The Power of Gas School Story

In previous posts, I've mentioned class combinations that were teacher nightmares.  I might already have written about the one I am mentioning here.  It's funny, sort of...but really not.  At least not for me.

One day, I was teaching a lesson and struggling to keep this particular class's attention, when one young buck (I'll call him Chris) deliberately leaned sideways in his seat and passed a most audible gas toot, then sat there and grinned.  Of course, the class erupted in laughter and "Ewwww!"  To me, it was total disrespect.  I gave the kid a detention.

Instantly, another student who was known to be head-strong (I'll call him Brian), confronted me in front of the whole class:  Farting is a natural function.  It isn't right for you to give Chris a detention.  What are we supposed to do when we have gas?...  blah, blah...you get the picture.  I tried to distract Brian, but it only kept escalating to the point that I finally gave Brian a detention, too.  WAY too much class time was spent on this rebellion.  Basically, all teaching was over, and I felt bad for the other kids--who were quiet and respectful-- who were there to learn.

Our school had a rule that a detention not served created more, then other consequences.  It seems that Chris didn't serve his, then his parents showed up, and I think the admin caved, not applying its own set of consequences.  (I had no knowledge or control over that.  I also couldn't control the word-of-mouth grapevine that told Brian that Chris wasn't serving his detention(s).) 

As for Brian, it got more complicated.  He wasn't even part of the first infraction but had inserted himself into it.  But the "deal" was that Brian was an Office Aide at the time.  Getting a detention would throw that into the crapper.  He was now in trouble with the office.  A couple of days later, I was told that I was needed at an after-school conference between the Asst. Principal and Brian's mother.

I can't remember the exact time the school day ended in those days, but I'm guessing our conference started at about 2:45 PM.  Brian's mother was demanding to know what consequences the OTHER kid got.  I told her that I couldn't tell her that, for privacy reasons.  (My excuse was that she wouldn't like it if I were talking about her son's situation with others.)  She was angry, so I was trying desperately to stay calm.  The Asst. Principal said/did nothing.  We went around and around.  At 3:30, the Asst. Principal chose to depart, leaving me alone with this parent.  We had to change locations just to continue the conference (and I was ticked off).     

As the mother and I were seeking another place to talk, I asked her if she was aware that Brian considered himself to be the man of the house and was shouldering huge responsibilities.  He had confided in me that his father had abandoned them all, and he had stepped up.  Suddenly, her attitude changed.  She was no longer Mama Bear in defense of her cub.  She was in the presence of someone who actually liked her kid and wanted to help.  We talked a while longer.  The mom who came in like a lion went out as a lamb.

A day or two later, Brian came to my classroom to pick up the attendance list, which happened daily in those days before attendance software.  I caught him at the classroom door.  I told him that, had he not confronted me in front of the whole class, I coulda/woulda/shoulda handled the whole thing differently.  He told me that he was kind of a hot-head who shouldn't have shot off his mouth.  We ended with a pax that has lasted until this day, many years later.  He is one of my Facebook friends--still a hot-head.  Some things never change.