Today was weird. Crazy this-can't-be-my-life weird. I don't think I can make you understand, but I will try.
This morning was pure beauty. While my students toiled away on their state tests (poor little suckers), I had several hours to grade. Grade I did. I never want to see another essay again, but it felt good to actually get some work done during school hours. It felt like the Twilight Zone where the teacher's greatest dreams come true. Tomorrow's looking about the same. It's like a real job where the workers do their work at work.
I guess my peace came at a price.
There were three fights today. THREE. As far as I know, they were all "girl fights." Yuck. The nastiest kind. Does it have something to do with the stress of testing?
I heard that awful shouting, stampeding, cheering sound that indicates a fight THREE times. It felt entirely unsafe and out of control. The campus supervisors, administrators, and School Resource Officer all seemed at a loss to control the students.
Imagine how I felt.
During 4th period, the shouting, pushing, screaming and running was outside my door. My kids looked at me for direction, but I was just as helpless and scared as they were. I went to the door and was SO FREAKIN RELIEVED to see the campus supervisors beat me to the scene. I don't know what I would have done.
The worst part is the crowd that follows the fights. The blood-thirsty, demented audience. When I turned back to address my class, I got tears in my eyes. When I get an adrenaline rush, I cry. I told them that I hoped they would never be a member of a crowd like that. They were better than that.
I handed back some of those essays from earlier to my freshmen. The kid who told me he's in anger management classes started to sweat and turn red. He kept shouting out questions and challenges about his grade. I'm not afraid to say I was scared. I recommended he "take a break" and he promised me he was fine.
I went home and prepared for tutoring, did my thing at the library, and realized that my heart was still racing when I got home.
Good God.
5 comments:
I hope today was better.
I agree with Kimberly. What the heck is wrong with teenagers? Who told them it was "cool" to fight?
Ugh. I feel you. After months of anticipation and months of hard work, the park next to our school finally opened last week. It's a beautiful place, but it's the new hangout for all of the little shits in C.V. There was a fight there yesterday which had to be broken up by the police. It was bloody and awful. Before it even opened to the public, the graffiti started. Apparently, all of the classy kids are really excited for a new place to screw up and fight at. I just don't get it.
Yikes! Sounds like some sad and confused kids. I hope they get some help. I never understood the whole racing to watch a fight thing in high school. I'm glad you have helpful staff at your school.
This definitely isn't the "norm" at our school (although having a "closed" campus has definitely increased fighting), so it was really emotionally draining. I guess the other high school in town had a similar situation a few weeks ago. It's just weird. Sort of like the crazy news stories we've all been hearing lately.
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