The Merrow Report-Lessons of War

Lessons of War
What is life like in a school where half of the children have a parent in a combat zone? What can a teacher do to comfort a child whose mother or father has just deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan and at the same time stay focused on the "letter of the week" or the writing lesson of the day?

And then there is the toughest question: When a 7 year old asks, 'Will my Daddy die?' or 'Will my Mommy come home safe?', how should a teacher respond?

We went to McNair Elementary-a Department of Defense school in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to find out.

UPDATE: Dad home, dollar returned, family reunited!
Tedrick Philyaw's dad returns...so does dollar.

Tedrick Philyaw's dad returns...so does dollar.

Third grade teacher Gary Wieland has a tradition with parents deployed to combat: he pays them one dollar for full parental rights. The idea is that when the parent returns, so does the symbolic dollar. Tedrick Philyaw's dad had been in Iraq for six months when Lessons of War aired and has since safely returned. Wieland's dollar was returned and the Philyaw family is happily reunited.

Produced by John Merrow and Carrie Glasser.

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PODCASTS
In addition to The NewsHour segment, we have produced four podcasts that provide a more in-depth and personal look into the report's characters. Click on the photos below to access each podcast.

Classroom Veteran Third grade teacher and army veteran Gary Wieland has seven students who have parents serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. How does a veteran teacher juggle academics and a student's need for affection and reassurance?	After He’s Gone 27-year-old Scarlette Keeling struggles to raise her three children after her husband, Corey, leaves for a 1-year tour of duty as a medic in Afghanistan. It’s his third tour of duty.	Spelling Iraq Almost all of Nancy Welsh’s kindergarten students have a parent in Iraq or Afghanistan. Can she comfort all of them when they need comforting and still keep them focused on academics?	Leading the Smallest Soldiers Retired military officer Tim Howle finds a new way to serve his country as principal of McNair Elementary on Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He maintains that the two jobs are very similar, but perhaps not in the ways you might expect.
Producer: Christine Umali Editor: Christine Umali Transcript: PDF (89KB) Duration: 23:00	Producer: Jane Renaud Editor: Christine Umali Transcript: PDF (87KB) Duration: 20:00	Producer: Jane Renaud Editor: Christine Umali Transcript: PDF (79KB) Duration: 16:00	Producers: Jane Renaud and Valerie Visconti Editor: Valerie Visconti Transcript: PDF (113KB) Duration: 13:00


Originally Aired: April 5, 2007