girloffscript:

Earlier this year, a boy made a massive, overblown deal that I playfully called him retarded for making a silly mistake.  He blew up at the principal for it, but was all smiles and “It’s okay,” when I apologized.  I felt so stupid for it.

Well, yesterday at Drama Club, a senior girl comes in looking like death warmed over.

“I don’t feel good, I need to go home.”

“That’s fine. Go.”

Cue other senior girl making a scene: “Do you have swine flu? You better stay away!”

“I don’t have swine flu, they don’t know what is wrong with me.”

“Well you better stay home, because I don’t have time to be sick.”

The sick girl starts to retaliate, then I simply say:  ”Both of you, quit your bitchin’.  Tabby you can go home.  It’s fine.”

Weeeeeeelll.  She went home, and told her mom I just BLEW UP at her.  Her mom didn’t know who to call, so she called the principal just wanting to know “what language was used” and if I understood how sick her daughter was.  (I did.)

So my principal finds me, and tells me this, and he doesn’t seem mad, just says “I don’t have tolerance for foul language,” or something, but when I told him exactly what I said, and that it wasn’t malicious, he was all, “Okay, well, call her mom.”

I call mom, who was totally cool, and probably would have just called me instead of the principal if she knew my number.  Her mom knew the other girl bothered her daughter sometimes, and knew her own daughter could make a big deal out of a simple situation.  She was more concerned with making sure I knew how sick she was.

“Look, I probably shouldn’t have said ‘bitching’ but I’ve seen those two go at it before, and I wanted it to stop right there because T. felt awful and looked awful.  I was short, and didn’t mean for her to take it personally.”

“Oh, I know teen girls are just awful sometimes.  I work with fifth graders and they’re bad.”

I apologized to her daughter, who is totally fine with everything. I let the principal know it was covered and mom was cool, and he was all “Alright then!”

I think what irritates me more about this, is that this is the second time my principal has had to come to me because of a student upset over my choice of words.  I’m not trying to brush off any fault here—as a speech teacher I should know better.   On the other hand, I’ve WATCHED the athletic coaches scream at kids, berate them for poor choices on the field, and use far worse language than “bitching” and “retarded.”  No one ever says anything to them.

My department is veteran stocked, and they are very supportive, saying “Hey, not a big deal.  You learn.  He’s not mad.  You’re not in trouble.”

But it still bothers me.  Four years in, and this shouldn’t be happening.

• Reblogged from Girl Off Script

blogonthe:

In Your View, Is Obama Doing Enough To Cooperate With Cong. GOPers?

-       Now 8/31 4/5 2/8
Yes     49% 51%  62% 74%
No      49  46   36  25

In Your View, Are Cong. GOPers Doing Enough To Cooperate With Obama?

-       Now 8/31 4/5 2/8
Yes     31  36%  37% 39%
No      67  60   61  60

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