A lesson that should be taught in our schools

Chuck Beland

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A Lesson That Should Be Taught In All Schools


Back in September of 2005, on the first day of school, Martha Cothren, a social studies school teacher at Robinson High School in Little Rock,
did something not to be forgotten.


On the first day of school, with the permission of the school superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor, she removed all of the
desks out of her classroom. When the first period kids entered the room they discovered that there were no desks.


Looking around, confused, they asked,


'Ms. Cothren, where're our desks?'


She replied, 'You can't have a desk until you tell me what you have done to earn the right to sit at a desk.'


They thought, 'Well, maybe it's our grades.'


'No,' she said.


Maybe it's our behavior.' She told them, 'No, it's not even your behavior.


And so, they came and went, the first period, second period, third period. Still no desks in the classroom.


By early afternoon television news crews had started gathering in Ms. Cothren's classroom to report about this crazy teacher who had taken
all the desks out of her room.


The final period of the day came and as the puzzled students found seats on the floor of the deskless classroom.


Martha Cothren said, 'Throughout the day no one has been able to tell me just what he/she has done to earn the right to sit at the desks that
are ordinarily found in this classroom. Now I am going to tell you.'


At this point, Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and opened it.


Twenty-seven (27) U.S. Veterans, all in uniforms, walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school desk. The Vets began placing the school
desks in rows, and then they would walk over and stand alongside the wall.


By the time the last soldier had set the final desk in place those kids started to understand, perhaps for the first time in their lives, just how the right
to sit at those desks had been earned.


Martha said, 'You didn't earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you. They placed the desks here for you. Now, it's up to you to sit
in them. It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good citizens. They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an
education. Don't ever forget it.'


By the way, this is a true story.


If you can read this, thank a teacher.


Since you read it in English, thank a soldier.


If anyone questions whether this is true or not, go to this link:


http://www.snopes.com/glurge/nodesks.asp
 
WOW!! I admire that teacher's ingenuity. And I applaud the principal and Superitendent for allowing her to teach that lesson in such a vivid manner! I bet those kids never forget it, or the other lessons they learn in that class.
Now a little humorous jab. Are you sure that happened in Arkansas.:D
Thanks for sharing! Jim.
 
thanks for sharun!

have seen it before but tnoit the link that you mentioned, hopefully it was true and not just written.. we al know how things can be made to look real but put all that aside. i to appluad the teacher and her supoeriors for allowing it to happen.. as for being in arkansas or district of coloubia,,, we all should feel the reality of where and how this right and many others have been given or earned threw our soliders and ancestors... although threw my eyes i do feel that the south is ahead of alot of areas in maintaining the family rights and traditions...family comes first and the right to be free without the restrictions that other countries impoze....i am not a vet but i applaud everyone who was,, my dad was in for 10 yrs and i missed the draft by one no.. but i still respect everyone i see!!!
 
That is great, I do hope it is a true story, but I wonder where the follow up story about the ACLU suing the school district is......... :huh: :dunno: :rolleyes:

I also had seen it before, and wondered the same thing, Stu, since the ACLU's record of causes that they go to battle over...........Uh oh, I'd better stop here.:rolleyes:
 
I'm actually a big fan of the ACLU...I know, I know...they defend some scum that push the limits, but in the big picture, they do us all good.

I wrote a story one time about a trip to one of our many islands (Criehaven Island). A woman out there came into the place and was pretty well lit. I wrote down my observations about how she acted and later she claimed she was going to sue me for slander and stuff. It was crazy because I did not even use her last name or anything...I don't even know what it is...but anyway I just said "Freedom of Speech", and she backed off. I never went to the ACLU but if it went any further I would have. I'm just glad they are there because Freedom of Speech is what allows us to say what we want...on this forum, out in public, anywhere on this soil.

Thank goodness we have a teacher, and principal that wants to instill in our children that veterans have made all freedoms...not just freedom of speech...a reality.
 
Just so you know, that teacher is not the only one that knows Freedom comes from veterans. I posted this last week on a local Maine Snowmobile chat room...

Looks to be great snowmobiling out there. I have not been out this weekend nor will I be able too...I got other things to do unfortunately. But as you ride around on some great trails, taking in the sights and enjoying all that snowmobiling offers, remember...

There are a lot of men and woman in Afghanistan, Iraq and other parts of the world that wish they were home riding too, and not stuck out in some desert fighting the heat and enemies.

Being able to ride is a true feeling of freedom, and these people make is possible. Maybe if we just THINK of them as we ride from time to time, we will be doing our part
.
 
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