Janice And The Bulldozer
Stories
Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit
Series II Cycle A
The picture in the evening newspaper would certainly catch anyone's attention: three women sitting on a blanket in the foreground, a fresh mound of dirt on the left, a bulldozer raring to go on the right. The article told how the young mothers were protesting the construction of a new school. They felt it was wrong to develop farm land for yet another school that in their opinion was unneeded. These mothers felt the new school would place an unfair burden on the homeowners.
One of the women, Janice, was convinced it was wrong. She wanted to do something to stop the construction. After talking with various school and township officials and getting nowhere, she realized the only way to halt the work was to place herself in harm's way. Maybe then people would listen. She wanted others to hear what she had to say instead of allowing the school district to do whatever it pleased. Janice and two of her friends spent the day at the construction sight. They even brought their lunches. Their presence prevented any work from being done that day.
There was an ugly confrontation between the construction workers and these three women. There was a strife between school officials and the women. The police were called to arrest these women. The women would not move, vowing to come back the next day and the next. They would do whatever it took to stop the construction. A newspaper reporter and photographer came to recount the events of the day. Janice hoped the publicity would create public support for her point of view. While the mothers did gain attention for their cause, the new school was built on schedule.
For Janice this was just the beginning of her community involvement. She started attending school board meetings. While school board members wished they could find a way to keep this woman quiet or, better yet, to stop attending their meetings, she kept coming. She would raise her concerns at the meetings; she would question the school's budget and the amount they proposed to spend on extra-curricular activities. She said over and over again that she wanted the school district to act more responsibly for the good of the community and its students. Janice would have her picture in the newspaper again, this time standing before the school board sharing one of her concerns.
Her friends encouraged her to run for the school board at the next election. Janice ran, promising to be the voice of the common person. She lost that election.
In many ways Janice was ahead of her time. She ran a second time and this time she won the election.
For over twenty years, long after her children graduated, Janice has served on the school board. As time went on she won the respect of others in her community. Janice was admired for both her courage and honesty as she spoke on behalf of others.
One of the women, Janice, was convinced it was wrong. She wanted to do something to stop the construction. After talking with various school and township officials and getting nowhere, she realized the only way to halt the work was to place herself in harm's way. Maybe then people would listen. She wanted others to hear what she had to say instead of allowing the school district to do whatever it pleased. Janice and two of her friends spent the day at the construction sight. They even brought their lunches. Their presence prevented any work from being done that day.
There was an ugly confrontation between the construction workers and these three women. There was a strife between school officials and the women. The police were called to arrest these women. The women would not move, vowing to come back the next day and the next. They would do whatever it took to stop the construction. A newspaper reporter and photographer came to recount the events of the day. Janice hoped the publicity would create public support for her point of view. While the mothers did gain attention for their cause, the new school was built on schedule.
For Janice this was just the beginning of her community involvement. She started attending school board meetings. While school board members wished they could find a way to keep this woman quiet or, better yet, to stop attending their meetings, she kept coming. She would raise her concerns at the meetings; she would question the school's budget and the amount they proposed to spend on extra-curricular activities. She said over and over again that she wanted the school district to act more responsibly for the good of the community and its students. Janice would have her picture in the newspaper again, this time standing before the school board sharing one of her concerns.
Her friends encouraged her to run for the school board at the next election. Janice ran, promising to be the voice of the common person. She lost that election.
In many ways Janice was ahead of her time. She ran a second time and this time she won the election.
For over twenty years, long after her children graduated, Janice has served on the school board. As time went on she won the respect of others in her community. Janice was admired for both her courage and honesty as she spoke on behalf of others.
