Kiran Graduated From High School Today

She has worked very hard and had excelled at everything she has put her mind to. I don't think the world is ready for her.

First Day of Pre-school —Sony CYBERSHOT @ (15.8 mm, 0.014 sec at f/4.0, ISO100), © Khürt Williams
First Day of School, 2006 —Sony CYBERSHOT @ (9.3 mm, 0.017 sec at f/3.4, ISO100), © Khürt Williams

From a small bundle of noise to a larger bundle of noise ... ok. she's still making noise but I've grown to love her noise. In September the house will be a lot quieter.

FujiFilm X-T2 + XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ (55 mm, 0.008 sec at f/5.6, ISO320), © Khürt L. Williams
FujiFilm X-T2 + XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ (55 mm, 0.008 sec at f/5.6, ISO400), © Khürt L. Williams
FujiFilm X-T2 + XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ (55 mm, 0.006 sec at f/5.6, ISO400), © Khürt L. Williams
FujiFilm X-T2 + XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ (16 mm, 0.008 sec at f/4.5, ISO400), © Khürt L. Williams
Kiran with Rohan —FujiFilm X-T2 + XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ (28.3 mm, 0.008 sec at f/5.6, ISO2000), © Khürt L. Williams
Kiran with Falguni Masi —FujiFilm X-T2 + XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ (55 mm, 0.008 sec at f/5.6, ISO1000), © Khürt L. Williams
KIran with Mukesh Masa, Nilima Masi, Maya and Nandini —FujiFilm X-T2 + XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ (25.7 mm, 0.008 sec at f/5.6, ISO2000), © Khürt L. Williams
Kiran with Ami Masi and Tejus —FujiFilm X-T2 + XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ (29.2 mm, 0.008 sec at f/2.8, ISO640), © Khürt L. Williams
Kiran with all the cousins —FujiFilm X-T2 + XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR @ (16 mm, 0.008 sec at f/5.6, ISO500), © Khürt L. Williams

Teachers as bodyguards

I’m a teacher. When parents told me I should carry a gun, I felt sick. by De Elizabeth (Vox)

I applaud those people who responded coolly to the most horrifying situations imaginable and made the ultimate sacrifice to protect their students, but at the same time, such superhuman bravery simply cannot be a routine expectation of educators. And yet it feels as though today it’s sneaked into the job description — an awful addendum in invisible ink.

...
Don’t get me wrong. I would do everything I possibly could do to protect my students, and I would never put a student in harm’s way to save myself. But I also doubt that I’m the type of person who willfully throws herself into the path of bullets. And along with this realization came a huge wave of guilt.

On the heels of that guilt, however, came another feeling — one more like anger. Why should any teacher be forced to choose between saving students’ lives or coming home alive to their own families?

The rest of the world must be shaking its collective head at us.

Photo by Pablo Padilla on Unsplash