#66Challenge
Today I had the honor of attending a 10 year class reunion brunch for the class of 2012 at Lehigh Senior High, where I worked from 2007-2013. There wasn’t a huge turnout, but I did get to see a few students I taught back in the day, and we had some good conversation. One of these students was Ashley, a girl I taught for 3 years during my tenure there.
The principal (JC) was there, and took us on a tour of the school, which has changed dramatically since I worked there and the class of 2012 attended. Many of the attendees were former athletes, and hearing their reactions to the way school is done these provided some hilarity. I have been part of some of these changes at my current school, so to hear their comments made me realize how many things have changed in a short time.
When we got to what had been the library back in the day, JC explained before we even went in that students no longer check out textbooks or library books: everything is online. This puzzled one young man who couldn’t understand where all the AR books went. We walked into a stark white room with gray tables and suspended black chairs, and little else. JC had to keep emphasizing to the confused twentysomethings that books were no longer needed, that the students can read everything on their chrome books and personal devices. Ashley gave me a pained look, and I said, “Yeah, I don’t think this is entirely a good thing.” She responded, “I kind of like the Dewey Decimal System.” A girl after my own heart!
Then JC explained that in-school suspension is in the old TV production room—the only room with no windows, and the coldest room in the school. When we walked into the dark room the guys noticed that there was a shelf of old paperback books. One of them said sarcastically, “Oh, so you’re allowed to read in here.” That had the group howling with laughter.
All in all, was a fun visit. I will give credit where it is due—the school really is beautiful, and the changes are positive. Well…except that the only books in sight were shoved in the corner of the darkest room on campus!
Yes, I can’t get over the loss of the books that once graced that library. I know this has happened at many high schools, and it still feels like it’s wrong somehow. I’m grateful my middle school still has a regular library where kids can pick up a book, study the cover, hold it in their hands, and check it out.
Some things just shouldn’t be discarded when it comes to education.
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