I recently sat down and interviewed Hillsboro High School’s own Mr. Adrian Bahan about his history here at Hillsboro, and how he came to teach AP Human Geography. Human geography is the study of demographics related to location. When asked about why human geography is important, he expressed that it is “important to understand the ‘why of where’”, and that human geography is the best way to teach that.

Mr. Bahan has a history of teaching high school. Prior to teaching at Hillsboro, he taught at McGavock High School in Nashville for five years. During his time teaching there, he had a colleague who taught human geography at Hillsboro. He found the subject very interesting, and wanted to bring it back to McGavock, but it didn’t work with the schedule and classes there. Sometime later, his Hillsboro colleague had to move away, but recommended Mr. Bahan for his previous job. Bahan went in for an interview, and got the job. That was eight years ago, and he is still here passionately teaching the subject to students every day.

Bahan was born in Nashville but later moved away, however he returned sixteen years ago in 2001. I asked him if he has noticed a demographic change in the city over the past sixteen years, and he replied that he had seen a huge change through the years. “When I moved back here in 2001, I couldn’t believe the level of diversity that I saw. Kurdish and Latino people were formerly a minority in Nashville, and now their numbers are rising and diversifying the city,” he remarked. He also commented on the changes he has seen in the Nolensville Pike area, stating how it had changed from “a working class white neighborhood to the avenue of the Americas and beyond.”

When asked where he sees Nashville in ten years, he responded that it will “continue to diversify” with its demographics. He predicted that the rising cost of land will “force the poor into the suburbs, creating a ‘poverty sandwich’, where the richer people are the meat and the poorer people are the bread of the city.” I’m not sure what exactly ta poverty sandwich is, and nobody can be exactly sure, but I know he has a point somewhere in there.

    Bahan is very educated on the subject of human geography, and more than happy to discuss the topic. We are very fortunate to have such a passionate teacher here at Hillsboro High School.