I don't ordinarily tell stories here about discipline issues at work, especially those that are so unique that they can be easily figured out; but the blog is anonymous, and any readers who know who I am would never guess the identity of the student, anyway. The tale must be told, however, for you to appreciate the last line.
This week I busted a student for attempting to sell grass on campus. This may not seem like anything special to those in the education world, but in this case I'm being literal: he was trying to sell grass. He ripped it from the ground from the lawn at the local mall on his way to school and tried to sell it to people as marijuana.
He (and his friend, who managed to dodge this bullet completely) thought it would be funny, and he might be able to get a few bucks out of it. Our campus police officer explained the legal issues (yes, it's illegal to sell fake drugs; there are also civil issues involved if someone tries to smoke the newly-fertilized lawn and gets sick). I explained that where I started teaching, South Central L.A., selling fake drugs is how drive-by shootings are born. He wasn't arrested, but he could have been; and I've learned that's sometimes enough. Then his mother asked about suspension. My reply:
"Yeah, I could suspend him; but if he's going to do things this stupid, I think he needs every day of school he can get."
Helpful hints, position essays, and useless blather from the Assistant Principal of a high school in Southern California. Posts here do not necessarily reflect the positions or views of the school or district with which he is employed.
So there.
So there.
