Teachers are some of the most impactful people in their students' lives.
One of my jobs is to take complex ideas and make them meaningful to kids, hesays.
Confused, he offered to sit on the floor or to get more chairs.
The woman repeated that there were no more chairs.
Finally, both boys realized that Archie was not welcome because he was Black.
Gill and Archie both left in tears.
It was an interaction Gill would never forget, and drove him to where he is today.
but to also make people feel welcome.
Though he plans to retire after the 20222023 school year, he will continue to spread the message.
At a recent literary festival, Gill pitched the idea for a book entitledNo More Chairs.
It will be dedicated to Archie, who passed away last year.
He hopes she can be part of the process of telling the boys' story.
It’s like planting a crop, seeing kids grow, Gillsays.
When you have them for three years, you might see them grow.
And the kids, in turn, teach him.
I’ve had 52 years of doing what I love, Gill admits.
I never had to work a day in my life.
