Well the first full week of school just couldn't end without a fight, now could it? But before I come to that, some back story:
Yesterday, my class-cutting, no working phone advisee (we'll call him Adam), came into first period advisory looking a bit off. I asked him what was wrong and he said something was up. He wouldn't do his work so I asked him if he wanted to talk outside. There, he told me that two boys from another school in the same building were saying that they were going to jump him after school. He said he didn't want to fight and he had tried to talk to the guy, but he was still concerned. The guidance counselor happened to be passing in the hall at that moment and together we took him to the dean of the other school to report the incident and try to identify the guys (who Adam didn't know by name). We spent an hour and a half of our free time talking to him and convincing him to stay out of trouble. He managed to get through the day without a problem.
Today, Adam already seemed to be somewhat attached to me. He tried to come into two of my science classes, even though he is in 9th grade (he was held over last year) and I only teach 10th grade. The thing about him is he still looks like a baby and I can tell that inside he wants to stay out of trouble. But he can't. Last year, he was in several fights and after today, I'm guessing this year is going to be the same.
Although he claims otherwise, Adam is in a gang. And not only that, but he is in a gang that differs from the predominant gang at our school, which probably explains some of his fighting. Today another 9th grader was shouting insults about Adam's gang in the hallway and Adam, I'm told started to get into a verbal argument, threatening the kid. The kid's older brother is an over-6-foot-tall 10th grader at our school (who, by the way, completely disrupted my class yesterday and insulted me so much that I had to remove him from class). This kid, we'll call him Benny, jumped in to defend his younger brother and started swinging at Adam. Naturally, Adam started swinging back.
I was actually passing in the hallway as the fighting happened and hastened to my classroom door, hoping to shuttle the kids inside before it got too intense. I managed to get most of my last period class inside when the hallway erupted. Kids started running towards the fight, some jumping in, others just watching. I, along with several other teachers, spent the next 10 minutes shouting and shoving kids into our classrooms. Not just the kids we were supposed to be teaching, but any kid we saw, just to get them out of the hallway. It took a lot of energy.
Both Adam and Benny were suspended for all of next week, although the dean at our school is working to have Adam's time reduced since he didn't start the fighting. Needless to say, my last period was spent babysitting, not teaching. Benny had to be removed in handcuffs from the hallway and security warned us not to let anyone out into the hallways, not even to use the bathroom.
I knew I was in for this when I started, but I admit I hadn't expected a fight so soon. I don't even know everyone's name yet and already I'm dealing with a suspended advisee. It's just a reality check. This may be a job for me, but for these kids, it's their life and just because school has barely started doesn't mean they don't already have problems. All of my kids are "at risk" and that is why I have to be there for them and do the best I can to teach and counsel them. I can already feel Adam becoming my project for the year and if I can reach him, well then I can probably reach most kids.
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