They were waiting with knives

I believe in the importance of creating community spaces. I have been lucky enough to take a leading role in the development of one at the teacher-training college where I teach (thanks to the amazing support of the U.S. Embassy in Mauritania). Today I was reminded of the importance of centers like this one when it provided a much needed opportunity for a group of teachers to share experiences.


The teachers came to the library to check their email, meet with me, or borrow a book but ended up talking to each other about their busy lives at school. Amadou, who teaches far from Nouakchott, starting telling the group about his English club at his school and the annual "English camp" he organizes with his colleagues. The other teachers were intrigued and pressed him for details. They congratulated him and took down his contact information.

A teacher in Nouakchott, Mariam, told the group about the club at her school that she has run for the past nine years. She said that this year she has been having a difficult time organizing meetings because of a group of "bad boys" who disturb her students. Another teacher interrupted her to say that it is not good to label students as "bad boys" and that all students had a right to learn. This led to a discussion about "bad boys" who roam empty classes and cause trouble. I think these are the same "bad boys" who graffitti'd "fuck the teachers" in one of the classrooms I visited last week.

Mariam explained that the "bad boys" were not students at her school but just a group of kids who came to the school to cause trouble. The other teachers nodded along with her story, it resonated with them as well. Now I understand why class attendance is so low! Kids leave class to go to other schools where they can be anonymous and stir up trouble. Last year one of my trainees nearly got expelled from my school for punching one of these "bad boys" while on school property.


Mariam further explained that the boys search for girls to talk to. They even interrupt classes to sit next to girls and refuse to leave. Mariam explained that the teachers need to protect the female students from these boys but that it was not always easy. She gave an example of an Arabic teacher who refused to let a group of boys to enter his classroom. After school, the boys were waiting for him around the corner from the school. They threatened him with knives and stole all the money he had, which was fortunately only about $2.00. He was not injured.

The teachers in the room roared with laughter at the Arabic teacher's misfortune. It was not malicious, but just an unexpected and dramatic twist to the story. This sort of violence is practically unheard of outside Nouakchott. The teachers were sympathetic with the Arabic teacher and Mariem's dilemma. How can she meet with her students after school when she knows the students (particularly females) will be harassed by these boys? Mariam needs to be able to create a safe meeting place or she can not hold meetings at all.

Mariam told everyone about how she avoided the knives by offering bread and other gifts to the boys and the teachers encouraged her to continue doing so. Mamadou said, "Yes, make them your friends and lead them back to the right path." All of the teachers nodded in agreement.

These young men come to the school to meet, not to attend classes. Perhaps they need a "safe space" of their own. If they had one, perhaps Mariam could go back to coordinating her extracurricular activities after school. 


I love hearing about teachers' challenges and I love it even more when I am able to help facilitate a dialogue about how to overcome them. I think that perhaps I need to work on starting a violence prevention program for Nouakchott teachers! I recently ordered the film The Interrupters and as soon it as arrives I will organize a screening in my library. Oh the joys of having a safe space for important conversations like this one!