January 30, 2021, by Tosh Berman

 

January 30, 2021

Last night I watched "Education" by Steve McQueen, part of his "Small Axe" series.  Although the show deals with race issues in London, it also struck a deep chord with me as I watched this specific episode.  Like the main character, due to racism, is sent off to a school for students who are "educationally subnormal." Although not for racial reasons, except that I came from a family of bohemian beatniks, I too was sent to an American version of a school that handles the "educationally subnormal." In other words, I was technically ruled by my previous school as an idiot. Like the main character in "Education," I too felt ashamed and embarrassed to be placed in a "special school." Did I need to go?

That's a question that can't be answered. I clearly was raised in a somewhat eccentric household. In the early 1960s, there was a vast separation between the Bohemian and the straight world. I was bused back and forth to this school. In actuality, it was a regular elementary school, but with some room set aside for the weirdo students. There were only a handful of classmates. One is David, who lacked any form of keeping attention on anything. The other child reminded me of Steve McQueen (the actor, not the director) because he wore gray sweatshirts and jeans and sometimes wore checkered button-down shirts that were obviously ironed every morning. He had a series of physical tics. There was a Japanese-American girl there who never spoke, even when spoken to by a teacher. And there were others, but I don't have a clear memory of them. 

Certainly, my sense of logic is totally different from others, who probably had a formal relationship to logical thought. And my math skills were horrific. My understanding of math is within my ten fingers. Anything beyond that is a total and endless mystery to me. Still, I never fully understood why I was placed in a special school. No one explained the reasons, nor did anyone sat me down with a proper talk.  I was simply was told by a school administrator that I should go there, and I did. Also, very rarely would a parent insist that there was something wrong with the set-up. Especially in the early 1960s, where authority had a firm hand in relaying your options in life. I never blamed my parents or anyone, really. However, I still knew the difference between regular school and this class I was sent to, due to what I presume is the reason I'm stupid. 

There are all sorts of stupid. Perhaps I did have a learning problem, but then again, one sees stupidity on a regular basis. Such as (as of this writing) the demonstration taking place at Dodger's Stadium by people who don't believe in vaccines. I may be off or even stupid, but I'm not insane like those people. If you are against taking a vaccine for public health reasons, OK, that's weird. But why would anyone want to stop people from getting a vaccine for themselves or their families at Dodger's Stadium? When you look at the big picture, my mistreatment from the school world is nothing. I will get over it, and the memory of the pain sometimes stings me to be treated in such a manner, but I feel I did well with my life.   On top of that, I became friends with the students in that special class.  In hindsight, there was nothing wrong with them.