All They Got Was 3 Days
By DW Davis
@DWDavis (25797)
United States
February 6, 2017 6:56pm CST
When I arrived at school today, learned the fate of the two girls who knocked me over during their fight. Since it was a first offense for each, they each got 3 days out-of-school suspension. Since they didn't knock me down on purpose, they received no extra days for injuring me.
One of the girl's mothers called me today to see how I was doing. I thought that was very nice. I also talked to the girl, and she apologized again. I assured her I knew she hadn't meant for it to happen and I didn't hold it against her.
As for the other girl, there has been no apology, and when she did see me Friday after the incident and before I went to the clinic, she asked me to look up her password to one of the computer programs we use. There was no remorse in her tone or on her face. I hate to say this, but I believe the girl may have sociopathic tendencies. She feels no guilt about anything bad she does, and feels justified in striking out at people she doesn't like, just because she doesn't like them.
The other students were great today. They all asked me how I was feeling, and if I should have stayed home. Even some of my students from last year came to see how I was doing. One young lady was very upset I'd been hurt, and rushed to give me a hug.
I am still wondering if I will continue in public education after this year ends, but right now I feel certain I'll stick out the rest of the semester, barring any further incidents that is.
How was your Monday?
21 people like this
23 responses
@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
7 Feb 17
How many years have you been teaching if I may ask?
2 people like this
@DWDavis (25797)
• United States
7 Feb 17
@JohnRoberts I still have my hair, but it's going gray. My sanity, I wouldn't go so far as to say I have all of it left. You have to be a little crazy to teach middle school.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
7 Feb 17
@DWDavis And you still have your sanity and hair?
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189793)
• Boise, Idaho
7 Feb 17
Well, at least one has parents that care. The other one needs some professional help it sounds like. Some parents just let the kids run all over them and do not want to be put out enough to be responsible for them. There is no 'raising' being done. I agree with your evaluation of the other girl. I wonder if she will get any counseling. Probably will have do something where she gets called into court and is made to go to counseling before anything happens for her. Sad.
I hope that if you do decide to quit that you find something else you can enjoy doing.
2 people like this
@Shellyann36 (11383)
• United States
8 Feb 17
I am glad that at least one of them apologised and that a parent checked on you. I bet the one who did not apologise, was the one who started the fight, to begin with. It's touching that your students were worried about you. How old were the girls who were fighting?
1 person likes this
@Shellyann36 (11383)
• United States
9 Feb 17
@DWDavis I think that it is rather unfair that if one girl ambushed the other one, that they should both get suspended. I hope the mother of the girl ambushed presses the matter. It sounds as if the one who started the fight needs more than just a few days out of school.
1 person likes this
@DWDavis (25797)
• United States
9 Feb 17
@Shellyann36 Sadly, in order to reduce the chance of litigation, both parties usually get the same punishment.
1 person likes this
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36847)
• Pamplona, Spain
14 Feb 17
So sorry you had to go through that. I don´t know what happened really but if one of them is sorry then that is something.
Being a Teacher is very tough.
I have a Friend who had to change her Job in the finish as she could not cope with all the stress. She was being mobbed by about three boys I think it was.
Verbal abuse is more what I think it was but very nasty. She was off sick for a long while too.
Glad you have recovered and others are so pleased to see you again.
1 person likes this
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36847)
• Pamplona, Spain
15 Feb 17
@DWDavis
My Friend left
Teaching altogether she could not face going back to it she was in a very bad place for sure.
Teachers are now going to allowed some kind of App that they wear and press it or something on it on their mobile phone to call for help.
Its a real call for help.
We did not dare even look at a Teacher badly when we were at School they were very very strict indeed. Just one step out of place and you had had it.
Teaching altogether she could not face going back to it she was in a very bad place for sure.
Teachers are now going to allowed some kind of App that they wear and press it or something on it on their mobile phone to call for help.
Its a real call for help.
We did not dare even look at a Teacher badly when we were at School they were very very strict indeed. Just one step out of place and you had had it.1 person likes this
@DWDavis (25797)
• United States
16 Feb 17
@lovinangelsinstead21 I'm sorry things got so bad for your friend that she had to leave the profession. I think we'll be seeing more and more leave, while fewer and fewer are graduating from teacher colleges every year. Soon there will come a tipping point where something drastic will have to be done.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
7 Feb 17
I am glad that you got a great response from so many people. That one young woman needs counseling. Is there any available through the school system?
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
7 Feb 17
@DWDavis North Carolina seems such a mix of progressive and conservative from what I hear about the state on NPR.
1 person likes this
@DWDavis (25797)
• United States
8 Feb 17
@JamesHxstatic Our current legislature is a throw back to the 1950s in all the wrong ways. They are pre-Civil Rights, pre-Women's Rights, pre-Integration.
1 person likes this
@Blondie2222 (28610)
• United States
9 Feb 17
Well I am glad that atleast one of them apologized but awful the other one feels no remorse for what she did. Glad your ok and not seriously hurt. Hope from hear on out no more bad things happen to you and you can finish out the year and maybe have the summer to think about if you wanna go back or not. I hope this one incident doesn't change your mind though things do happen.
1 person likes this
@Blondie2222 (28610)
• United States
10 Feb 17
@DWDavis oh well well i hope things will get better in the end.
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
7 Feb 17
I'm glad the one girl apologized.. I guess those kids are the reason you stick with it. I'm sure it made you feel good that so many of your students were concerned.
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
7 Feb 17
@DWDavis Exactly.. it's kind of like the story of the star fish.. where the kid is throwing star fish back into the ocean and someone asks why bother because you can't save them all.. and the kid says it makes a difference to the ones he can save.
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (40020)
• Toccoa, Georgia
7 Feb 17
That is scary to think that the unapologetic girl has no remorse. It is those types with no conscious that do the crimes that make the world not safe.
1 person likes this
@PatZAnthony (14749)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
7 Feb 17
Having been with public and private schools, bless your heart for staying anywhere.
Parents should have to volunteer several hours each month so they could see what really goes on. Although, some of those adults should not be around children...hmmm.
1 person likes this
@DWDavis (25797)
• United States
15 Feb 17
@PatZAnthony The world has changed, and I don't think it's been a change for the better in many ways, especially for those at the bottom of the economic ladder.
@PatZAnthony (14749)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
15 Feb 17
@DWDavis Yes, we have noticed this. The world has certainly changed, hasn't it?
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45490)
• United States
7 Feb 17
To be honest, I had a few teachers in high school I would have been happy to knock out!! I had a math teacher who was almost the end of my high school days, I was ready to quit but didn't.
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (122067)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
10 Feb 17
Monday was an average day for me. Too bad one of the students who knocked you down is not sorry that she harmed you. If you find too hard to teach in your current school due to your health and safety I would blame you if you stepped down.
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (122067)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
10 Feb 17
@DWDavis Thanks for sharing the info with me.
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (52907)
• Mojave, California
7 Feb 17
Wow sorry to hear that and must be interesting to see the future of society right before your eyes. I imagine it is very sobering.
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (91013)
• United States
7 Feb 17
I'm happy to hear that you're feeling better from your injury. The concern your students showed means that they care about you except for that one girl who didn't even offer an apology for you getting hurt. Guess it's hard to decide right now if you'll continue with teaching.
1 person likes this
@Poppylicious (11134)
• United Kingdom
7 Feb 17
It's always very worrying when the young people we work with show signs of sociopathic tendencies. Have you raised this as a concern so that she can get the help she needs? You are a very popular teacher!
1 person likes this
@JESSY3236 (22199)
• United States
7 Feb 17
My Monday was ok. I vacuumed my bedroom and went grocery shopping. Kids today can be terrible. I think that is one of the reason my uncle got out the school system too.
1 person likes this
@DWDavis (25797)
• United States
7 Feb 17
I've only been punched once before while breaking up a fight, and the boy who hit me in the jaw had to ice down his hand. I was much younger then, of course. Usually my size is enough to convince kids not to try me. Not this time. These two girls were determined to go at each other and just shoved me out of the way. To be fair, their combined weight had me beat by a goodly number of pounds.
1 person likes this
