Real life lessons

Some of my students, unexposed to the wider world or that social studies teacher's e-mail account, are under the impression that I know everything. I don't disabuse them of their mistaken notion: "That's right," I say, "I do."

I hope, of course, that their illusions will be shattered. That, soon enough, they'll be literate enough to figure out for themselves that all I really know is how to read. And that because I've spent so many years reading one article and another by that one guy about that one thing, I know a little bit about a lot, and far more than enough to finesse my way through almost anything that may come up in these not-so-hallowed halls. It is, after all, only high school.

Sometimes, though, I'd really rather not know, would really rather not understand the latest article or story. This is one of these times. Only the details, however, are new to me. The themes, as the English teachers down the hall would say, are tragic and eternal.

After neglecting the Utah miners story for several news cycles, I finally started to read. I don't do cable news if I can help it, but, it should come as no surprise, I'll catch up on the web. If you've followed the story, you know the phrase that keeps repeating is "retreat mining." In retreat mining, pillars of coal hold up the mine's roof until they're intentionally pulled or cut away; then the last bit of profit is extracted as that section of the mine caves in. It's as dangerous as it sounds, and at first I was flummoxed: why ever operate that way? I forget that life is cheap.

Sections of the Crandall Canyon mine were also longwalled, which I now know means that long sections, or rooms, were left with no roof support; the new owners wanted to take out as much coal as possible, even though the old owners had decided the risks couldn't be justified. Despite prior concerns, Bush's Mine Safety and Health Administration took a whole week to approve the new money-grubbing plan, which likely lead to a "bump" in March, and now nine men are dead after another man-made collapse. Meanwhile, the collusion and corruption are exposed to be deeper than even that mine shaft, and yet the mountain--the mountain--is what is called evil in public and nobody blinks.

So, this time, my vocabulary has expanded, but, in the end, I have no words, and I've learned nothing that I didn't know before. Goddamn it all to hell.