Sunday, November 21, 2004
Amoral or Just Stupid?
Remember that robotics competition in Alabama? I mentioned it a few posts ago. The advisor for the robotics team happens to be my homeroom's math teacher. Since she went south for the tournament, a long term sub was called in to cover her class. I spoke with the guy from time to time. He seemed pleasant enough.
Imagine my surprise when on Thursday afternoon he informed me that one of my students had been throwing things. Now thrown objects are not entirely unheard of in my room. Paper balls and such are relatively common. This went beyond that though... filled bottles, erasers. So far, so good...well not good, but at least understandable.
My jaw only hit the jaw when he mentioned the desk.
Yes.
A student had thrown...A DESK! His response was clear, go and get security and take the student away. The suspension was immediate and I doubt I will be seeing that student before Thanksgiving.
The following day, my students were talking about the incident. Putting on a veneer of innocent ignorance, I asked my students what had happened when one of them (the biggest pain in the neck of the remaining students) explained to me what had happened, making fun of the sub and saying that he was a coward and a wimp and so on and so forth (he used slightly stronger language of course). And when I asked why, he said it was because he ran out just because a desk was thrown toward him.
"You probably would have done the same thing..." he said to me.
"Maybe I would, " I said. "But wait a moment...someone threw a desk at him, and you don't understand why he might be a little upset?"
"Yeah..."
"Someone threw a DESK!?!"
"Yeah, but it wasn't going to hit him. Well, it might have..."
Staying calm. Deep breath. One more time.
"BUT SOMEONE THREW A DESK!?!"
But the rest of the class just stared at me quietly like I was the crazy one and the use of desks as projectiles was a completely logical and understandable custom...
I wonder how this will sound at my high school reunion in a few days.
Remember that robotics competition in Alabama? I mentioned it a few posts ago. The advisor for the robotics team happens to be my homeroom's math teacher. Since she went south for the tournament, a long term sub was called in to cover her class. I spoke with the guy from time to time. He seemed pleasant enough.
Imagine my surprise when on Thursday afternoon he informed me that one of my students had been throwing things. Now thrown objects are not entirely unheard of in my room. Paper balls and such are relatively common. This went beyond that though... filled bottles, erasers. So far, so good...well not good, but at least understandable.
My jaw only hit the jaw when he mentioned the desk.
Yes.
A student had thrown...A DESK! His response was clear, go and get security and take the student away. The suspension was immediate and I doubt I will be seeing that student before Thanksgiving.
The following day, my students were talking about the incident. Putting on a veneer of innocent ignorance, I asked my students what had happened when one of them (the biggest pain in the neck of the remaining students) explained to me what had happened, making fun of the sub and saying that he was a coward and a wimp and so on and so forth (he used slightly stronger language of course). And when I asked why, he said it was because he ran out just because a desk was thrown toward him.
"You probably would have done the same thing..." he said to me.
"Maybe I would, " I said. "But wait a moment...someone threw a desk at him, and you don't understand why he might be a little upset?"
"Yeah..."
"Someone threw a DESK!?!"
"Yeah, but it wasn't going to hit him. Well, it might have..."
Staying calm. Deep breath. One more time.
"BUT SOMEONE THREW A DESK!?!"
But the rest of the class just stared at me quietly like I was the crazy one and the use of desks as projectiles was a completely logical and understandable custom...
I wonder how this will sound at my high school reunion in a few days.
