The Edge

The other day, when my students were working in the morning on their "ABC Book of 6th Grade Memories," two of my boys came over to me. "Can we go talk to Mr. Moyer?" they asked me.

Now, Mr. Moyer often deals with discipline, as he is going to begin his internship next year for principal. I assumed, though, that something had happened where these boys were accused of wrongdoing by Mr. Moyer, and they wanted to explain some of the details.

"No, you can't go right now. Mr. Moyer is teaching," I replied.

They started to turn away, and one boy said to the other, "We'd better tell Mrs. Hager, then." So they proceeded to tell me that a student in my class (he came new April 1st, a lousy April Fool's joke...)had a knife in his desk.

"Alan, come here," I said. He came over. "You are being accused of having a knife in you desk. Is this right?"

Alan denied it. "Well," I said. "Then empty out your desk to prove it."

Alan then just got mad, and stormed out of the room. I went into the hall, and he was halfway to the outside door. "Alan, get back here," I commanded. But he continued out the door.

I went back into the totally-quiet room, and called the office. I explained that Alan had been accused of having a knife in his desk, and when asked to empty his desk, he stormed out. "He wouldn't come back. He just left," I said.

A bit later, our Education Assisstant came in. I showed her Alan's desk. The boys said it was in the top section. She pulled out his things, but we didn't find a knife. Then she opened his binder, and we did find the knife. It was folding knife, but it was no pocket knife. It was a serious knife for the outdoors person. She took it with her.

Soon I got an email from our principal, informing me that Alan was being suspended for 3.5 days, meaning that he would not return to my classroom this year. I did a dance of joy. It makes my life easier.

It made me think. I've been teaching since 1987. I've had two experiences with kids bringing knives to school. One this year. And one last year. This stuff never happened in my sheltered school district where I came from 3 years ago...

It brings a new meaning to "Living on the Edge..."