Politicians, Pokemon and Pop Tunes

Sarah gives me hope. While politicians and pundits rage about public employee wages and benefits and regular folks, tired of dodging pot holes, look around for someone to blame, Sarah reminds me that not everyone is out for what they can grab for themselves. Last week Sarah gave me this cute, pink, pokemon character of her own design. Yet, it was her birthday. That teens lean to the center of self is true, but we forget, that teens don't spin on this central axis ALL THE TIME. I'm not so sure about politicians.
A few days ago Sarah came to class wearing a yellow, felt hoody she'd sewn without the aid of a pattern, sporting pikachu-like horns. Sarah's classmates, by and large, admire her creations and her courage to "step lightly to music she hears" however unpop-tunish it might be.
Meanwhile, the pop tune by Jessie Jay, "Pricetag," is getting a lot of air time on the radio. Check out her message:
"Seems like everybody's got a price, I wonder how they sleep at night, when the sale comes first and the truth comes second..."
I like this acoustic version better than the more slick tune with BOB, on the radio play lists. I played this song last week for each of my art classes. They were glazing ceramic pendants, personal symbols they designed or adapted from common symbols. This year, as most years, I was dismayed that I had to explain to a student or two why they couldn't make a ceramic swastika as a personal symbol in MY art room....still, I allowed the dollar signs....so Jessie Jay's song was kind of my antidote. Censorship? Subversive teaching? Guess I'm guilty on both counts.
But for every swastika wearing teen there are a hundred others, Sarahs all, who do not judge, for whom the truth and the needs of others come first, a lot of the time. Look at these cards my students made for the baby cousin of a classmate recently diagnosed with leukemia. Gives you hope, doesn't it?