Most people would agree that I am normally a pretty laid-back, easygoing kind of person. However, today, my pleasant outlook on the world was shattered when I came to the unpleasant realization that I needed to shut down the hard-won guitar program that I had worked so hard to build in my first 7 years at my school as music specialist. The reason? After 5 years of fundraising and scrounging, I had accumulated 15 secondhand purchased or donated guitars. I had put in hundreds of hours of planning, fundraising, searching, bargain-hunting and repairing.
Today, I came back to my classroom after a week of sick-leave to find that 7 of these guitars were now broken beyond repair, 3 had been deliberately dismembered, leaving me with 5 aging, barely playable guitars. I am sickened, because these instruments were not simply the result of long, unpaid hours of work on my part, but also a labour of love. If you've read my blog in the past, you know how much I care about my students. This is a small, rural school. I want my students to have the same advantages as a larger, urban school.
It seems that the students do not feel as I do. Tomorrow, I will make the announcement to my classes, along with the reasons why the program is being discontinued. The administration and I came to the same conclusion after examining the reamins of my stable of guitars. Most of the damage had been done deliberately. There is no purpose served by continuing to repair and outfit instruments that will not be treated with respect.
To say that I am devastated by this is an understatement. I feel betrayed, used, disrespected. I have no stomach for teaching these little vandals at this time. It's in the back of my mind that maybe, just maybe, this should be my last year as a classroom teacher.
10 comments:
Coco honey, I'm so sorry this happened to you. I wish there were something I could do to help...
Aw, man! Why would people want to do something like that?
Now that's a real shame.
Oh Coco my friend...
I'm dismayed. I truly have no words but I do offer a friendly shoulder and a hug.
I do know you will pull through this as you have pulled through so many things with grace.
Love you dear heart.
Oh Coco honey. I'm so sorry to hear that. Kids can be so destructive.
HUGS to you honey.
Messing with music in any form just boils my blood. By destroying instruments, sheet music or anything that bring joy to the ears in a melodic nature is nothing but sheer vandalism.
I hope the culprits are found and dealt with severely.
*hugs*
So sorry this happened. I don't understand why they would do it.
Oh Coco sweetie... I'm so sorry to hear about this. Whatever made them decide to do such a horrible thing?
HUGS!!!
finally trying to catch up and, as you are the first listing on my friends, I come her to find this horror.
First I find out you were sick for a week (man I have been out of it) and then find that the same students you have ALWAYS shown love and respect toward have violated your trust like this.
You know Coco, you should invite some of your past success stories back to have a talk with these nitwits.
Tragic, just tragic. Hugs to you.
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