Melissa's Place

Big P is my Hero

We live, quite frankly, in an age where administrators in schools fear parents. I’m not saying they don’t have reason to fear them. Parents are very powerful. They often go directly to the superintendent with issues that range in importance from gum-chewing to appealing suspensions. This power, and subsequent administratorial fear, has bred, in my opinion, a lack of support for teachers with respect to disciplining students in schools.

In this age which is upon us (in education), there are few principals willing to stand up for what is right. To walk the road less traveled. That’s why this story really touched my heart. This story is about Mark’s principal. Here it is:

Mark’s students are doing a construction project this week. He gave all the students some wood to use. One student, let’s call him T., lost his wood. He claimed it was stolen from his locker. (In fact, he left it in the desk he uses in french class.) He got upset when Mark suggested it was possible he’d simply misplaced the wood and it had not necessarily been stolen. Then, at lunch, he asked to speak to Mark (who was eating his lunch and supervising study hall). Mark said, “Sure, come on in.” T said, “You have to come out into the hall.” Mark, who was very tired, said, “I think you can come in here if you want to talk to me. I’m eating my lunch.” To which T did not take kindly. He stormed off.

After lunch, Mark taught T’s class but T wasn’t there. Some kids discovered T’s wood in his desk from french class. Mark phoned the office to page T back to class. One girl said T had gone home at lunch. Mark let his principal know (Let’s call her Big P).

What would most principals do? Probably arrange to have a discussion with the student in question the next morning. Or, ask the teacher how THEY were going to deal with it.

What did Big P do? She phoned T’s house. She blocked her number from call display.
(Big P is a smart and cunning woman).
T answered.
(Stupid stupid boy! If you’re playing hookie, don’t EVER answer the phone)
Big P said, “You have two minutes to get yourself back to school.”
Big P hung up.
Two minutes passed.
Ten minutes passed.
Stupid T didn’t show up at school.
(And this is where I really start to cheer!)

Big P got on her fucking coat and her fucking shoes.
Big P got in her fucking car!
Big P drove to T’s fucking HOUSE and knocked on his fucking door.
Big P drove T back to the school!

The rest doesn’t matter. There was a meeting with a parent and consequences ensued. The normal boring kind of shit that most people imagine happens in schools, but happens surprisingly infrequently.

The bottom line: An inspirational story for many a current educator.
I wish there were more Big P’s in the world.