Coach Brown files this thoughtful report on the funeral of a former student. It was Brown’s first time attending a student’s funeral, and he doesn’t pull any punches. There’s nothing romantic about a student’s death:
At almost every funeral I've attended there is some sense of laughter or fond memories. This funeral was straight sadness. ... Watching people you know, students and ex-students, grieving so hard was brutal. I watched happy-go-lucky people that I taught in so much pain that it was really hard being in attendance. ...By the end of the whole ordeal, my teaching partner and I left with a sense of sorrow, and anger. Neither of us wanted to got to one of these ever again. We kept asking the question, "When are they going to figure it out?"
It’s a moving post. And a sad reminder of the dangers facing our kids daily.
In the end, the whole experience makes you realize that we can only do so much, and that society needs to focus, yet again, on developing a broader support structure for kids. Teachers alone, can't do it.
We agree, Coach Brown, they can’t. Kudos to you for going the extra mile.
