Men have breasts?!?!?!?!?!?

OH, the joyous discussions that come along with teaching middle school students!

In English, since out TAKS test is over, we have started the lessons about RESEARCH.  My job is to teach the SKILL of Research. 

My students are going to pick a non-profit organization, explain it, the people that are affected by the help and support of the organization, and how we can volunteer or donate to the organization.

In doing this research, we have searched and discussed 41 different organizations.  Susan G. Komen for the Cure is one of the researched organizations.

Today, in my 8th period class, my "sweet and low" children, someone began talking about Susan G. Komen and the pink-everything that goes along with it. 

Student1: Why does Susan like pink?

Student 2: Well, Susan wants a cure for breast cancer and girls like pink.

Student 3: No, the color for girls is pink like the color for boys is blue.  That is why.

Student 2: Well, it's for Breast cancer and men can't have it.

Mrs ABC: Actually, men can have breast cancer.

ENTIRE CLASS:  **COMPLETE SHOCK**  but Student 2's face was priceless.  Student 2 sucked air in so quickly that I thought he might pass out, and he said, "Men have breasts?!?!?!?!?!?"

Mrs ABC: Yes, they do.  Breasts are essentially just the upper chest cavity muscles.  (With this, MOST of the students grabbed their own chests!) Fortunately, they were being completely appropriate and mature, they were just shocked and surprised by this information.

Student 4: But where do men have breasts?

Mrs. ABC: Remember, I said it was the UPPER chest area...the muscles in it....

Several Students: Oh! (looking around the room with crazy suspicion that I was pulling their legs)

The class calms down and we get back to our Research information. 

Student 5: Is still looking confused and concerned and looks up half-way raising his hand, and stutters to get his question out, "So, womens just have popped out muscles?"

I was in the middle of taking a drink of water.  I could not hold it in.  I laughed hysterically along with the rest of the class.  My drink of water spewed from my face.

Mrs. ABC:  Ummm, well....no.....not exactly....but I did describe breasts as muscles so I see where you are getting that description.  We will go with it.  NOW, moving on.....

Surprisingly, the entire conversation was a complete surprise to them and uncomfortable for them to learn...they kept themselves composed and mature the entire time, NEVER taking it out of "school appropriate". 

As their teacher, I am so proud of them, but I HATE being the one that has these conversations.

After school, I marched straight to the 7th grade Assistant Principal to inform her of the conversation and the events that took place in my classroom, just in case a parent phone call comes through.  She laughed with me and simply said, "Don't you just LOVE those 'learning experiences'?"  :) 

Whew, what a day!  :)