"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

I've survived the 24 hour flu-like bug that knocked out a few of my students this week and last. I must not have sanitized my hands and classroom as much as I usually do when I have so many sick students, but this was still the first time I've been sick all year. Thank goodness it was a three day weekend, otherwise I would've had to take a sick day.

Today is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. I like that we get the day off of school for it. I'm not sure what events are going on, but I'm sure there are some, even though it's incredibly cold and there is still snow on the ground. The going theme in my room is quotes that explore my philosophy on life and education. I've used them to help students find inspiration for personal essays in both 10th and 11th grade. I have a few from MLK in my room, my students picked a few of them to write about for journal entries or essays and I've found a few more to add. Their favorites:

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."
"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

What about yours?

Also, tomorrow is the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. I'm going take a risk and wear two 1" pins to work tomorrow: Reproductive Freedom is a Human Right and Pro-Choice or No Choice. I'm not going to point them out or openly discuss them. If one of my students asks, I will explain. Most of them are so open about their opinions and I've told them many, many times that opinions do not influence my opinion of them as a person or their grade in any way, shape or form, so I don't expect any problems.
I've debated on blogging about this day and why it's important to me, but really, it only comes down to a few things:
1. I like having control over my own body and I don't trust anyone else with that decision.
2. I do not feel it's right to judge other women when it comes to deciding if they're fit to be a parent, if they're financially stable enough to be a parent, if they're healthy enough to carry a child for 9 months, or if they're capable of making their own decisions. And I would never ever want to force women into having illegal, unsafe abortions.
3. I really, really enjoy that whole privacy and confidentiality thing between my doctor(s) and myself. I'm betting that most of you do, too.

And a little something extra, made by teen moms and I believe it's called "Too Little, Too Late":