Sistah Pat

Started a page on facebook.com last night. Some of the other TRTs were talking about it yesterday and said I’d probably like it since I don’t do My Space and I hardly ever go to my Tagged page because of all the idiots out there. Sure enough, this morning I have messages from some people I know and it’s kind of nice. My brother from Alaska is on there, his girlfriend, and his son. My sister, my other brother and his wife from New Orleans, a few teachers I know and a couple of friends. It’s kind of nice that they just “appeared” without me looking for them or knowing they even had accounts. Joy, I see that you’re on there! Maybe I’ll keep up with this one since it seems to be a bit more controlled than the other sites. I still prefer the chick site. Haven’t been propositioned by anybody here.

4:00 - So glad to be home and call an end to a crappy work day. I started out in a good mood but my car was acting up on the way to work. Cutting out really bad and running like crap. My “check engine” light came on and stayed on and it made me a nervous wreck. I kept telling myself, “Okay, you’ve got triple A, got $50.00 in cash and credit cards. Got a cell phone and two boys who are going to be eighteen years old in a couple of weeks in the car with you. What’s the worst that could happen?” Still, you know how it is. I was a nervous wreck the entire time and the boys learned some choice new profanity as I cursed and swore at the car, the slow traffic, the traffic lights, and all the fools who dared to pull out in front of me or otherwise impede my progression.

Made it to school and called DH and he said (essentially), “Okay, you’ve got triple A, got some cash and credit cards, a cell phone and the boys are with you. You made it to work okay and you’ll make it home okay. What’s the worst that could happen? I’ll look at it this afternoon when you get home.” Well, DUH! What I really wanted him to say was, “Whoa, Baby! Don’t drive home with the car running funny. I’ll take off work early, drive out to the school, pick up your car and leave you mine so you won’t have to worry about a thing. That’s what I’m here for, Sugar! I’ve got it all covered. You just don’t worry your pretty little head about any of that nasty car stuff! I’m the man and that’s MY department!” Why do we women get so uptight about car trouble? I guess it goes back to the old days when there was no such thing as cell phones and we didn’t have two nickels to rub together, much less credit cards, cash, and Triple A. Had it happen a few times when I was young and wound up stranded out in God’s country with two little babies. Nothing to do back then but hit the road on foot, carrying the kiddos, and hoping not to get shot, stabbed, or raped when you had to go to some stranger’s house to ask for help.

Anyway…I get to school and I begin to get a little equilibrium and then I have my class and DeAsia decides to get an attitude today. Refused to close the lid on her laptop when we were finished, refused to give me her laptop, and informed me that she would do what she wanted. I started looking up her phone number to call Mom and Pitiful, Arrogant, Upchuck Lowlife decided to prove that he could do what I couldn’t so he tried to forceably take the laptop from her at which point she got into a tussle with him over the thing and called him a few choice names (even worse than the ones I called the idiot drivers this morning). DeAsia’s really hot now but I got her to sit down and I asked Phyllisann if she would keep an eye on my class while I walked across the hall to get a referral slip. I rarely write referrals. Maybe a half dozen total in the five years I’ve been at this school. I went across the hall for no more than two minutes and, when I returned, Phyllisann had escorted DeAsia to the assistant principal’s office because she started up with Phyllisann. I left Phyllisann with my class and walked down to the AP’s office. He’s sitting at his desk and DeAsia is sitting across from him. It’s a fairly small office and I stood in the doorway.

I said, “Do you want me to write a referral or just fill you in on what DeAsia did?”

He said, “I’ll deal with it.” and gives me this really nasty look.

I said, “I tried to call her mother but there wasn’t any answer.”

He gives me this exaggerated stare and his voice just drips with sarcasm as he says, “I TOLD you. I’ll deal with it.” With that, he got up and more or less closed the door in my face. I had a choice of standing there as he shut the door on me or stepping back out of the way.

I was actually pretty taken aback. I couldn’t believe he would act that way in front of a student. I’ve known him for five years and we cut up and joke around but I’ve always treated him professionally and courteously and I couldn’t believe what had just happened. On many, many occasions, I’ve bailed his butt out when a last minute problem came up and I went above and beyond my job to help. I turned around and walked out.

A couple of hours later, I had a few free minutes and I walked down to the office. The AP was sitting in his office and I walked in and closed the door and said, “So…what’s the deal with DeAsia?”

He looked at me and his face was really red and tight and he said, “I had a talk with her and sent her back to class.”

I said, “Were you able to reach her mother or should I call her?”

He said, “Are you not listening? I said, I had a talk with her and sent her back to class!”

I said, “I don’t know what’s going on here, David. I’m not trying to cause trouble and I’m not questioning what you did. All I know is that I had a problem with her and I still haven’t been able to tell you what happened. I’m simply trying to find out if you want me to write up a referral or call her mother or what? Do you even know what she did? She was insubordinate to me, Paul, and Phyllisann. She cursed Paul and Phyllisann out in front of all the other students and actually got into a tug of war with Paul with a laptop. That’s not like her at all. I don’t know if she’s got something going on at home or what.”

He absolutely glared at me and said, “I don’t know how many times I have to tell you that I took care of it. I talked to her and I sent her to class. Her problem is that she’s thirteen and she’s having a bad day. I’m done. Finished. This conversation is over. If you don’t like the way I deal with students, don’t send them to me!”

I was so mad I turned around, yanked open the door, walked out and closed it (none too gently) behind me. I was absolutely fuming! I told Barbara what he did and she wasn’t surprised. She said he does that to ALL the teachers. She was really surprised that it had never happened to me before. Probably because I never sent a student to his office before (although, technically, I didn’t send DeAsia either. Phyllisann did.). I talked to a couple of other teachers this afternoon and they said the same thing. That he always does that and that I needed to tell the principal about it. They said there’s a pretty thick file full of reports of episodes just like the one with me. One teacher told me her entire team refuses to send any of their kids to his office because he’ll just “talk” with the kids and then jump all over the teacher. Hmmm…that’s a real problem because when a kid acts up, we’re supposed to send them to his office. That’s the school policy.

I may tell the principal. Then again, I probably won’t. If they already have a file, they know about the problem.  Besides, I don’t like running to someone else. I prefer to deal with things on my own. That’s probably why I don’t send kids to the office very often. I may approach him on Monday and say, “David, I know we joke around and cut up occasionally but I have always respected you and treated you with professionalism. I expect the same in return. I was very upset at the way I was treated Friday in front of one of my students and later, when I went to you to discuss the situation with DeAsia.”

What do you think, chicks?

Finally, I got to hop in my car, still doing a slow boil, and drive the damn thing all the way home with it cutting out and skipping and acting like it was going to roll over and play dead the entire time.

I think a stint in the spa and a glass (or two) of wine is in order.