Stoned

Stoned
We have just finished up with a visit from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)….This has required months of preparation, meetings and discussions. The school invites and finances a team of three to come to Chuuk, observe every detail of the school and provide insight on how to improve our status as an accredited institution. While it has been wonderful to have visitors ogle over how amazing this school truly is, it has been difficult to watch them pick apart our school and critique what we do. I suppose I am aware of it more so because they are examining our school through American eyes. They suggest implementing a fine arts program – which sounds like a fantastic plan with the exception of two problems – our students already have phenomenal artistic and musical talent because they pretty much start singing and playing the ukulele in utero – organized instruction seems almost to be an infringement on their culture…….AND it doesn’t really seem practical to invest in musical instruments and art supplies when we have students sharing 3 to a textbook – at best! They suggest implementing more deliberate fire safety plans and taking more precautionary steps to ensure the safety of our students……While we as Americans have what one might call “street smarts” these kids have an admirable sense of “island smarts.” In the event of an injury – they would be giving US the local cure rather than vice versa……and in the event of a fire (which actually happened in the boys dormitory last year) a typical procedure might be to clear the building and wait until the fire department to arrive……here in Chuuk – the fire department is hit or miss – and the procedure instead entailed a mass storming of the dorm in order to be the hero of the day! It has also been difficult find the balance between glamorizing the school, and simply telling it like it is. During one of our questioning sessions, our girls moderator began speaking about how we take measures to ensure the safety of the girls on the way up to school every day. She told the WASC team how sometimes she will ride on the buses/flatbed trucks with them, and how there are rules in place to make sure their feet are not hanging over the outside, and that they are quiet etc….. “There have been some cases where the girls have been stoned, but for the most part they are safe on the ride up.” Needless to say, the WASC team’s jaws kind of dropped, and all of us kind of looked around to see who was going to try make amends to the situation. Of course the typical understanding of “stoned” is something relating to getting high. Here in Chuuk, (though marijuana is still very accessible) the use of “stoned” here refers to throwing stones, or sling-shotting stones at people passing by (I know – not much better!). People are very protective of their property, and often times the girls can get very loud on the way up to school – and unfortunately, that is the Chuukese way of showing their discontent for a disruption of the peace! Even after clarification, I’m sure it did not bode well for us – during those few seconds in which the team thought that our female students often come to school high as kites!!!!!