"Single file, right hand on the rail."
The Newark Museum is a lovely place, and it's just a stone's throw from Bloomfield. It has "the most extraordinary collection of Tibetan art in the Western Hemisphere," as well as wonderful collections of African and American art; it has a wonderful summertime jazz series; the planetarium is cozy with state of the art projection.
I get why we cannot bring water bottles or chew gum in the galleries. And now I get why kids often hate school.
Single file, right hand on the rail. Why? Because it's museum policy.
I didn't last long in parochial school--made it to March in 1st grade. I bet I'd last only half as long in a KIPP school.
Next time a child looks like he's going to lose it in class, I'll try to remember how I felt when ordered to hold the rail. If I had a morning full of "holding the rail," I might be cranky by 7th period, too.
Yes, I get it, less injuries, better crowd control, protecting the art--
but that's not what our students were told. They were told it's policy--as if "it's policy" serves as a cogent explanation for any rule.
