I had lunch yesterday with 1,000 children.
I decided to join The Sweeties for Thursday’s lunch. Four attend the same elementary school, so this is easier in some ways than it sounds. I drove over to the school just before 11, went through security (they take your ID and give you a badge with your photo on it), and walked across the hall to the cafeteria.
Kiley, second grade, doesn’t really have lunch at school; she has brunch. She and her class poured in at 11. Alex, her kindergarten-aged brother came next, at 11:25. Then cousins Mack, fourth grade, at 11:55, and Aidan, first grade, at 12:30. After Mack a cafeteria lady asked me how many grandchildren I had in the school. “Four,” I said, “but five next year” (if the district lines don’t change).
This particular public school in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., has over 1,000 students, grades kindergarten through fifth. The cafeteria seats 320 and it was close to capacity on each shift, so I got to see (AND HEAR!) most of the 1,000 as they ate (more or less) their lunches from home or the lasagna, corn dog nuggets, or vegetarian chik’n nuggets sold by the school for $2.10, including two sides and a milk. (I didn’t see anyone with the chicken fajita salad.) I understand more clearly now why most restaurants stun me with their noise. The people that manage those places and work there experienced public school cafeterias as kids and think their workplaces are relatively quiet.
A thousand children, ages 5 to 11; American youth in 2010. And they were amazing and beautiful in every shade known, unquestionably with parents or grandparents from all parts of the world — and in many instances with parents from two parts of the world. And, romantic patriot that I am, I couldn’t help but think, e pluribus unum (out of many, one). It was America, as she has always been, richly diverse— our greatest strength.
And it made me quit worrying about the Tea Party.
Wow, you talk about diversity.
Today I also experienced e pluribus unum, personally. I witnessed 53 persons become Americans. What a great experience. I firmly believe all Americans should observe one of these ceremonies. It is truly moving. It is really touching to look at the faces of new citizens when they gaze at their United States Certificate of Naturalization for the first time.
In total, six continents were represented.
One of those sworn in, who is very dear to my heart and soul, is now the sugar in the melting pot that is the United States of America.
What a wonderful post, and the comment, as well. E pluribus unum, indeed!
I’ve been to some schools like that, if not that specific one. I especially enjoy the schools full of diversity. There was one school in Southern Florida I went to that had over 1500 students, and I spoke to all of them in one day (five sessions). I was impressed that 300 students could be crammed into a library all at once and actually be attentive enough for me to talk to them for 45-60 minutes (without the kind of joyful din one hears in the cafeteria). It’s not easy to get 300 6 or 7 year olds to sit and pay attention for very long, but they did it– a testament to their teachers, for sure.
Heartwarming post and I am sure the Sweeties really appreciated having grandpa join them for lunch.