By: Dani Langevin – June, 2017 This past school year I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying a number of wonderful experiences. It was my first year teaching at Methuen High School, I won over a large group of students who were hell bent at the beginning of the year on hating me, and was co-adviser […]
By: Dani Langevin – Feb. 2017 Take a good look at the pictures above. When these children go to school or are out in public, what bathroom should they each use? The picture on the left is that of a young trans boy who is now a girl. […]
By: Dani Langevin – January, 2017 There has been a lot of focus on celebrity deaths over the past year, especially in the past few weeks where 2016 seemed hell bent on shocking us all with a number of rapid losses. Instead of focusing on the past year’s losses, I thought I’d focus on some […]
By: Dani Langevin – Dec. 2016 I am blissfully now teaching sophomore U.S. History at the newly and beautifully renovated Methuen High School and loving it. I am also the co-advisor for the Gay Straight Alliance (GSA). My colleague, Brendan Cripps, and I have the privilege to meet with an incredibly vibrant, creative, and eclectic […]
By: Dani Langevin – Oct. 2016 What is patriotism today? From what I can see it is fear, bigotry and ignorance. This came to my attention when someone on Facebook, in a discussion about the Muslim Mosque possibly being erected at the 9/11 site, said, “Can anyone imagine AMERICANS defending a Nazi Hitler headquarters in […]
By: Dani Langevin – Sept. 2016 Last month, Tom Duggan posted a comment asking people if they supported merit pay for teachers and the claws came out. I’ve been an educator for my entire adult life and I have never come face to face with anyone who expressed disdain for my field. I know few […]
By: Dani Langevin – July, 2016 There is no doubt that the shooting at the Pulse dance club in Orlando is a tragedy. It is an act of hate, an act of homophobia, and an act of terrorism. I am saddened and sickened by it. I am also angry, yes at the shooter, but also […]
By: Dani Langevin – March, 2016 On Saturday, February 27, my sister, niece and I met at my brother’s apartment and within three hours dismantled the life that he had assembled for 56 years. It was a vulgar and heartbreaking task. Eleven days earlier we had lost Rob to his battle with alcohol. His disease, […]
By: Dani Langevin – Feb. 2016 Apparently my December column created quite a stir. I discovered that my administration received some unsolicited phone calls. Why wouldn’t those people contact me? Clearly I am the author of my columns, not my administration. My email is attached to every column I write. Feel free to contact me, […]
By: Dani Langevin – December, 2015 I used to love my career. I was proud to be an educator. I woke up every day looking forward to the curriculum I taught, the students I got to inspire, and the colleagues with whom I collaborated. For 20 years I knew I was making a difference in […]
By: Dani Langevin – August, 2015 The definition of courage is: the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear. I don’t believe that courage comes without fear. Perhaps the definition should be: the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, […]
By: Dani Langevin – March, 2015 One of the strongest reasons people use to justify that history be a part of our educational system is that we learn from it. We learn to not repeat the mistakes of our past and ensure that we nurture and continue those practices that have proven to be beneficial […]
By: Dani Langevin – October, 2014 Tavis Marceau was a hard working family man putting in 60 hours a week for the moving company at which he was employed. He put in long hours so that he could provide a good life for his 2-year-old son, Aiden, the love of Tavis’ life and his whole […]
By: Dani Langevin – September, 2014 In January of 2012, presidential candidate Rick Santorum said to the people of New Hampshire that children would be better off having a father in prison than being raised by a same sex couple. According to Mr. Santorum a criminal parent is better than a gay one. Others argue […]
By: Dani Langevin Whether or not you agree with or even understand a lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered (LGBT) lifestyle the American youth who identify themselves as part of it still needs our guidance and support. All youth do in our country. Recently the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) conducted a “ground breaking” survey of over […]