Privileged White Kids

Quote from middle school student: “Why are some people rejected by the accepted?” This middle school was in a privileged area were the children’s parents were psychologists and speech therapists, among other well-paid professions. These kids don’t have the disruptive energy and I think it must be because their parents expect the best from them.

At another upscale rural high school I subbed a class in chemistry. I thought the students would be pretty smart and there wouldn’t be any behavior problems because they were in a chemistry class. But there were about 60 kids in one class! The desks were all two-seaters and the students were jammed together. Some of them wandered around and talked and were extremely rude to me if I said anything.

When I asked that papers be turned in, a girl who was standing near the basket screamed, “I did turn it in!” Then she whirled away from me and walked toward her seat. How could she be so angry with me for asking that papers be submitted? Later, she wandered about and flung her scarf around her neck, said she couldn’t stop talking. The rest of the class seemed used to her behavior and kept on about their business.

Summing up these two experiences I would have to say that it may not be that privileged kids act better. It may be that disruptions are the result of overcrowding.