A Terrible Beauty: What Teachers Know but Seldom Tell outside the Staff Room Read Online Free Page A

much older than you, were abandoned.” The class was
silent.
    “I’m not saying it wasn’t the right thing to do,
trading several thousand lives for tens of millions, though I’m not
sure I could have done it. The point is, don’t expect the truth and
you won’t be disappointed.
    Truth is dangerous, it’s power. No one gives power
away.” Chelsea shrugged helplessly. “Then what can we do?”
    “For a start, read, read everything factual you can
get your hands on, no matter what anyone else says or thinks about
it. Communist, fascist, liberal, conservative, radical, moderate,
progressive read it all, file it away in your mind. Run it all
through the filter.
    Shake it, sift it, and keep an open mind while you do
it. Question, suspect—everything! “Subject every source to the test
of reason, of logic, and let it stand or fall on its merit. Think
for yourself— and always, always ask— Why am I being told this?
And— What is it they aren’t telling me? And most important of all—
What do they want me to think about this? And eventually, maybe,
you’ll find what’s true for you.
    “But you’ve got to be a cynic, don’t let anybody do
your thinking for you. It’s not easy, and it’s not fun, but no one
who doesn’t can think for themselves. Adolf Hitler said— ‘What luck
for rulers that men do not think.’ Herr Schicklgruber had it right.
Without thought, a people cannot remain free.” A blond with a
radiant smile raised her hand.
    “Anna.”
    “But how do we start?” O’Connel smiled. “For now,
read, listen, think. That’s enough to make you different from most.
The rest will come.” The bell rang, and when the class filed out,
Anna stayed behind.
    “You know, Mr. O’Connel, I read a whole bunch. I love
reading.” Solange made one last entry on her laptop, listening,
fascinated.
    O’Connel nodded and smiled as he gathered up the
booklets.
    “That’s great, Anna”.
    She followed him, notebook clutched to her chest.
“And I’m trying really hard in school this year, and I’m going to
pass all my classes. I want to get a good job to support my little
girl.” He stopped, dropping the booklets in his case. “How is
she?”
    “Growing like a weed.” She smiled proudly. “I’m due
again in May.” Shocked, Solange looked up to see her gently
caressing her swollen abdomen through the jumper.
    O’Connel held his face carefully neutral. “I didn’t
know.” She nodded, beaming. “Yeah, I’ll have two in the nursery
next year.”
    “Well,” he said, “ I’m glad to hear you’re working
hard, Anna.
    Keep it up, okay?” She breezed to the door. “Sure
will, see you.” When she had gone he looked up at Solange, then
away. “A good girl, but she can barely read. She’s sixteen.”
    “My God,” she said, stunned, crushed under a great
weight of hopelessness. “What was that about? Why’d she stay?” He
smiled sadly. “A little attention, maybe, a little pat on the back,
that’s all she wanted. Sometimes I think it’s the most important
thing I do.” Rain beat heavily against the windows.
    Solange looked down at her laptop.
    “Did you intend to give the activity closure? I mean
if Moses hadn’t asked that question?”
    “Closure—” He smiled, snapping his briefcase closed.
“I haven’t heard that since teacher training. Oh, I know how it’s
supposed to work, but the last thing I want is closure. I try not
to give them answers. I just try to get them thinking. I never have
been very good at wrapping it up in a neat little package and
sending them on their way. It’s never closed; it’s never done. I
want it to nag them, to drive them to distraction. Maybe, if I do
it right, they might just switch off the tube long enough to read
something.” He clicked off the lights, leaving the room in near
darkness.
    “I’ve got to return a call to a parent. Coming?” She
had to struggle to keep up in her heels. The passion he felt for
the job surprised her. Nothing