Yes Shave December

Beggar.

Prisoner.

Barbarian.

Goat.

Lamb.

What do these words all have in common?

If you answered, "These are all people/farm animals your brother Michael has tried to date," you are close, but not as close as if you answered, "These are all things that your students have called you since November 1st, when No Shave November began." Day after day, I have been under assault in far less clever ways, whether it be from students in an eighth grade English class, from other teachers who see an easy conversation starter, or from women pointedly looking the other way on the street (or maybe I am thinking of October. And September. And August.).

Despite the attacks, No Shave November has been a success at BWYA. At least to some degree...I haven't seen any kids really going crazy with it. But in addition to the handful of rugged male teachers who have always had beards ("No Shave Life"), I can think of at least six other teachers who have consistently not touched a razor to their cheeks and two who have been off and on all month. Even a visiting pastor who came to B-Dubs to talk to some class remarked to Miss April, "There sure are a lot of teachers who have beards at your school!"

That makes me proud. Proud to have a beard this month. And it has been fun. But now the time for decisions to be made is here. Obviously, "To shave or not to shave," that truly is the question (or, as some seventh grad English class would tell is, "To have a girlfriend or not to have a girlfriend"). I have to admit, the reasons I have given to kids who have asked, "Why No Shave November?" have been legitimate ones. One is that I get three extra minutes in the morning when I could be shaving. Another is that I'm warmer with it on. A third and more extravagant reason - one that usually ends with me yelling and pounding on a desk like a caveman - is that for eleven months, we men are kept at bay from being who we really are: hairy animals that eat raw meat [and that grow beards]. But, really, most of all, I just like having a beard.

Tonight as I was leaving the school, a student I hadn't seen in a while stopped me and commanded, "Mr. Haggar, shave your beard." I scoffed and said, "It's still November! No Shave November!" To which he replied, "Yes Shave December!" I laughed. Decision-making time is here indeed. We'll see what happens, I guess. But to that tiny Korean girl in E8B - God bless her little heart - who stopped me one day, put her hand on my arm, and with all the sincerity in the world said, "Mr. Haggar...please shave your beard"...don't get your hopes up.

Here's what we're dealing with on the eve of Yes Shave December: