Week 3: NPR story- The Teacher Learns A Lesson: Coming Out In Class

 

Video link: The Teacher Learns A Lesson: Coming Out In Class

Video summary:  

John Byrne, an English teacher in high school, had frustrated and was strict before he came out. He was afraid that his students knew him a gay; however, in 1991, he decided to march in the St. Patrick’s Day parade. He thought that he should stand tall, “I just wanted to be myself,” he said. The day after parade, his 10^th-grade students asked him where he went. He told them that he marched in a parade with the Irish Gay and Lesbian Organization since he is a gay. All of the 10^th-grade students were kind and showed their tolerances to him. He came out that day. The day changed Byrne's life, and his career. He says, “ when I came out, it freed me to teach. It made me better at helping kids who had their own particular secrets.” Two years later, he had a speech on the graduation ceremony of these students who helped him came out. Byrne says, "And I talked to the parents about how proud they should be of their children, for having taught me and helped me through a really difficult time in my life. It was a wonderful turning point."

I listen it about 15 minutes.

The reason I chose this video is that:

I admire John Byrne for his bravery of coming out in front of his 10th-grade students. I also admire his 10th-grade students for their tolerance, open minded, and kindness. They were just teenagers but they gave Byrne the turn-key to open his heart. As the Declaration of Independence mentioned, “they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” I think everyone has the right to pursuit their love, even if they are the same sex.

Vocabulary and idioms:

1.      Desperately (adv.): very sad and upset because of having little or no hope : feeling or showing despair. EX: We could hear their desperate cries for help.

2.      Accuse (verb): to blame (someone) for something wrong or illegal : to say that someone is guilty of a fault or crime. EX: He was accused of stealing the money.

3.      March (verb): to walk with regular steps as a group : to walk in the regular and organized way of soldiers. Ex: The soldiers were lined up and ordered to begin marching.