Pink Floyd Message to Eva - Ms. Moskowitz, Tear Down That Wall

When we grew up and went to school, there were certain teachers who would hurt the children anyway they could by pouring their derision upon anything we did exposing any weakness however carefully hidden by the kids... Pink Floyd

I saw a link posted to a video of Pink Floyd's 1979 "Another Brick in the Wall", one of my favorites by one of my favorite groups. I considered having my class perform this subversive assault on a repressive education system - and yes, we the teachers who help perpetuate it, at graduation, but never had the chance. And this was pre-ed deform and repressive charters. How relevant that our new education secretary, John King, was part of Uncommon Schools, one of the schools most indicative of The Wall. We should take Roger Waters on charter school tours.

No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers leave them kids alone
Hey teacher leave them kids alone

I hope kids don't remember me as another brick in the wall - or as a teacher trying to turn them into one. Over the years I have thought back remembering times when I may have bordered on this behavior. I'm sure I did as keeping order was the major way we were judged as teachers. Luckily I rarely had children who couldn't be worked with.

Funny how I tend to think of these rather than the better stuff. Recently a former student - from the late 70s or early 80s - left a comment on Facebook about how he viewed me as a teacher that brought back the good memories:

....it's teachers like you that make a difference in our children's lives. Every time I went to your class I was hoping to learn more about the dinosaurs and do some kind of project. It was a fun class, you hardly had a bad day and never treated us badly like that other teacher that rode the bike every morning to school. So, keep being you. God bless... Ruben

So funny that Ruben mentions that "other teacher" - my neighbor across the hall - who happened to be my Hebrew School teacher when I was about 10 years old and was so harsh I told my mom I would not go back.

Here is a good insurrection video on The Wall. Imagine one day, in responds to dragging kids and parents to a sham rally, the kids of Success Charters tear down that wall.




Lyrics:

We don't need no education
We don't need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers leave them kids alone
Hey teacher leave them kids alone
All in all it's just another brick in the wall
All in all you're just another brick in the wall
We don't need no education
We don't need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers leave them kids alone
Hey teacher leave us kids alone
All in all you're just another brick in the wall
All in all you're just another brick in the wall

PINK FLOYD ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL PART 1 2 3 LYRICS
Daddy's flown across the ocean
Leaving just a memory
Snapshot in the family album
Daddy what else did you leave for me?
Daddy, what'd'ja leave behind for me?!?
All in all it was just a brick in the wall.
All in all it was all just bricks in the wall.

You, Yes You, Stand Still Laddie!

When we grew up and went to school, there were certain teachers who would hurt the children anyway they could
by pouring their derision upon anything we did
exposing any weakness however carefully hidden by the kids.

Out in the middle of nowhere they were home at night
their fat and psychopathic wives
Would thrash them within inches of their lives!

ooooooooooooo, oooooooo, ooooooooooo, ooooooooo, ooooooooo, ooooooooo,oooo.

We don't need no education
We don't need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers leave them kids alone
Hey! Teacher! Leave them kids alone!
All in all it's just another brick in the wall.
All in all you're just another brick in the wall.

(A bunch of kids singing) We don't need no education
We don't need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom
Teachers leave them kids alone
Hey! Teacher! Leave us kids alone!
All in all it's just another brick in the wall.
All in all you're just another brick in the wall.

Spoken:
"Wrong, Guess again!
Wrong, Guess again!
If you don't eat yer meat, you can't have any pudding.
How can you have any pudding if you don't eat yer meat?
You! Yes, you behind the bikesheds, stand still laddie!"

Goodbye cruel world
I'm leaving you today
Goodbye
Goodbye
Goodbye

Goodbye all you people
There's nothing you can say
To make me change my mind
Goodbye