November 16, 2007
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1 There's just something about role models man.
2 I would have been remiss in my duties if I didn't bring that story up.
3 Plus I had a few DN readers write and let me know that the camel in yesterday's DN was NOT Mr. Ed, above.
4 The funny thing is, I had the picture of Mr. Ed in the camel slot BEFORE I had the camel, but the idea was that my DN was all about going to meetings.
5 And one of my favorite old adages about meetings is this: A camel is a horse created by a committee.
6 Thus Spake Zaracamela.
7 Moving on: Yesterday our students did one of the lamest "protests" I've ever had the misfortune of watching.
8 At lunch, well over 200 students pulled Skittles out of their pockets and rained the candy all over the campus.
9 For a minute I thought I was getting married again. Skittles bounced, shot, whizzed and pummeled from every conceivable angle.
10 Sounds pretty funny except that my thoughts instantly were, "This is planned, and it's REALLY a messed up thing to do to our custodial staff, who are already way overworked, and who are an awesome group of people." I called security and it was a slow response.
11 The students thought it was hilarous though, and kept it going for around five minutes. The head custodian, one of the hardest workers I've ever met, walked to the middle of the quad to stop everyone, and they pelted him shamelessly.
12 Well, to keep it short, I came out with a bullhorn and said, "Okay. You did a great job. Now let's see if you could help clean all this up. It isn't fair that you dumped on the custodians, who do everything for you. Do not dump on the custodians. Even if you weren't throwing things, please help them; do not dump on the custodians.Thank you." The campus was covered with Skittles everywhere.
13 Well, it worked. Within seconds around thirty or forty students started cleaning, sweeping, and getting rid of the mess.
14 The head custodian, who just minutes earlier tried to stop the madness and had been pelted in the middle of the quad, was practically in tears of both anger and hurt from the disrespect this supposedly classy school had shown him.
15 He got on the bullhorn and said, "Thanks a lot. Thank you very much for making all of us, who do so much for you, suddenly have to work longer and harder today. I appeciate it. I WOULD like to thank the students who are helping." Words to that effect.
16 It was a sad day at the Chill. The same students who score the highest test scores in the District, the same school that raises thousands for people less fortunate than they, the same school that is repeatedly told how polite and nice the students are suddenly turned into a school ruled by mob madness, and it turned scary very fast, even if it was just candy.
17 Meanwhile we found that during the same lunch hour, another school had a report of a gun on campus. It put it in perspective, but not that much perspective.
18 Most of all it was a sad thing to see. Fortunately enough students showed enough character to help the custodians clean up, and by the end of the next period it was completely under control.
19 It still took around an hour-and-a-half to get it all under control for the war weary custodial staff.
20 I could go on, but no point. For the first time in its history, the Chill on the Hill acted like imbeciles, and it was a sad, sad day for their character suddenly to surface so ugly
21 That's the very reason I am absolutely against school pranks.
22 Moving on: Steel Magnolias continues tonight and tomorrow night at 8 p.m.
23 That's Angie's show, and it is produced by The Santa Clara Players and is at the Hall Pavilion Triton Museum of Art, 1505 Warburton Ave. Santa Clara $10-$15. 8 p.m. 408.248-7993. http://www.scplayers.org
24 George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart's Once in a Lifetime also plays this weekend at West Valley College. Directed by the amazing Ginger Drake, the show revolves around three voice coaches in Hollywood during the time that the silent era was ending and the new "talkies" were coming of age. Tonight and Saturday night, 8 p.m. $10 to $12. 14000 Fruitvale Ave. Saratoga, CA. Jenny is in this one!
http://www.westvalley.edu/fa/theatre
25 There's lots more, too many to list here. Turn off your teevee and go to a play this weekend; it's PLAY season!!!
26 Well, thanks again for listening. Just had to blow off a little steam.
27 I relaxed after school today by watching the drama department rehearse in my building.
28 Sure felt like home being around Drama again.
29 Well, it's Friday.
30 Go out and make it better.
31 Peace.
~H~
http://www.xanga.com/bharrington
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