I brought a young boy to lunch the other day in the cafeteria. He is about 10, got in some hot water for this, that or the other thing. Now he is stuck with me for the day, or I should say we are stuck with each other.
I am waiting at the end of the line for him and a teacher walks up and says:
He is wearing the right colors today.
What? I say, looking at his orange t-shirt.
The right colors. she says
It takes me a few seconds but I get it, the right colors, for prison.
Maybe I haven't worked here long enough, but I am optimistic that everything will turn out right. I say
and she walks away, she leaves without further comment.
I cannot tell you how true it is that once the reputation is earned it sticks, not just with students but with teachers. The slightest infraction, backtalk, is treated with the same form of punishment as actually hitting someone.
A 10 year old on the fast track for the prison block?
No. I don't think so. But maybe that is why I am here in the first place. I have an us and a them mentality. Us being the kids I work with and them being everyone else in the school. I guess in the long run I will miss the job in ways. I just found out I am being replaced by a teacher next year. Good Luck kids.
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