An Assault

Yes, I was "assaulted" in class yesterday. That's what happens when a student pushes past a teacher after a directive to not leave the room. It's been coming for a long time.

This student is used to getting her way. So, she just does whatever she wants: walks out the of the room, texts her friends, talks out loud, doesn't complete work, doesn't stay after. I have been in contact with her case manager, who communicates with the parent, and nothing happens. Nothing changes. Ever. And I should have handled this much sooner, because the entire class disrespects me (and therefor, anyone who actually wants to learn). It is not a good scene.

So, my "Turn your phone off" turned into her "Get out of my way! Don't touch me!" In the meeting this morning, the vice principal did an excellent job of retelling the story and explaining how everything that happened was a direct result of the choices that the student made. She chose to not turn off her phone (which was a polite request on my part -- I am allowed to confiscate it). She chose to not turn it on silent. She chose to check it. She chose to not hand the phone over. She chose to talk back to me. She chose to leave the room. She chose to some so close to me that it was threatening and I had to put up my hands. She chose to push past me.

I could press charges, but I decided not to. We did go over that option with the student, however. She could end up in juvenile hall for the choices she made. She could end up expelled. She is far more concerned, however, not with her suspension, but with the school confiscating her phone. The school will keep it for 30 days.

There are probably other things that I could have/should have done to keep it from going this far, but the student actually said in the meeting that she didn't care what I directed her to do. Actually, she had to look for the words, "I didn't care". Classic. So, maybe we have been on this path from the start.

I will say that this placement has been a huge learning experience for me. I remember a teacher friend of mine telling me about his time in LA, and how he turned into the biggest hard-ass. (It doesn't hurt that he's 6'1" or 6'2" and weighs a good 240lbs. -- of muscle. He's a football coach, and NOT a tubby one.) He said how he had gotten so bad that his students in Portland staged an intervention with him. They said that they would do what he said, and he could relax. That's what LA will do to you. So, I guess this is all about learning how to brandish the big stick, even while speaking softly. Having the big stick is no good if no one notices it.