History: A Third Grade Class

I recently spoke to a LISD third grade class.  This is an annual effort undertaken by my office.  It has been very gratifying and occasionally quite humorous; especially when the class thinks I am the President.

All the kids are sitting in front of me on the floor with their legs crossed.  I speak initially then I encourage each student to stand tall, state their name and ask their questions clearly.

I begin with a story of my first day of kindergarten and ask if they remember their first day of school.  The kids reply nervously about being unsure, with no friends and a bit nervous, maybe even a little scared.  I tell them my first day was just like theirs.  Then I tell them that about two weeks into my kindergarten class, I noticed that one of our new students was all alone on the playground and crying at recess.  I went up to the little girl and asked what was wrong.  She told me this was her first day and she had no friends.  I told her I would be her friend and placed her hand in mine.  That was 45 years ago I tell the class!  That little girl now lives in New York and I tell the class I have received a Christmas card from her every year.  You can make a difference through the simplest gesture of kindness.  Even as simple as holding someone’s hand when they may be scared.  I asked the class how many of them have friends and they all raise their hands.

Reading has always been a problem for me.  I never asked a question in school because I thought all the kids would laugh at me.  Because I read backwards, the other kids teased and made fun of me.  I tell the class that when I first became mayor, people made fun of me because it sounded like I did not know how to read well.  People laughed and it reminded me of when I was in the third grade.

I then open up the floor for questions.  The first question; do I live in a two story house?  No I said, I actually live in a one story house because it is cheaper to heat and cool.  Then I ask, “how many kids here today have heard their parents talk about the high price of gas?  All raise there hands.  I ask them how many make their beds in the morning?  Not many hands are raised.  We continue about a variety of topics from what does the Mayor do to have I ever met the President.

I then called on a young girl who was patiently waiting to ask a question.  She stood up, stated her name, and asked “do you have dyslexia?”  “Yes I do” I said.  She then said “and you’re the Mayor?” As if I should not be because of my handicap.  She then stated that she had dyslexia, and she started crying saying that kids always make fun of her.  And then that’s when it happened.  A little boy sitting next to her reached up and placed her hand in hers, just like I did when I was a little boy.  Then, all of the students began “scooching” in towards her.  It was one of those moments, where the teachers and the mayor had to wipe their eyes.   I then told the little girl that it would not surprise me if one day she would be the President!  The whole class, including the adults, began clapping for her, and she had a grin bigger than the State of Texas on her face.

Those children on that day reminded me of a lesson I learned many years ago. On that day, I saw true love for one another, and that lets me know that no matter how bad things appear to be, everything is going to be okay.