Wheeling has a new rule, implemented this year, which forbids students from entering the hallway until the bell rings. Since outside groups sit in the hallway outside the cafeteria, this means we can only talk to students during the passing period which isn't long. They can ask to come to our table and the security staff will let them. I put a sign up that said "Answer the question; pick a lollipop." The question was "What has the US war in Afghanistan accomplished?" It helped a bit to attract students to our table.
The answers were revealing. One young man told me the war had ended in 2007 or 2008; he wasn't exactly sure. He was shocked to find out it's actually still going on after 16 years with no end in sight. Other responses: "Shoot"; "Longest war in US history, right?"; "I have no idea" (my favorite).
Sigh. These students have nothing but war. One student told me her mother was 3 months pregnant when 9/11 happened. Another student told me she was only a couple of months old. The ignorance about this war is staggering. The fact that we get no information through the mainstream media is pathetic.
