Spoiled for Choice

Posted in Education

Spoiled for Choice

After five years of being a principal I decided I wanted (needed) a break. I was going to return to the classroom for a year; however, that summer I was asked if I would consider working at the District Office. I accepted the offer and for the next year my title was, Supervisor of Secondary Schools.

One of my responsibilities was to oversee the placement and transfer of students. Each school served a geographic location so one’s address determined the place of learning; however, many students wanted to attend schools outside of their area. This was often due to certain programs or sports being offered.

In the largest populated area of our District we had two high schools and they were less than 3 miles apart. The one question I had asked of me more than any other that year was, How do I get my child transferred to the other school? Just because a parent made the request did not mean that it would be granted. There was a process to be followed.

“Hello Mr. Caines. My son is having difficulty choosing which high school he would like to attend.”

“Well, actually, based on your address he should be attending R. High. If he wishes to attend K.High. then he needs to apply for placement there.”

“Yeah, he just doesn’t know if he wants to go to Drug High or Gay High.”

“I’m sorry?”

“He’s not sure which one he wants to go to.”

“Sorry, I am not familiar with those terms. May I ask which is which?

“Why R. is Drug High and K.is Gay High?”

“Why is it called Gay High?”

“Because it has a lot of female lesbians.”

“Ah, I see. Thanks for clarifying.”

This was fourteen years ago. I was tempted to ask exactly what a female lesbian was but it really was irrelevant. But to this day I am still curious.

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Published by Gary Caines

Gary Caines is a retired teacher. During his 32 year career he taught in Newfoundland and New Brunswick and in private and public schools. He has been a principal, vice-principal, district supervisor and, something of which he is quite proud, has taught at least 1 subject at every grade level – yes, that includes kindergarten. Over the years he has served as Aide-de-Camp for three Lieutenant Governors and retired as a navigator from the Naval Reserve with the rank of Lieutenant-Commander. He directed and produced school musicals and coached rugby at four different high schools (he was still playing the game at 58). He is a recording artist, a past-master of the Masonic Lodge and, for ten years, served as a volunteer ambulance driver. He has climbed mountains in BC and been bitten by mosquitoes in Labrador. He has backpacked in Europe and sung in Irish pubs. Gary has sailed from Halifax to Thunder Bay and return. He once taught a class in Appenzell, Switzerland and twice performed with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. He is a part-president of his curling club and of Imperial Theatre. Currently he is the founder and artistic director of the Fundy Sea Shanty Festival. Oh, and something else of which he is proud, he has two beautiful children and three incredibly beautiful grandchildren. He has a lot of stories to tell.

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