Alpha_Alternative_School_1972–2012-Yumpu

that they’re a bad kid. So that was a thing that I really appreciated as a kid,
even though I as I got older I recognized that it was a tactic. I recognized
the value of what she was saying. I was called upon to answer for things.
My mum also really taught me to question authority, including hers. I would
argue with her about this or that limitation on my freedom, or this or that
requirement of me, and I would question and argue with other adults, and
they would engage with me. I wasn’t shut down—I was engaged in discussion.
That was also what went on at ALPHA. We all had a voice; it wasn’t just
that people over a certain height had a voice. And that kind of thing I think
necessarily teaches accountability, because you’re part of the discussion.
It’s not like at a mainstream school where things happen that are outside
your control, so you don’t have to answer for them when they don’t work.
If you’re participating in how things are run and in the decisions that are
made, then you have to recognize when those decisions have a result that
you don’t want so that you can change what you are doing.
After ALPHA I went to Centennial School in Ottawa, which was a “normal”
public school: large, impersonal, rows of desks, class bells, standing in the
morning to sing O Canada, calling adults by Mrs/Mr/Miss/Ms. Whatever.
My first day there, I spoke up a lot. I don’t remember if I asked questions
or just kept commenting on things, but at some point my teacher asked,
“Good heavens. Were you this talkative at your previous school?” I swiftly
got the message and clammed up. I do recall that I was significantly ahead
of most other students, to the extent that I was incredulous and impatient
when other students would be sounding out words and progressing painfully
slowly through the reading. One good aspect of this school was that it
was designated for both children with disabilities, and children with no discernable
disability. I credit this experience with enhancing my awareness
of the needs of people with disabilities and freeing me from the discomfort
many people feel around disability. From Ottawa we moved to Vancouver,
where I also went to a mainstream school. I had a couple of run-ins with my
grade 5 teacher (a man), whom I confronted for being sexist, racist, and/or
unfair or inappropriate to other students. I believe he came to grant me a
grudging and bemused respect.
I attended two Vancouver alternative secondary schools in the public
system: Ideal Mini School and Total Education. Ideal was the most like
what I remembered of the community of ALPHA. It was politically active
and community-driven. We had weekly full-school meetings at which
we would discuss coming events, policy, kitchen cleaning problems,
grounds use, and various school projects. We had a school banner, which
we would take on the annual peace march. The school had no bells and
no one expected to be called by their last name. Total Education was less
of a community, but teachers expected students to be responsible,
accountable, and compassionate.
After high school, I studied dance. I own, operate, and teach for a dance
company that is devoted to and inspired by vintage jazz music and
dance: swing-era solo and partner dance, such as Charleston and Lindy
Hop. I am a community leader and organizer, and I make fun things
happen for happy people who appreciate what I do and who love to help
out and contribute.
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