"If he gets up . . . We'll all get up . . . It'll be anarchy!"

Welcome to small town rumors. Today a very significant parent came to talk to me (during math time) about some drama in the classroom, rumors and what not. The problem is that the rumors are of a CPS quality and quite obviously VERY inappropriate. I guess the rumors have been around before and appropriately investigated and now it’s just a matter of “time to let it go.” So being the pro-active teacher I am, I called the ladies in question in for a little talk about respect and rumors, and how to be appropriate when it comes to the spreading, or not spreading of rumors. Responses varied from, “We didn’t do anything” to “That’s the way we do it here.” The class is full of negativity still and the students are all quick to be defensive. Talk about throwing a lamb to the wolves… I’m talking about how rumors need to stop, no matter who is spreading them, and what to do if you hear a rumor, and they are talking about whose dad’s going to beat up whom. The discussion included colorful words, attempts at a walk out, and ended with three students sitting in the main hall refusing to go back to class if “they are going to be blamed for things they didn’t do.”

Did I miss something… where was the blaming??

And just a few hours ago I was thinking I was starting to like this school. Of course right as this was happening, the volunteer art teacher walks in who, after last week’s episode, didn’t want to come back. Today she actually said she was afraid to come back. No stress, no drama… ugh!

But amazingly, they are all quietly working away with the graffiti art she brought in, even the three mutineers who I managed to wrangle back into class.

This afternoon I’m going to try to get the 8th graders to take a little pride in their school and attempt a service project. That is IF I can keep them all in class.

Postcard update:

Postcard #3

San Antonio, Texas’s River walk.

Home of:
Air Force basic training
A fancy river including tours
People who talk funny (according to my students)

All in a day’s work :)