A Reason to Admire Them AND A Reason to Roll My Eyes

Editorial Note: I've rolled my eyes so much in the past 24 hours that my eye muscles literally hurt. So take the next with a HUGE grain of salt...

We live in the Jordan School District. Jordan School District was split last year to an east-side district (Canyons) and a west-side district (Jordan). As the economy has plummeted, so has tax revenue, particularly on the west side. And now the Jordan School Board must cut their budget. Drastically.

So their decision is to make cuts in extracurricular activities AND lay off 500 people, 250 of whom will be teachers. The remaining teachers will lose one of their prep periods. All in all, it really STINKS.

On Wednesday night, via text messaging, the high school students in the district organized a walk-out. Basically, the kids went on strike. They left their schools, and many of them went to the district offices to stage a protest.

High school is a wonderful time of learning, and I admire that the kids organized something so quickly, so well, and so peacefully, in support of the teachers they love.

Here's where I roll my eyes: You've organized in solidarity for your teachers by leaving their classes? This seems counter-productive to me. Maybe it's just me.

Now for further eye-rolling: Landon (in middle school) left his school as part of the walk-out. Only he can't walk TO anywhere important. Additionally, his friends told him that they couldn't go back, and he bought it. He did call me, and I told him to go home. Yet more eye rolling: his friends "wouldn't let him go."

Please, please tell me that someday our 13-year-old is going to grow a brain. How about a spine? I know, I know. I'm asking way too much.