英語検定ライティング準１級（第307回）

事情と情事「多様性という美しいスローガン」

ある小学生には両親がいなかった。祖父と祖母が育てていた。その少年はハエを飼っていた。犬や猫とは違う。ビンに入れていた。学校で問題になる。給食係として衛生上どうなのかと。
In the book “Rabbits’ Eyes,” an elementary school boy had no parents, so both his grandparents raised him as if he were a true son, who keeps several flies in the bottle.
Such insects, naturally, are different from home pets like a dog and a cat, after all, this fact became the central subject in the teachers meeting : his habit might make a negative difference in the hygienic viewpoint, he says.

担任の先生はハエの本を読んだ。彼が大切にするハエは親から独立して生きる習性がある。つまり彼はそのハエに共感する背景を持っていた。衛生的にも問題はなくて彼は手洗いもする。
A female teacher in charge of this pupil read several books about flies carefully, which showed that the fly he cherishes in the bottle would live independent of its parents, in short, his disadvantaged background made him feel sympathy toward his favorite small creature.
He didn’t have any hygienic problems because he could wash his both hands with close care every day, he says.

ハエの飼育を強制的にやめさせようとした担任の先生は彼から軽い暴力を受ける。その先生は帰宅してから旦那さんと軽い口論になった。教育と家庭生活は両立できるのか。難題である。
The female teacher tried to stop him from keeping these small creatures inappropriate for pets, but his violence injured her face lightly and she cried loudly, which was exposed to her husband after she came home at night.
She had a light quarrel with him about the subject that she should emphasize their work-life balance, in fact, this profound theme has been a kind of challenge.

重たい背景を抱える生徒はいる。何の重圧もなく生活できる生徒とは違う。後者に手厚い支えは不要だ。しかし前者には手厚い支えがいる。米国の大学が黒人を優先する制度と似ている。
Not a few students suffer from their financial problems as well as other ones, while only a few students could lead a comfortable life surrounded by someone friendly toward them : the latter doesn’t have to be treated with something supportive, however, the former must be worried about by those involved, which might be similar to the institution of America because several universities should prioritize the examinees from the discriminatory backgrounds.