Teenagers...

"They're stupid and I hope this school burns to the ground!" "Me too. I wouldn't mind seeing this school burn. I'd sit by and watch it. I'd watch it burn to the ground" "How do they know a teacher didn't take it?" "They should just give them to us 'cause we're students"

It is moments like these that make me wonder why I want to work with teenagers. I work at an Arts and Technology charter school. It is a beautiful thing. The sense of community within the staff, the love for the kids - even the assholes - and the desire to make them successful is sometimes overwhelming. I often stare out the window of my classroom and smile because this is just such a wonderful place and these kids are so blessed.

Yesterday we had a Mac laptop stolen from us. One of the students took it. We don't know which one, but there is no way it wasn't a student. What rips me apart are the snarky, disrespectful and rude comments that the students throw out after our principal poured her heart out to them about the incident. She wasn't angry. She was saddened. And their response is one of arrogance and utter disregard for the weight of the situation.

There are a few things that comfort me in times like these. First is that though the ones making the nasty comments are the loudest...they are not the majority. (Sidenote: I just thought of a correlation between this and Christians portrayed in the media. More on this later) They seem like it because they are so...damn...loud.... . So loud. But if I really look beyond them, there are ten to one, students that are remorseful and affected by what has happened. The next thing that comforts me is the fact that teens like this are nothing new. The quote comes to me, "I am not young enough to know everything." It makes me laugh because that is sooo true. I almost die at the knowledge teenagers perceive themselves to have. Teenagers have been the same for thousands of years. They will not change. There will be variations of them, but basically....ain't nothin new under the sun. That's why we have to hope and hold onto that hope. They will change with their years.

Here's hoping I don't lose my job by punching one or more of them in the face before then.