Building Utopia, a conversation
Me: (to one group of my 7th grade girls) So who are the people in your utopia?
Them: Hot Mexicans.
Me: ‘Scuse me?
Them: Only Hot Mexicans are allowed.
Me: Okaaayyyyy.
Them: (to the boys on the other side of the room) You guys are out.
Me: (reverting them back) What about government?
Them: Whaddyou mean?
Me: Like, do you have a president? Who makes the rules?
Them: Oh. There is no president. Everybody does whatever.
Me: That sounds like a mess. What happens when people do something wrong? How do they get in trouble?
Them: But they won’t do anything wrong! It’s against the rules.
Me: But what if they break the rules?
Them: It’s a world of love and hugs and kisses, they won’t break any rules. The idea is that you hug them enough that they won’t kill anyone.
Me: But I do a lot of things to make my classroom loving and you guys still do bad stuff anyway.
Them: (pausing) Well…No….Well…..then, like, I dunno
Me: What are you gonna do if someone does something?
Them: There’s police officers.
Me: Ok, and what do they do?
Them: Check to make sure everyone is hot and pretty.
Me: Wow. And what do they do when they’re not checking to make sure everyone is hot and pretty?
Them: Eating donuts.
Me: Sounds like you guys get a lot done.
Them: No. When they’re not checking to see if someone is hot, they are making out.
Me: Ok.
Maria (the quiet one): (laughing) Theoretically, they are hotness-checkers. That’s so stupid.
Me: (staring at Maria in disbelief)
Maria: (looking down at her hands)
Me: Who’s the president?
Them: (pointing to the ring leader) Lexy.
Lexy: Yeah me.
Me: Did you elect yourself?
Lexy: (to her group) Do you guys want me to be president?
Them: (in unison) Yes!
Lexy: (smug look)
Me: So it’s a democracy then. That’s good.
Lexy: Yeah.
Me: Now, what about religion?
Them: Hot Mexicans.
