I Do See Color

I Do See Color

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I Do See Color
I Do See Color
The biggest lesson learned about Xmas on 'Abbott Elementary'

The biggest lesson learned about Xmas on 'Abbott Elementary'

Childhood memories of my Jehovah's Witness classmate (and my aunt)

Shamontiel L. Vaughn's avatar
Shamontiel L. Vaughn
Dec 09, 2024
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I Do See Color
I Do See Color
The biggest lesson learned about Xmas on 'Abbott Elementary'
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Photo credit: Agence Olloweb/Unsplash

If somebody asked me my favorite moment on “Abbott Elementary,” I’m not sure I could even narrow it down to five. I’m tickled by Ava denying her chemistry with the IT guy. (Quinta Brunson is definitely about to answer the sista’s question from Variety magazine about who can “match Ava’s freak” though.)

I’m now wondering why my father was always cool with going to PTA meetings, even when my mother dodged them — and if they were anything like this.

“Jurassic Park” is still too boring for me to make it through (tried four times), but I loved how Janine and Gregory stood 10 toes down about their Halloween costumes.

I wish Corporate America was made up of way more people like Caleb for this moment alone.

And Melissa’s racist/homophobic uncle attending a “progressive” dinner took me back to my days of cracking up during “All In the Family.” (I almost flat-lined at Jacob saying, “Breathe, you bigot, breathe.”)


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But there was another moment in the two-part Christmas episode of “Abbott Elementary” that sent me on a blast from the past. Barbara was trying to figure out how to be inclusive with a Muslim student who didn’t celebrate Christmas, and that took me back to my elementary school years with a Jehovah’s Witness kid who wouldn’t stand for the Pledge of Allegiance or participate in the holiday festivities.


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While I couldn’t have cared less about the pledge, I was a little sad when he didn’t do the holiday stuff — until I realized he found his fun in other ways. He was an incredible artist and would randomly draw pictures of classmates. I think he drew at least three of me, and I really wish I’d have kept them.

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