5 Minute Observations

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Tag: school

  • Portuguese Divider

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    1987. President Reagan said, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” It was also the same year Mr. Martim Silva, an English teacher at California High School, started his first day of class poking fun at his culture and heritage.   True to teachers’ style of the time, he wore tan-colored slacks, ironed with tight creases,…

  • Follow the Leader – Sort Of

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in ,

    Mark, Joe, and Chris were all friends back in the day. We’re talking about the early 1970s when kids were shoved outside and told to play, often unsupervised and unregulated. But for the three boys, they didn’t think much about that. Mark was a bit of a loudmouth and opinionated on every subject. A fan…

  • First Date

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    by

    Joe Class III
    in

    “I don’t appreciate what you said about my friends.” Her voice was tense, borderline hostile. What I didn’t know then was that this conversation would change the trajectory of both of our lives, hers and mine. Between the abuse at home and the constant teasing at school, I was fed up. Mostly, I was tired…