Roaming the Countryside: "You see us as you want to see us…"

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

"You see us as you want to see us…"

Brian Johnson: Dear Mr. Vernon, we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. What we did *was* wrong. But we think you're crazy to make an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us... In the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain...

Andrew Clark: ...and an athlete...

Allison Reynolds: ...and a basket case...

Claire Standish: ...a princess...

John Bender: ...and a criminal...

Brian Johnson: Does that answer your question?

- Sincerely yours, the Breakfast Club.

I was that guy today. Nope, not the cool kid, not even the athlete or the basket case… I was the other guy in the quote. I was Mr. Vernon. And it felt so strange…because I more identify with the Breakfast Club that I do my new role as Administrative Coordinator of the Christian American School.

I am responsible for teacher administration, student discipline, parent & community contacts, and spiritual guidance.

In fact… this all occurred to me while I was administering a detention to 7 students. They entered the room and were greeted with the following on the whiteboard:

Welcome to YOUR detention.

You WILL sit quietly.

You WILL write a paragraph on what behavior brought you here.

You WILL write a 2nd paragraph on what YOU could have done better.

You WILL write a 3rd paragraph on what you will do differently in the future.

And then, You WILL give a 3 minute speech, explaining it all to me.

-Mr. Shepherd

The good Lord knows I've served enough detentions to know how they work best. I received absolutely no complaints or gruff. They all did what I told them to do. I had my intense face on. But inside… I was thinking of The Breakfast Club.

And as my mind does, I reflected on the long road that has brought me here. And then I felt overwhelmed with the emotion of it all. I give thanks to the God, my King and Father. Only His plan would land me here. I am the record holder of tardiness at Preble Shawnee High School in Camden Ohio. I racked up 38 tardies, served countless detentions, in-school and after school, and multiple days of dreaded Saturday School. And finally… they quit counting.

I laughed and shared my own story before I required them to tell their own. I confessed my transgressions and then sat down with them to pour a little of my life into their souls. Who knows what they thought?

"You see us as you want to see us…" Mr. Shepherd. Yes, I do. I see you as myself. I see you as a loaded spring. I see you able to accomplish far more than you can imagine. I see you as God sees you.