** This is my day 3 contribution to this week’s writing prompt: bigotry.
I will always remember Mrs. Greenwell from my 2nd grade. I will always remember her making me stand in front of my class and say “rock” over and over again. Only it came out as “wock.” I will always remember her saying I will not get to sit down until I said it right. I never did say it correctly. Another teacher, either Mrs. Brugens or the Vice Principal happen to walk by and seated me. It was certainly Mrs. Brugens who lectured the kids who were laughing at me. She asked how many of them spoke more than one language. She also addressed those who spoke Spanish. They of all kids should understand how hard it is to learn two languages at the same time. I still sometimes get self conscious about my r’s and w’s.
I will always remember Ms. H from 3rd grade. I was late from a doctors appointment or something. I joined the lunch hour and because of the tardiness had to sit at a table by myself. It wasn’t that big of a deal because we had ‘silent’ lunch. No talking was allowed. If you were caught talking, your recess would be taken away. Ms. H, who was disabled and who was my third grade teacher, wheeled around patrolling. She stopped at my table, pointed at me, and said, “YOU – NO RECESS!”
I was shocked. My classmates were shocked.
“Why!?”
“You were talking!”
“I was not! No one is HERE!”
I vaguely remember classmates speaking up for me. Telling her I wasn’t. She then banished me from the cafeteria and I had to sit outside the cafeteria to finish my meal. Another teacher, Mrs. Lecia (who died 3 years later), came to sit with me and told me she knew I wasn’t talking and consoled me as I cried and ate my lunch. I still had to sit recess out. Though I remember always thinking fondly of Mrs. Lecia, I was confused why she didn’t stick up for me.