Another One Bites The Dust....

Actually, J. is the first of my summer school students to "bite the dust" but I have been known to be hyperbole-prone in my day.

J. has been expelled from summer school, as of 8:10 this morning.

I have to provide a little background on my summer school class. Maybe I already have. Stick with me, this won't take long. Our district's schools run from kindergarten to grade 8. All the worst kids from all the grade 8 classes around the city end up taking the same summer school class...mine. I am the only summer school teacher who has to prep two classes. (I teach math and English whereas all the other teachers have either one or the other), and I have the same kids for both classes. The 8th grade kids who need summer school to get to grade 9 have no choice but to take my class. For the most part, the first few days are pretty crazy; the kids all think they need to put on a performance for each other and for the older kids at the high school whose ranks they hope to join upon successful completion of summer school. I usually let them know that the only person they have to please is me, and that I'm not pleased with the performances, so they can abandon their academy award ambitions in my class. I also let them know that there is one person standing between their coming to high school and heading back to elementary school with their tails between their legs. That person is me.

Anyway, usually things calm down within a week or two, but there is always that one kid who feels the need to continue to push the envelope.

This year's envelope pusher is J. He is very sarcastic, rude, inappropriate and condescending. He is one of those teenagers who greets even simple, harmless questions, such as "Hi how are you?" as personal affronts to which he must respond with pure venom.

He has had a few "moments" throughout the first few weeks of the program, but I have been able to rather easily subdue him. Monday, however, he was in rare form. He was ignoring my instruction, having full volume conversations with classmates who were totally uncomfortable because they had the sense to know they would get in trouble. He was passing notes critical of me and other students. All while he sat there exuding his effeminate catty bitchiness. I nicely but sternly suggested that he might want to discontinue the inappropriate behavior. Of course, this unleashed the wrath of J. He wanted to know why I wouldn't "just get over it, already, Jesus!" Most of his sentences were punctuated alternatively with, "What the hell?" and "WHATEVEEEERRRRRR!" I realized he was losing control and so I invited him to the hallway to try to discuss he matter with him privately. Some kids are super sensitive to having things said to them in front of the class. I'm not into the humiliation thing, but I realize that even a simple "talking-to" can set some kids off and really get their backs up. So, I figured maybe a quiet conversation could help quell the situation.

In the hallway, J. Continued to demonstrate a completely rude and inappropriate demeanor. I was just standing there, not saying anything, for a good couple of minutes while he seethed and suffered from a case of explosive verbal diarrhea. (spelling?) I eventually tried to speak to him, but he just kept ranting over me, not listening. Finally he just screamed, "All right, whatever, OK? I was not paying attention. Are you friggin' happy?"

I actually was happy because I felt that at this point, I was completely justified in sending him to the office to undergo disciplinary action from the director of summer school. I figured it would get him out of my hair. He was removed from my math class for the remainder of the period, and I decided to find it within my heart to let him return to my room for the English class.

He returned and was an angel. When he reported to school Tuesday, I decided it best to move his seat in the math class. I chose a seat for him in the front of the room. The purpose was threefold. Number 1--bust the kids balls for being an asshole. That was first and foremost. Number 2--Keep him away from the other kids he was trying to drag down with him. Number 3--Keep him right under my nose so I would be able to monitor his every move.

He sat in his newly assigned seat without comment and for both classes, sat there, bent over his work wordlessly. He only spoke to raise his hands and ask or answer questions related to the curriculum. I thought he did some soul-searching and had come to the conclusion that he had best do an about-face.

I was really proud of him.

Today, everything fell apart.

J. Reported to math class and immediately began making his way to his old seat. I figured he had forgotten the change of seating. Hey, old habits die hard. I reminded him, by simply saying his name and gesturing toward his new seat, that he needed to sit there instead. Once again, the tantrum side of J. reared its ugly head. He "demanded to know for what reason his seat was being changed." Once again, every sentence was punctuated with, "Jesus Christ!" or "What the hell?" or "Whatever!"

I told him, "Ok, that's it. Back to the office."

He then tried to back peddle by saying, "What the hell's the problem? I'm going over there, aren't I?"

Gee, why doesn't Bush call on this kid to aid Condaleezza Rice in the Middle East Peace talks?

Anyway, I had no mercy. Not only did I send the little asshole to the office, but I actually accompanied him there, myself. I was glad, in a way, to see that he thought he had the right to speak to the director and assistant director the same exact way that he had spoken to me.

Mr. O, the assistant director, asked J., "Who is at home? You need to call a parent and tell them that they need to come up and see us."

J. replied, "Well, I'm not home am I? How am I supposed to know who is there when I'm here?"

Bad mistake.

Mr. O said, "Forget that option now, anyway. Now I am going to call home personally."

Once again, J. employed his favorite question, "For what reason??"

Mr. O ignored this question and asked the student, "Does anybody at home speak English?"

J replied, "Noooooo." (the sarcasm was oozing)

Mr. O said, "No problem. Mrs. C. is a Spanish teacher. She can speak Spanish, no problem." (Like Mr. O, I assumed, based upon the student's name, that he was a Spanish speaker.)

The student said, "Well good for Mrs. C. But my parents speak Portuguese, so Mrs. C's big positive just turned into a big negative, didn't it?"

A now completely pissed off and pushed-over-the-edge Mr. O said, as he hung up the phone himself, "Ok. You're gone for today. Go home. Don't come back unless you have a parent with you."

J said, "Whatever. OK. Fine. OK. Who cares. OK." He continued to yell all this as he continued down the hallway toward the exit.

Mr. O, now completely furious, was yelling back, "Yeah, sure. Ok. Its Ok with us. OK!"

(We would later discuss the fact that sometimes in our teaching, we hit low moment like these where some kid is being such an inappropriate jerk that you find youself sinking to their level and communicating with them in the same way.)

J turned around and yelled, "Shut the FUCK up to Mr. O."

With that, he had slammed the final nail into his coffin.

Mr. O followed the kid to the parking lot and told him that he was out for good. Don't bother coming back with his parents. Don't bother coming back PERIOD. He told the kid he just lost all his money for the courses (no refund...200 dollars), and bought himself a one-way ticket back to 8th grade.

I was delighted to get rid of this jerk.

I do, however dread the very real possibility that they will likely let the kid back in. If they do, I will honestly to God contemplate whether or not I will continue on in the program. What will the other kids think when they see this kid, who gave me such a hard time, walk back into the class . Doesn't that give him the last laugh? Doesn't that tell him that he can treat a teacher like shit and then get away with it? What about other kids who are "on the edge" and are just keeping themselves in check because they want to get out of elementary school? When they see this asshole walk back in, fully aware of how he behaved and treated me, what incentive will they have to continue keeping themselves in check?

I don't know. The money at summer school is decent. But I honestly feel that putting that jerk back into my class is just a slap in my face. How much is my dignity worth? Certainly more than 3 checks in the amount of 548 dollars.