The Multicultural Middle Finger

The 2nd grade class I subbed in for 4 months back in the spring of 2007, had quite a range of abilities and a similar range of behaviors. In my opinion second graders should not know what the middle finger means or even that it is "bad". But since 2nd graders don't live in a vacuum, some of them, especially the one with older brothers or sisters, know that it is bad to raise your middle finger and that you can get in trouble for doing so.

At one point during my tenure there, one of the students began to do this to his classmates, making sure I didn't see him. Of course this invoked a strong reaction from the intended target of this gesture, which led to my being told, which eventually lead to a visit to the principal. Whenever he did something wrong he would always apologize for his transgression and assume that this was all it would take to get him off the hook. But "I'm sorry" just didn't cut it.

A few weeks later a bunch of the boys began holding up their pinkie finger to each other. When questioned about this, I was taught something I'd never known before. I was informed that the little finger in China means the same thing as holding up your middle finger in the United States. Did I ever get an education from this class!