I did part of my student teaching in East Cleveland. My very first observation I literally walked in and had to help break up a fight - was told to go to the cafeteria and find the teacher I was to shadow. She was on the bottom of the pile. Tufts of her gray hair were rolling along the floor like tumbleweeds.
Lived there, in various apartments on Superior, for five years.
Got my street cred.
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Glad to see someone else is still around that lived through Shaw HS. My first class there was an "Honors" English class there. I started by saying "Today we will read and study Shakespeare..." and with that, "Amos," a kid in the first row with a huge rather badly-done "processed hair" job hairdo raised up his head from sleeping at his desk and said real loud: "WHO 'DAT DUDE?"
I knew it would be downhill from there.
Another "Honors" guy in the class, "Reginald," then pointed to Amos and declared: "Look at Amos' haid. He done got it "pan-fried!""
And with that Amos picked up his desk and slammed it over Reggie's head. Miraculously, it didn't kill Reggie, who took the blow, and then started wailing on Amos. It was on! The entire class started chanting: "FIGHT! FIGHT!" and the rest of the little darlings de-assed their desks to gather round the "Friday Night Fights" on that Monday.
As the blows were raining down like a hailstorm, some kid asked me: "Ain't you gonna stop 'em?" "Heck no," I replied. " I always like to see men "settle up" themselves.'
Things finally quieted down, desks were re-arranged. Amos and Reggie seemed t be ok; I asked if they wanted to see the School Nurse. "Naw" was the joint answer.
Back to Billy Shakespeare. Amos and Reggie became good friends. Amos earned the nickname "Spoonhead" for his lousy hairdo, and everyone, including me when I called roll each class referred to him as "Spoon."
The wife asked me how my first day went at Shaw HS. "Fine" I said.