I have two students who have been found by their biological parents through MySpace this month.  A ninth grade girl who is on MySpace most nights was contacted by a girl claiming she thought they were sisters.  After an email and exchange of pictures there was no denying that they were sisters--and she and the mother were living in Cocoa Beach (we are about two hours from there)  My student had been told many years ago by her father that her mother was dead.  He now admits that he lied because of a drug addiction on the part of the mother, but apparently things have changed and she's clean now.  So a reunion has happened and a family is getting reaquainted.

Last week a 10th grade student in the computer lab came running into my class pale and trembling.  "I think my real father just contacted me on MySpace", he said.  He had never even met his "real" father--mom was a teenager when she gave birth.  It's now 15 years later and she's happily married for years to a very nice guy that my student calls "dad".   The prospective biological father has all the right details and is probably who he claims to be.  But now the boy has a dilemma and is "totally freaked out" (his words).  My advice was to go home and immediately talk to mom about what was going on.  Hopefully they can check it all out and perhaps a future meeting will take place. 

Now I know all kids are curious about their real parents when they don't know them.  I even remember a good friend of mine in high school ran away to go meet her biological mom.  There are many opinions about whether or not meetings should take place.  My personal feelings are that as teenagers, they should be given the opportunity if everything checks out and there's no danger involved.  However, I think a bit of preparation needs to take place--after all, not all people meet up to our expectations, and we need to be realistic about the possibility that the "mom" or "dad" may not be a very nice person.  I recently looked up my own brother on MySpace and lets just say I wouldn't want my kids to spend too much time with him.  What's your opinion?

As a sidenote:  I could put together a book filled with the unusual student stories I have seen over the past two years.  It will have to wait until I'm done with my "180 Student Excuses: Why We Shouldn't Have Class Today" a book based on my experiences teaching in Chile, and its companion volume:  "180 Student Excuses: Why I Am Late to Class Today!".

I teach a LOT of boys at the high school.  Today they were having one of their testosterone days I think.  The shortest, scrawniest Senior decided to aggravate the other guys with some punches and wrestling holds (which are of course are against the rules--no horseplay).  Eventually they all ended up down the hall in a pack and when they returned to class there were a few red noses and various bruises.  Don't really know what went on, and I probably don't want to.  At least no one got tossed off the balcony. 

Later, two or three of them were running by the door with their belts off and were chasing each other.  I managed to get them to put their belts back on (by the way, belts are optional at our school, otherwise there would have been a few more in the fray) and get to class, mostly on time.  It's funny to think these are the guys having 18th birthdays and they say they're men now! 

My two lone girls were looking at LOLcats pictures and laughing (if you don't know what these are, check out the icanhascheezeburger.com site).  It was study hall after all, and we were looking at the tacocat and stackcats pictures to remember what a palindrome was (read those words backwards and you'll see what a palindrome is).  Of course the guys thought that was a totally ridiculous activity they were participating in.  I guess chasing each other with belts was more fun.

At least they didn't plan a mass wrestling event like last year when all the guys surrounded the basketball court, shouted "GO!" and all ran towrds the center where they collided and wrestled in a group.

Well, I'll bet you guys out there had some interesting days like this in high school (What was that Chilean birthday thing called? Montoncito or something?).  No, I didn't give out any demerits today.  WHAT!  No, I am not completely losing my mind.  I did ask that they get it all out of their system today and get back to normal student life tomorrow.  We'll see.