bud hawthorne

These are the essays of music teacher, Bud Hawthorne, following his resignation from public school teaching. In this short memoir of stories, critiques, and correspondences, Bud struggles with his thoughts through the course of one last year teaching, and the resignation itself. Divided on his decision to leave the classroom, he finds that the culture in these schools he has been working for is not only oppressive to the occupation of teaching, but especially remiss with regard to the subject of elementary school music. Giving himself an all too free range of expression, there are moments fit for a documentary about the art of classroom music instruction, and ramblings toward the darker side of influences such as Hunter S. Thompson and William S. Burroughs. He pulls no punches, political or personal, while giving readers a closer look inside the education system than he himself was comfortable facing, thereby ruthlessly blowing doors off of offices, both local and statewide. While the reader will find that Mr. Hawthorne is an outspoken advocate for children, by no means is this a book meant to come anywhere near readers less than 18 years of age.