we all had THAT teacher.
the one that not only made you enjoy the classroom despite the subject matter, but also (as a friend of mine wrote) "got people to use brains they didn't know they had." the kind of teacher that cultivated such a safe and supportive environment in the classroom that you never thought twice about going to them with any problem, whether school-related or not.
and to a certain degree, the kind of teacher who would go to see pink floyd at arrowhead stadium and subsequently miss 3 days of school.
well, at olathe south high school, we had keith barnes. he was every bit that teacher and more. he taught biology and was never without a funny neumonic or story. he made us care about studying. he was the perfect balance of fun and challenging and people scrambled to land a spot in one of his coveted, college-prep classes.
frankly, he was the very definition of a beloved teacher.
i just received word last night, that mr. barnes passed away on friday.
there are other teachers that i had in high school that have died. i suppose the time for such things is inevitable. but, this one hurts. mr. barnes wasn't just a teacher. he was an icon. his "chicken lab" projects and year-end house parties were the stuff of legend.
there will never be another like him. the school was at a loss when he retired several years ago. now, the rest of the world shares that loss.
goodbye, mr. barnes. and thank you. you will be missed.
