make sense. As a senator recently said, ‘It is stupidity on stilts.” Dr. Davis looked stunned, and Dr.  Langdon muttered, “Well, I never…” And I was so proud of Chris, and I’m sure it showed. My students smiled or chuckled, and the Bayshore kids gasped. Dr. Davis nervously looked around and, after a few moments and not finding a bell or a gavel, shouted, “I need to meet with the adults in the other room. You kids just stay here and behave yourselves.”

Patria, Sarah Busch, our principal, and I went to the adjoining room and sat smilingly in the same chairs we had occupied only an hour before. Unlike us, the other trio and quartet of evaluators looked very serious. Dr. Davis began. “Well, we’ve already learned that the Smiles students are not an obedient bunch.”

I said, “And Joe, what is the rule or command that Chris was supposed to be obedient to? I agree with Chris that this setup seems quite odd, to say the least, and I would have done my best to prevent our students from participating if I had learned of it earlier. So, now I hope you all will visualize this picture of two fifth graders grappling with a topic dictated by four Doctors of Education and then being scrutinized by them as they talked – rather like specimens in a jar. As I visualize this, I find myself angry that the four of you have even devised this tortuous exercise. So, let’s go back to the reason we are having this ‘contest,’ as you, Dr. Langdon, called it. I object to any exercise that causes any kind of pain, other than something like a flu shot. So, let’s go over what you plan to do. Patria and Sarah Busch smiled and nodded.

Before Langdon could respond, the youngest evaluator, Shirley Samper, who was not part of the planning committee, said, “Well, thank you, Dr. Collins, for suggesting we visualize being one of the students and having four serious adults evaluating me talking with another 5^th grader for even 30 minutes, let alone four hours. I would have been terrified. Joe, what are we supposed to be learning about these children? Is it that they do or do not melt under pressure?” The two elderly E.Dr.’s gave Dr. Samper a rather cold and blank look, but Shirley continued, “And one thing I’ve learned, and it is, how out of touch you two are from elementary school students. I know I’m involved in this exercise because I’m being paid and it looked interesting. Now I’m wondering who the bankrollers are. Dr. Joe, do you know?”

Dr. Davis, looking a bit embarrassed, responded, “I must admit that I only know that I would receive a check from the State Superintendent and that I must keep it confidential. Now, I’m wondering if you all were given the same order?” I was surprised that both principals and two teachers nodded. "So, no one of us knows who the deep pocket is. I added, “And who chose the two teams?”

Sarah Busch, our principal, said, "I was asked specifically to send Dr. Sam Collin's 10 student cohort." Sarah turned to Teri Osman, Bayshore's principal, and asked, "What about you. Teri? "Dr. Teri Osman said. "I was simply asked to send 10 outstanding 5th-grade students - 5 boys and 5 girls. I wonder why the Super gave you, Dr. Collins, specific students to be our contestants?”

I looked at Patria and Sarah and mouthed, 'Now?' They both nodded, and I said, "I believe I know. First I need to tell you about an incident this last Fall involving two of my students who are here today. My two students, Ella Haloran and Danny Sherman, were taking the tram home from school and sitting together. Three non-Smiles students, at least one of whom was in high school, began harassing Ella and Danny, first verbally, then pawing at Ella and pulling his arm back to swing at Danny. Immediately, Danny grabbed his arm and threw him down on the bus floor and twisted his arms out of shape as the older boy screamed. The bus driver quickly slammed on the brakes, and the assailant's two buddies fell to the floor, and Ella jumped on the back of one and the driver on the other. Our school policewoman arrived and called an ambulance for Danny's screaming captive, who had two injured shoulders and arms. The father of the injured boy filed a suit against Danny for Assault and Battery. Now, Sarah, please tell them about the call from Sacramento.”

Sarah made eye contact with each one of us and then said, "Just before we started this morning, I got a call from a friend of mine in Sacramento. She knew of our event this morning and said she had accidentally heard a conversation of a few education department staffers who were going to help set up a sort of contest between a charter school with the ridiculous name School of Two Thousand School and an elite school in La Jolla to see which school is doing the best job of preparing children for the future. She thought it was strange that she would specify the class in our school but not in the other. Now, Dr. Collin and Sarah Busch believe that the bankroller of today's setup is Steve Norse, the father of the boy whom our Danny Sherman sent to the hospital.  He can't believe a 12-year-old 5th-grader could take down his 15-year-old high schooler. He wants us to certify that Danny is from a school that develops vicious fighters.”

 

I said, "So, this is what we are being paid to do: To prove that Danny is educated to hurt people.  And I ask you good folks, what should we do?

TWO THOUSAND SMILES CHALLENGED - Chapter Thirty Seven

TWO THOUSAND SMILES’ KIDS ARE CHALLENGED

SAM

On Tuesday morning, I learned that our principal, Sarah Busch, had tentatively agreed to allow my cohort to enter an academic contest with 5th-grade students from another school if our chosen students wished to and were paid. I told her I would ask my students and learned that the contest was requested by the state Superintendent of Schools and that the state would make a sizable donation if we participated. It would be held next Saturday at San Marcus State University. I told her that I would also ask my ‘students’ to ask their parents.

I learned that it would take about five hours, was planned from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and that there was no need for any special preparation.

When I told my scholars, they looked a bit worried, and I said, “There is nothing to worry about. I believe in you all, and I would just like for you to enjoy it and have some fun with it. Oh, and remember, you’ll receive $50 for participating, and there is no test. If you are in favor of going, give me a smile and a frown if you don’t want to participate.” I looked carefully at each one and saw all smiles except for Olivia. “I see a bit of a question on your face, Olivia.” I smiled and gently asked, “What is your concern?” 

“Ah, well, will, ah, the other school have cr., cripp, crippled, ah, students too?”

“You know, Olivia, I don’t know, and I don’t care because I know you are smart and will do as well as any of them, whoever they are. So, do I see a smile?” She gave me her awkward smile and nodded. I added, “I don’t know who our competitors are, but we’ll all do fine. Let’s just have some fun!”

I requested a school bus to take us to the university. Patria Oreala, the tator of the other 5^th-grade cohort, and our principal joined us on the bus. Our fellow students from Bayshore Elementary school had just arrived and were easily recognized by their uniforms – maroon jackets with gold piping and cream-colored pants for the boys and skirts for the girls. My kids all looked clean and a bit ragged in contrast. We all headed for the university library. Our principal, _Sarah Busch, knew the woman principal of Bayshore Elementary, and she introduced Patria and I to her 5^th. grade teacher and her assistant teacher who came with their ten 5^th. graders. And the six of us went into a smaller room to confer with the four Cal State Education Graduate School professors, ALL E.Dds., who had volunteered to plan and execute what they called ‘contest’.  

The oblivious oldest professor, gray-haired Joe Davis, Ed.D., told us that they had spent several hours putting the contest together. Joe Dsvid said it had been a rather pleasant undertaking, and they hoped it would fulfill the expectations of the State Superintendent of Education. Dr. Davis wasn’t sure what they were, but hoped for the best. He said, “We believe that you may be able to ascertain which program - Bayshore’s more traditional method or Two Thousand Smiles’ more experimental method- does the best job of preparing students for middle school, high school, and life, of course. So, we will be looking at the way the students conduct themselves and get along with each other, as well as how they approach and handle the questions we give them. We will pair up the students, and each pair – a girl and a boy – will be chosen randomly, not based on any grade point, age, or anything else. And thank you, two principals, for your list of student names. We would like to give the students about 15 minutes to mill around and get to know one another, and with you six. I hope that is okay with you.” We all nodded, and he led us into the library.

I didn’t have to say anything to my cohort students, as they were all interacting with the Bayshore kids on the side of the library that the Bayshore bunch were occupying. My kids seemed to be enjoying themselves and quickly invited the adults into their crowd. The Bayshore bunch seemed to want to stay together or near one another and looked quite serious, even a bit fearful. Dr. Joe Davis loudly asked us to take our seats in our designated areas and said we would find our names on the desks and chairs around the room. Before we began moving, my cohort’s Joe, who was standing near Dr. Davis, said. “Dr. Davis, it’s really nice to hear a Dr. with the first name Joe.” He held out his hand and added, “My name is Joe, too. I’m Joe Jackson, and I’m glad to meet you.” Dr. Joe Davis rather hesitantly took Jackson’s hand, then quickly looked around and announced, “Please find your names and seats as quickly as possible.

Sarah Busch, my principal, stopped me in the hall, looking quite concerned, and said, “Sam, I just got a call from a friend in Sacramento. She works in the Super’s office and overheard a discussion about our Smiles school and, in particular, your cohort. One accusation stood out for her – ‘Despite its name, that school develops vicious young people’. – My caller heard the name, Mr. Norse. I think he was the accuser. And I heard about a contest involving your school. I thought you should know.” I thanked her and thought you should know. Our old ‘friend’ Norse is back. What do you think we should do?” 

I shared the news with Patria, and she, Sarah,and I made a decision.