Thursday, November 20, 2008

Day 11

Ah, Fate--yes, I had a Fate at Booker T., and now I've another at the March. Same name, same MO. I keep her at my desk because of her volatility and unpopularity. Kids poke fun, she rages at them, then they try to fight her.*

I had Fate making a travel brochure for Baltimore next to my computer today. Zambia was fussing at her over and over and Fate was fussing back. I called them both on it several times. Fate was cutting newspaper images from The Sun with sharp scissors. I moved Zambia away to another table and thought things would quiet down, until I tried to assist Next Stop Willoughby with her math homework. Suddenly Zambia was all up in Fate's grill, pushing her in the chair next to my desk. A mob formed around them, all girls hostile to Fate. Fate is very volatile, and Fate had very sharp scissors.

As a City school teacher, I know to always know where my scissors are. I got there just as Fate stood up and brandished the scissors at Zambia's face. I got my hands on her hand and I got my fingers around the blades and I got a level-headed young man not as enthusiastic for blood as his classmates to escort Zambia out while I talked Fate down. It took me about 45 seconds to get her to release the scissors. I was practically crushing the bones in her fingers, making sure that hand had no opportunity to move.

As soon as I had the scissors I called the office and got 5-0 to escort both young ladies to the office. Zambia's parents came in a matter of minutes and I told them what was up (Zambia kept trying to alter the story, but her moms wasn't hearing none of it). Fate last I heard was suspended, but Zambia started it. I can't tolerate anyone brandishing scissors in my room but when surrounded by a bunch of hostile girls who are ready to start a beat-down, wouldn't most people do the same? I dunno.

What a fucking job.

*So far, however, their attempts to fight are rather more like the County school "fights" I remember from junior high. Kids talking a lot but unwilling to punch first. SO UNLIKE the Book where you punch first and think later.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I will never forget a great girl fight in my journalism class in my sr year at Hereford. Miss Thing, the senior editor in chief and another younger miss thing who was a freshmen had been talking shit all semester, when finally they had each other in the hallway. These girls fought were grabbing and pulling hair, earrings and other jewlry, along with clothes. It was actually pretty funny to watch. Especially since I had no love loss for our senior editor in chief.