Thank you, Karen. Now I've got to go rent Winn-Dixie. Actually her story about the little girl in her first grade class made me remember a little boy in my class. He smelled, he had trouble learning to read, and he was emotionally abused by teachers and students alike. He was, however, somehow resiliant enough to go around town collecting discarded bottles with his battered little red wagon. I wondered when I got older if the money was just for spending money or if it was money to help his family.
I wish that I thought that things had changed by now, but I'm pretty sure that kids like that still get emotionally abused by teachers and students alike. As a society we don't really like poor people unless they are genteel poor. Maybe that's why some of the poor people I've known have placed a higher value on cleanliness and stylish clothes than sometimes seems necessary. Thanks to Kate for reminding me of an old memory and for reminding me to always really look at the whole person.
I think an awful lot of us can remember a Maddie Hornacker in our lives ... I, too, was grateful for this touching portrait. I was reminded, too, of the Herdmans from "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever."
We really liked Winn Dixie -- the book, and the delightful film.
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Thank you, Karen. Now I've got to go rent Winn-Dixie. Actually her story about the little girl in her first grade class made me remember a little boy in my class. He smelled, he had trouble learning to read, and he was emotionally abused by teachers and students alike. He was, however, somehow resiliant enough to go around town collecting discarded bottles with his battered little red wagon. I wondered when I got older if the money was just for spending money or if it was money to help his family.
I wish that I thought that things had changed by now, but I'm pretty sure that kids like that still get emotionally abused by teachers and students alike. As a society we don't really like poor people unless they are genteel poor. Maybe that's why some of the poor people I've known have placed a higher value on cleanliness and stylish clothes than sometimes seems necessary. Thanks to Kate for reminding me of an old memory and for reminding me to always really look at the whole person.
I think an awful lot of us can remember a Maddie Hornacker in our lives ... I, too, was grateful for this touching portrait. I was reminded, too, of the Herdmans from "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever."
We really liked Winn Dixie -- the book, and the delightful film.
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