Dear Terrorist,
I imagine you’re delighted with this week’s warning from the U.S. embassy that has made its way across the Middle East. Your anonymous posting on an extremist website calling for the execution of American teachers certainly cast a wide net. As the mother of children at an American school, I have to say I did take it a little personally, and being both a Capricorn and a stickler for details, I wondered if you could perhaps give me a little more information.
When you say American teachers, I wonder, how will you tell you’ve got the right ones? I put myself in your shoes last night when I went to the parent/teacher night (because that’s what you do when there’s a terrorist threat against American teachers; you go and spend three and a half hours in an American school filled with American teachers). I wondered how it might look to you as you approached our school. What would go through your mind. Would you care about the African security guards placed around the gate, would you see their smiles, think about their families and understand that they play no role in your war?
Would you wonder about our facilities? Would you notice the playground, funded by volunteer hours of hotdog lunches, bake sales and donations. Would you see the peace signs that the children have painted – each dove hand painted with a child’s expression of peace and what it means to them? Would you hear the accents from Pakistan to Palestine, Belgium to Beirut – 76 different nations, religions and beliefs all playing on the one school oval. Would you consider the lives of the teachers, ask yourself why they were here, what drew them to wanting to teach in such an environment?
The teachers will be easy to find; they’re always there. They’re the ones volunteering to coach baseball, running after school math programs, building robotic lego projects, and painting the sets for school plays. They take on extra music lessons, they wait for the last child to be collected, and pick up that stray bit of paper out on the field. Don’t be fooled though; they’re not all American. Our faculty,like our children come from all nations, my suggestion would be to shout out “Soccer or Football? Or Cookies or Biscuits?” You’ll soon distinguish the Americans from the Brits, South Africans and Aussies. Perhaps ask the Kiwis to count to six?
I imagine you’ll be thrilled with the news that my children asked about you last night. They wanted to know who you were and why you wanted to kill their teachers. We talked about lock down procedures and they asked what would happen if you came to visit while they were waiting for me at the gates or the school cafeteria. We spoke of our family password, and where we would run to, where I could find them if they had to leave the school. The second little traveller thought this built for a good case on why she should have an iPhone, I suggested that even a terrorist attack wouldn’t warrant an iPhone for a 12 year old. We talked of who you are and if you had a family or children. We decided that you were probably a really nice person and that you were just angry and frustrated.
Although you never came up in conversation, you’ll be happy to know that I thought of you last night as I made my way through my children’s parent/teacher conferences. As I rushed from room to room, listening to teacher after teacher talk about my child and what it was that they enjoyed the most about them. I joined in with the shaking of heads over the lack of capitalisation and misuse of punctuation while marvelling at the brilliance of their story telling. I thought about the words of my children as I looked at their teachers who’d already put in a full days work, sitting at 7 o’clock at night with a paper cup of instant coffee in front of them – why do they want to kill our teachers?
I didn’t have an answer.
Wow, that’s a really powerful and incredibly sad post Kirsty. Who would have thought we lived in a world where those conversations needed to be had with our children.
Wow!
As an American teacher, this post saddens me. Children should never have to be put through situations such as this. It’s so unfair that this is something that they should even have to think about at this time in their life. One of the things I love most about teaching is witnessing the pure innocence of children… To think that there are people out there in this world that are willing to take that innocence away, is simply devastating. 🙁 I’m so sorry that you and your family have had to go through this… And, thank you, as well, for your unwavering support of teachers… Parents like yourself help to make our days so much brighter. 🙂
Bravo for a brave and powerful post. Maybe one day HE might get to read it, hopefully!
After telling you that they hadn’t stepped up security here, apparently they have at some of the American schools. Our kids don’t go to an American school so they haven’t, how you can tell the difference I don’t know. We have American teachers too (as well as many other nationalities).
It’s crazy stuff.
Well said! I don’t think anyone will know the answer to this question, not even the person who came up with the stupid idea. It’s sad to know kids have to think about these kind of things, but I guess that’s the world we live in now…
As a British teacher who has worked across the Middle East, with colleagues and students from around the world… Thank you, you always write so well and I hope that your sentiments will some how reach those who count and that they listen too.
We had to tell my four year old that one of his teachers are gone. It was senseless and stupid and she was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time in the post Arab spring middle east. I wish we lived in different times. Frodo Baggins said something similar.
“So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” JRR Tolkien.
We are at an American School as well and while the threat was alarming, the Headmaster did what he could to calm us and allay our fears about anything of consequence happening at our school. They also talked about the safety of the children and staff as their number one priority and they are actively monitoring the situation.
I’ve just got home for the annual Halloween party where the school was once again packed and festive. We haven’t let it stop us, we’re just a little bit more aware of our surroundings. Exactly as it should be.
Beautiful xx
I don’t know what to say about these threats, except that I hope they’re never followed through. Sad state of affairs all round.
As an American also living in the Middle East, I am surprised by a few “details” you seemed to have missed. The Embassy stated that there were threats of “attacks against American and other western teachers.” You seemed to have picked up on the American part and ask how they would know who was American. The targets were not only American but included “other westerners.” If you have lived here very long, you would know that telling a westerner from someone from the region isn’t too difficult. No need to weed out the Brits & Australians from the Americans, and hey, throw in the Dutch, Germans, French, too. They are all “westerners.”
Not to fuel the fire of whomever this is directed toward, but I can think of some reasons they would want to target westerners. Some people don’t agree with westerners sharing their western ideas and culture here, as it may pose a threat to their culture. All those different nations attending your precious American school, all have been “corrupted” in their eyes by the western teaching. Don’t think I am making light of the situation. My spouse is a teacher (and an American), but this is a perfect example of western blindness that I see all too often. We are not stepping back to recognize the impact that we are having here in the region, as we bulldoze in thinking we are only helping and bringing knowledge and progression. Step back and take a look through someone else’s eyes rather than your own because your American is getting in the way.
I’m Australian.
ellsie22, you have completely missed the point. It matters not where someone is from – what matters is that innocent lives are being threatened. Caught in the crossfire of the acts that would harm American teachers (or any other teacher) will be young students from all around the world, students of every religious and cultural background. Nothing is gained in violence and terror, nothing at all. Try putting your efforts to peace, instead of spewing anger and hate. (As an aside, you sound unnecessarily angry, ie your words “precious American school.” Throwing mud and flames only gets you mud and flames. There are easier ways to get along in this life. Know that I am sending you peace and happiness, as we are all entitled to this.)
Ellsie22 we teachers, and expatriates in general, are here in the ME because we have been invited. We absolutely and clearly recognize our impact. It’s not bulldozing. It’s called filling an identified need recognized by leaders of ME countries. And please don’t sensationalize the delusional ‘terrorist’ as someone who feels disagreeable about western ideas and culture. The minority terrorist’s motives for destruction are much more sinister than ‘I disagree with what those American/Western teachers over there are teaching! Can you imagine they are emphasizing, above all, the cultivation of character values such as honesty, responsibility, compassion and respect?” Tash is correct. You have completely missed the point. You don’t understand context as it relates to personal essay. And frankly, let’s not waste our time looking through the eyes of the misdirected terrorist who demonizes Western culture. Rather, let us all, the majority, continue demonstrating compassion and empathy as we build bridges with humanity through education, understanding, sharing, respect, kindness, non-judgement, and all that is good. I do believe these ‘Western’ values are quite compatible with most? And Kirsty, thank you for sharing your ‘personal’ thoughts and insights about your experiences at an American school in the ME. I am so grateful for bloggers who are willing to share openly, to be vulnerable and honest – all with good intentions at heart. Bravo!
“HE” would have to learn to read first…….
Really lady? Are you so insecure about your nationality? Can’t you see the big message instead??!
Are we not to consider the considerable pain that creates terrorists? Or do we corner the market on pain? Do Iraqi parents not marvel at the brilliance of their children’s story telling? Why aren’t we outraged by the killing of their children? Do we really expect traumatized people to make sane decisions?
Nice tone throughout this article but I’m wondering who your target audience is?
Because I presume that we all are surely aware that “terrorists” are ignorant to the humane aspects that you have referenced in this writing piece…
Empathy is at a premium (if existent at all) when it comes to those who have beliefs entailing the murder of others.
Sometimes it seems like all of this has to be a bad joke. I’m sorry you’ve even had to think about any of this at all.
Thank you!
I wonder if obama thinks about the hand drawn doves on buildings of middle eastern children he blows up. What about Israel? Im sure palestinian children are on the mind of israeli soldiers as another hospital and school is bombed.
oh wait no. They are not. Nobody could care less and that is exactly why these “terrorists” target teachers. To send a message home because their kids dont get the freedom ours do.
Dear christians, jews, muslims and atheists and everybody in between. Please chill out and stop bombing children. Somebody has to be the bigger man. Maybe the countries with the largest nuclear arsenals should make that first move.
Blame Hamas, my however brainwashed friend, who place their weapons in the schools and other public places using kids and innocent citizens as a human wall and who always start bombing Israel first forcing them to reply. Didn’t you know about that?