WENDELL HUSSEY | Cadet | CONTACT
A Betoota Ponds Primary School teacher is currently coming to terms with what awaits her.
Entering her 8th year at the primary school in our town’s outer urban era (that demographers would now class as peri-urban) Charlene Watts is facing a moral dilemma today.
Does she do what she thinks is right? Or does she do what the powerful institutions in society want her to do?
The big test comes in the form of the annual Easter Hat competition at BPPS.
Along with the school athletics carnival, the Easter Hat competition is the most hotly contested event in the school calendar.
However, while the athletics comp is about the ability of the kids to compete, the Easter Hat comp is actually a proxy arts fair for the parents behind the kids – which means it’s even more competitive than the physical events.
So, with the title of Easter Hat Judge, Charlene says she’s pondering who she is and what she stands for.
“I know what they want me to do,” mused Charlene while enjoying a lukewarm cup of International Roast with some borderline off milk.
“I know Taylor, the daughter of the P&C President has to win.”
“But it’s a shit hat.”
“It is, Jill has just gone and bout a heap of felt cut outs and stuck them onto the hat. It barely even incorporates eggs to the design.”
“Some of the other kids have blown and hand painted eggs that are a sight to behold.”
“Do we live in a meritocracy? That’s what everyone tells us.”
“But I’m gonna give a kid a prize that she doesn’t deserve.”
“And this is where it begins.”
She then asked The Advocate to leave so she could try and find peace with what she was about to do.
More to come.
