Front of the Class Page #5

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I want to make teaching my life.

I, ahh, I make these noises because I have Tourette Syndrome.

I'd like to tell you about it.

It's a Neurological disorder where my brain

sends mixed signals to my body.

It's like a sneeze. It's irrepressible.

...a couple of weeks, and I'll give you a call.

OK! OK. Thank you very much.

Thanks. Take care.

Well. Strike one.

But, like Mom always said, don't ever give up.

When I was little, Mom never stopped researching because,

while there was no cure,

there might be ways to live a normal life.

It's a church, Mom!

Honey, you're not going to have to get a Bible lesson.

This is just a support group.

Do I have to?

You need to connect with other people who have Tourette's.

Find out how they live with it. OK?

Let's do it.

I'm not going in there

Honey...

I'd never seen anyone with Tourette's before.

There were eye blinkers and nose twitchers.

Foot stompers and neck jerkers. Some of them yelped and coughed.

Is this what I looked like to other people?

Come on, Bobo.

We're here to learn. Let's start learning.

The Americans with Disabilities Act gives us

the right to do anything or go anyplace that we want to.

But try going to a movie.

Or a concert or a restaurant.

That law doesn't mean anything

when people are yelling at you to shut up.

I come home and my parents close the windows and blinds

because they don't want the neighbors to see me tic.

No one was even trying to be accepted.

The audits were out of work. The kids stayed at home.

I knew one thing...

I didn't want to be like them.

Even the coaches on his team wouldn't accept him.

Oh, I'd had it.

Of course, you're home-schooling, too?

No. Brad goes to school like any other kid.

These kids are not like any other kids

school's a waste of time for them.

I took him out at the third grade

just to save my sanity.

You want my advice...

...you'll do the same.

Yep. Thanks.

Let's go, Bobo.

It's supposed to be a support group! Where's the support?

Supposed to just hide away for the rest of your life?

I'm really so sorry that I brought you there, honey, let's just forget this

I don't want to forget this, Mom.

Those people let Tourette's win.

I'm never gonna do that.

It's difficult to imagine that at the age of twelve

I would find a genuine philosophy to live by.

But here it was. This defining moment.

To always face my adversity head on.

When I went to my next interview, I decided to be even more up front.

Get the Tourette's stuff out of the way first

and then dazzle 'em with my approach to teaching.

you seem to have been very successful

...in spite of your Tourette's.

I've worked very hard to become the best teacher I can be

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