2001-10-31 - 7:31 p.m.
I think the Blue Moon was working its dubious magic today. We had two major fights. In one a girl was so seriously injured that she will probably carry scars for the rest of her life. The cause? Someone called someone else a bitch. In the other, a student got into a teacher's face in a very aggressive and threatening way and told her, "Fuck you, you fucking bitch," as she tried to calm everyone down after the fight. He then went running down the hallway throwing things and slamming doors and had to be wrestled to the ground by the police officer and then handcuffed. The outcome? The teacher was told by the principal the student wouldn't be cited because he has "anger issues." I can just about predict this teacher - who is young and idealistic and smart and dedicated - will find another campus next year. She should not have to put up with that. I advised her to file a grievance. For the rest of the year she's going to be the teacher that so-and-so told to fuck off and nothing happened to him. How would you like to be her?
All I wanted was to enjoy Halloween and tell spooky stories with the kids and have fun.
Thanks by the way to Sadie for the kind comments! It is nice to be appreciated. I'm on a zinester list (not on Diaryland!)where a couple of people who, I guess, have issues with their teachers (or former teachers) love to make sweeping statements about how awful we all are. All I can say is, people really can't judge until they see what the job is like. Even the grumpiest, most jaded teacher at my school puts in extra hours every week for the kids, does mountains of pointless paperwork, and really, truly cares. Otherwise, why would someone with 30 years' job experience be satisfied making less than $40,000 a year?
Happy Halloween --- I'm going outside to look at the moon and listen to the trick or treaters.
Opal
