Public Service Announcement
Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at 9:39AM 
I really feel for the families at my school who have moved here from other countries. This town is a relocation center for African refugees and I can not even fathom how hard that must be. To have to leave your country involuntarily with just your kids and the clothes on your back. And then? To be plopped down in the middle of a foreign country where nothing is the same.
And it's cold.
And you don't have a car.
And you don't speak the language.
And your clothes are weird, but you have no money.
And the food is weird.
Then, you have to put your kids in school. A school where you can't meet with the teachers because you don't understand what they are saying. A school where if the nurse calls to tell you your child is sick you can't understand it. A school where your child gets in trouble because the customs are different.
And then one day in March you send your precious children to school and they come home crying because they got pinched all day for not wearing green.
Green?
Why?
Please people, if you know of any immigrant families in your area take their kids some green tee shirts for next week. You probably won't have any luck explaining why we celebrate an Irish holy day by pinching people who don't wear green but try.
For me.
Because last year on St. Patrick's Day? Seeing the little faces crying just about did me in and I ran through all my green stickers trying to rectify the situation.
Thank you for your cooperation. :)
Life Lessons, School Stories
Reader Comments (13)
My heart, it just melted. I used to be on the "front-lines" also, and 90% of the time LOVED my job. but that 10%, oh that 10%, had the power to bring me to my knees.
Good call. I am glad that adults don't pinch (as much).
Oh, those poor little kiddies. This just broke my heart. I hope things go better this year.
You are so right. I think I will pick up a few green shirts for kids at my school. We have a lot of immigrants from Mexico here that don't speak Englinsh, so probably don't know what all the notses that get sent home are. Thanks for writing about it! :)
Oh no! So sad! :( Yes, come with lots of green stickers this year!
we have a lot of somali refugees in helsinki, and i can't imagine the culture shock they experience. and the hostility they experience from finns, who are SO not used to seeing black faces in their midst (immigration outstripped emigration for the first in like 1992- foreigners are a very new concept here). as if these people asked for a civil war to break out and to be sent to a very cold, very dark country with the CRAZIEST language ever.
so, people, if you can help someone out by bringing a green shirt to school- DO IT.
Whew! Thank goodness our spring break is next week!
Lincoln is actually a resettlement city for any refugees from any country! I teach those students in English, to help them speak, read and write in English. In my classroom alone I usually have 8 different languages spoken from students that come from 12 different countries. It's an awesome challenge, a mission field without leaving my own city! Lincoln is (In my opinion) a better city for having and supporting all these different cultures.
I've been explaining to my classes in the last couple of days about the holiday next week. They all think we are REALLY BIZARRE! And frankly I agree, however, I am part Irish and love the day, not sure I really understand the whole concept, BUT, I will on Wednesday feed my own children green milk and green eggs, and make a big deal about it. I'll make some Irish Soda Bread and we'll eat some potatoes. I refuse to eat corned beef and cabbage though. It's tradition in my family. It's fun for one day!
I supply all my kids at school on St. Patrick's Day with green shamrock stickers so that they can survive the day. Plus kids at my school get into big trouble if they go around pinching people.
Mindee, Thanks for shedding some light on how immigrants to our country must feel when they get here. It is incredible the differences and oddities they have to face and learn about! And the general struggles they face on a daily basis!
I always hated St. Patrick's Day...and I knew about it. I just forgot to wear green. You are very thoughtful to put this out there!
You're so right! Poor children! I experienced something similar when I was 5. And I wasn't an immigrant! It was humiliating!
My brother-in-law is from Dublin, Ireland, and he'd never heard of St. Patrick's Day, either. Really.
Yeah, St. Patrick's Day was just starting to gain popularity in Ireland when I lived there in 2001. And, it was because so many Americans would come to Ireland to celebrate, and kind of passed it on. In the same twisted way, I had many Irish friends that would go crazy celebrating their 21st birthday. Which their only explanation for was that Americans did it. I found it pretty bizarre.
Very smart thinking there, Mindee. Kids can be CRUEL when it comes to St. Patrick's Day. Hopefully teachers will take your advice and stock their desks with green stickers. As for me? I've always claimed my green eyes keep me exempt. =)
Mindy
www.thesuburbanlife.com