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“And in my classroom, my rules, when is it okay to fight?”
Clark looked around, crossing his arms again.
“All right,” she said, then raised her voice. “Class,” she said to get everyone’s attention, “in my classroom, when is it okay to fight?”
“Self-defense,” they all said in unison.
If the principal ever found out she was spreading that rule around, it wouldn’t be pretty for her, but she’d be damned if she was going to raise a class full of victims.
“Clark, Jonathan did not attack you. So why did you become physical with him?”
He shrugged.
“Because he’s stupid,” Jonathan said, which flared up Clark once more.
Saundra took a step between them. “Jonathan, two demerits for provoking him. Get back to work. Clark—“
“I’m not stupid! I was looking at the map upside down. I couldn’t tell what was what.”
“That’s fine, but—“
“They didn’t know where China was. They kept putting it where Australia was. Like they’re the same size.”
“Clark, that’s enough.”
“I’m not stupid, they are!”
“Outside.”
The indignant expression on the young boy’s face shifted into shock and frustration.
“Now.” She pointed to the door to reinforce her point.
He stomped his feet as he went outside and sat in the chair outside of class. Saundra kept her face as still as possible as she continued to go about the room supervising. Now, though, she kept a sharp eye on the clock and an ear out for any commotion outside the door.
Clark came from a broken home, and displayed throughout the school year all of the classic signs of abuse. His inability to express himself, and everything coming out as violence were key signs to that. It was one thing to try and talk to him, but one thing she learned with him was that when he grew too worked up, he needed time away from everyone to calm down.
It was sad, but the same thing worked on her boyfriend. He had so many problems at work, that sometimes when he came home he was just too worked up. If they were to have any sort of an enjoyable night together, she needed to give him his time. When that didn’t work, she had to talk him down.
After five minutes out of the room, she told the class to keep working and stepped out into the hall. Clark was there silently fuming, but looking a bit calmer.
“They’re stupid,” he said defensively.
“Clark, I understand your frustration, but you were in the wrong to push him. We both know you don’t need to be sent to Principal Johnson again.”
He hung his head. “No.”
“No. So, you have a choice. When you go back in there, you can continue misbehaving, and I’ll keep you inside for next recess. Continue misbehaving, and I’ll make sure you’re unable to take part in the afterschool baseball program for the next two weeks.”
He looked up at her, stricken. Saundra lowered herself into a squat so she was eye-to-eye with him.
“You need to understand, Clark, I’m not going to reward bad behavior. If you want positive attention, if you want me and the other children to look at you kindly, you have to act kindly. Do you understand? I won’t allow anyone to bully anyone in my class. So, you can keep name-calling, and pushing, and I can make your life hell.” She held up a finger, “Or, I’ll make you a deal.”
This alternative deal got his attention and he licked his lips quickly in anticipation.
“I have candy in my desk. If you can make it to next recess without name calling, you get one piece of candy. And if – if! – you not only make it to next recess without name calling, but also manage to say something nice to each person in your group, I will give you two pieces of candy.”
She straightened. “This is a secret deal, and I will take it away if you tell anyone that I did this for you. And if you tell anyone, I won’t ever give you this deal again. It’s our secret. Okay?”
