Preface & Introduction 6/12/25

  

Preface + Introduction

from Shalaby, TroubleMakers

3 Talking Points

1. Preface—Coal miners brought canaries into the mines as a warning system for them to know when the air became bad. The miners would know when to leave the mine. Analogy—the troublemakers are like the canaries of the school. The min is the school, which has rules and ways of doing things. The dangerous gas or air in the mine is the bad stuff that happens in school, like the rules being too strict, preventing creativity, and stifling it. The kids are the first ones to see that something is wrong in the school (mine). They are reacting to the bad air or the fact that there is something wrong.  Thinking about this makes me think about when there is more trouble or issues at schools, it is usually following a certain event that happened at the school. I like their reaction to their environment. 

2. The introduction says the kids are not to blame. We need to start looking at what the schools can do to make kids happier and learn. The students are crying out to let the system know that change is needed. The “mine” needs a remodeling job to encourage growth, learning and community in a healthy non toxic environment. 

    3.  Preface - “The children we call troublemakers are often called canaries in the coal mine, signaling the toxic conditions of our schools”. The canaries who sing the loudest are the one who are crying out that the environment is toxic. Let them sing!

       

     The author argues that we should not punish the troublemakers (canaries). Rather, we should pay attention to what they are telling us because it is a sign that change is on the horizon.