# Why you should read forwarded e-mail from a friend...



## JBI (Nov 18, 2009)

I wish I had opened this one the day I got it (11/8/09) instead of 10 days later. No matter, the message is valuable even a week after Veterans Day...

            The Classroom

       A lesson that should be taught in all schools . . and colleges!

       Back in September of 2005, on the first day of school, Martha

       Cothren, a social studies school teacher at Robinson High School

       did something not to be forgotten.  On the first day

       of school, with the permission of the school superintendent, the

       principal and the building supervisor, she removed all of the desks

       out of her classroom.

       When the first period kids entered the room they discovered that

       there were no desks..  'Ms. Cothren, where're our desks?'

       She replied, 'You can't have a desk until you tell me how you earn

       the right to sit at a desk.'

       They thought, 'Well, maybe it's our grades.'

       'No,' she said.

       'Maybe it's our behavior.'

       She told them, 'No, it's not even your behavior..'

       And so, they came and went, the first period, second period, third

       period.  Still no desks in the classroom.

       By early afternoon television news crews had started gathering in

       Ms.Cothren's classroom to report about this crazy teacher who had

       taken all the desks out of her room.

       The final period of the day came and as the puzzled students found

       seats on the floor of the deskless classroom, Martha Cothren said,

       'Throughout the day no one has been able to tell me just what he/she

       has done to earn the right to sit at the desks that are ordinarily

       found in this classroom. Now I am going to tell you.'

       At this point, Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom

       and opened it.

       Twenty-seven Veterans, all in uniform, walked into that

       classroom, each one carrying a school desk.  The Vets began placing

       the school desks in rows, and then they would walk over and stand

       along side the wall.  By the time the last soldier had set the final

       desk in place those kids started to understand, perhaps for the

       first time in their lives, just how the right to sit at those desks

       had been earned.

       Martha said, 'You didn't earn the right to sit at these desks. These

       heroes did it for you. They placed the desks here for you.  Now,

       it's up to you to sit in them. It is your responsibility to learn,

       to be good students, to be good citizens. They paid the price so

       that you could have the freedom to get an education. Don't ever

       forget it.'

       By the way, this is a true story.

       Please consider passing this along so others won't forget that the

       freedoms we have in were earned by Veterans.

To all of our members who are Veterans, Thank you.


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## vegas paul (Nov 18, 2009)

Re: Why you should read forwarded e-mail from a friend...

Wow! I'm going to pass this on, and hope my friends open and read it too.  Thanks.


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## Gene Boecker (Nov 18, 2009)

Re: Why you should read forwarded e-mail from a friend...

And just in case you want proof that it was a real story:

http://www.snopes.com/glurge/nodesks.asp

 :geek:


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## RJJ (Nov 18, 2009)

Re: Why you should read forwarded e-mail from a friend...

How sweet is the sound of freedom! We often use the words loosely without depth of thought for those who have provided it for us to enjoy. Those who paid the price in full measure. We must not forget and we must pass that on to those that follow.

Great Post JD!


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## FM William Burns (Nov 18, 2009)

Re: Why you should read forwarded e-mail from a friend...

Excellent JD, Thanks!


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## globe trekker (Nov 18, 2009)

Re: Why you should read forwarded e-mail from a friend...

I'm surpised that the liberal thinking, left wing media hyenas would even report something positive.   Did the ACLU get involved yet...  did the teacher get suspended or even fired yet?   Darn it, why weren't there any Bollywood types out there getting some self promoting face time!


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## fatboy (Nov 18, 2009)

Re: Why you should read forwarded e-mail from a friend...

I have read this before, but it still makes for a GREAT read. I will be copying and forwarding on to my regular group. Hit's a lot closer, with my son just getting to Northern Iraq this past Saturday, as an Army Cavalry Scout. God bless them all.


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## JBI (Nov 19, 2009)

Re: Why you should read forwarded e-mail from a friend...

fatboy - God bless and Godspeed for his return home.


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## north star (Nov 19, 2009)

Re: Why you should read forwarded e-mail from a friend...

*Great post John!*

*This country needs more men, women & children with some real backbones*

*like the teacher in this story.   Lord [ please ] help us!!*


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