Eraserhead

Our last after-school staff meetings have been on the thorny subject of marking. We have still not resolved all issues. I fear the UN may be called in to conclude the whole green pen/ red pen affair, which is still simmering away on the stove of resentment. Yet today Pompous Pilate bravely sallied forth to tackle another prickly and controversial educational issue, namely, the use of rubbers (erasers) in class.

Today we had to consider whether we should implement:

1. A complete rubber ban.

2. A partial rubber ban, with the teacher being allowed the final say on rubbing out.

3. A decadent rubber free-for-all, with our junior ne're-do-wells rubbing out 'willy nilly'.

After 90 minutes of impassioned debate it was decided we should become a rubber-free zone. Apparently banning rubbers will teach our children that mistakes are part of life and that we should embrace our imperfections and disappointments. I expect the flawed and imperfect nature of existence is something our children are already painfully aware of, living as they do on the grimiest, skankiest, most crime-riddled estate in our city. So, tomorrow I must confiscate rubbers from my class of 8 year olds. Teaching. The most rewarding job in the world!