Covered

Kruse: Late last month, on the first day of school, nearly 400 children walked through the main door at MacFarlane Park Elementary, over the mat that welcomed them in English, French and Spanish, and past the flags of countries like Romania, Bolivia and Greece.

Eighteen walked into Room 203. Five girls and 13 boys. Six were Hispanic. Four were black.

They sat on a rug with many colors. The rug bore an image of 12 children, including a boy with crutches, a girl with glasses, a boy wearing a shirt with a globe and a girl wearing a shirt with a peace sign, all in a circle holding hands. The children on the rug looked up at their teacher.

This was her first job. Her first day.

One of the Hispanic boys asked Nour Elmohd, "Ms. Elmohd, why do you wear that on your head?"