LogFAQs > #954993943

PART THREE

It was the middle of January, 2004. It's my last semester of high school and I've already been accepted into the one college I wanted (Go Big Orange!). My schedule's sweet and I have this Botany class with a bunch of friends of mine. Things are good, until the roll call.

The teacher reads everyone's names and Trint's name is read aloud. He's not here though -- he's still suspended from school. Some classmates look at me for my reaction. I wait until after class to talk with the teacher about my history with Trint; it's her first year teaching and she may not have been in the loop of this weird BS. My hope is that me doing the right thing here will allow me to stay in the class and kick him out, especially since he's still suspended and not around. The teacher makes a note and we move on.

Next day, the Principal wants to talk with me. I'm told that I'm being removed from Botany and am being placed in ACT Prep, and I am furious. Not only am I being removed from the class I wanted for someone not attending our school now, I'm being placed in a class designed to help students get into college...when I've already been accepted. I feel punished.

I ask why this is happening, and the policy for No Child Left Behind comes up. You see, Trint never did well in school and he couldn't be expected to succeed in a class like ACT Prep. Since the only other classroom with available seats at that time was Botany, he had to be in that class...and even though he's suspended for repeatedly trying to mess with me, I'm the one who has to be removed because WHAT IF HE COMES BACK? And now, for me, the only class left from there with space available was ACT Prep. I wasn't happy, I told the Principal I wasn't happy, and she said that was the way it had to be.

I go home, fully confident I've been wronged...and I ain't taking it. I get on my computer and type up a one-page petition explaining my position. It covers a brief history with Trint, the reasons why I shouldn't be switching classes, and a call to action: sign the petition and tell the staff this is wrong to remove me from class.

I print enough petitions for every class to have a copy all four periods of the day, and then I sleep soundly in anticipation of tomorrow's certain justice.

The next day, petitions are circulating and high-fives are a-plenty. My heart feels heavy this day because I'm working fast before class to cover the whole school, then the next hour and a half I'm having to sit still in anticipation of it all. First period goes great; I pick up signed petitions during the break, then I rinse-lather-repeat for second period. I'm looking forward to handing this huge pile of petitions over at the end of the day.

Toward the end of second period though, I'm in Agriculture and I hear this real angry announcement over the intercom: "HARRICH, PLEASE COME TO THE OFFICE -- HARRICH." The Ag-class ooooohs and aaaaahs at me, and a friend sings Bob Marley at me.

"GET UP, STAND UP -- STAND UP FOR YOUR RIGHTS!"

I take my signed petitions and walk down what feels like the longest emptiest hallway. I get to the Principal's office, where she and the Vice Principal await me. Surprise -- they're pretty mad! They are sure to repeat everything she said yesterday, this time louder than before. I'm giving it right back to them, this time loving the fact that I can point to signatures from multiple pages to back me up. We leave at a stand-still...nothing has changed. I'm still expected to stay in ACT Prep and I just need to get over it.

I go home, ready to kick it up a notch and talk with the Superintendent...but I've been intercepted by my parents. These people are clever alright. The staff had called my family five times through-out the day about this petition situation and everybody's ready for it to end. It doesn't help that the staff I'm arguing with were once family friends (before I was born, but still). I try to clarify that this isn't about individual staff members but rather the system itself, but it's not a good feeling to not have your family with you in this time of need. I deflate and accept the lame fate the George W. Bush Administration had decided on through bi-partisan agreement for me. In hindsight though, I wish I would have fought that battle more because the policy sucks and teachers have complained about it ever since...but my parents were happier now too, so I guess whatever.

So, about Trint: what happened with Trint? He returns to school about a month later, stays for a week, and transfers to a different school afterward. I hope the school is happy with their decisions. They'd be the only ones.

Never should have told the teacher my history with Trint. Leave no good deed unpunished......

---

O P E R A T I O N O U S T : Nominate SHEIK!
https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/ssb/images/0/0d/Sheik-Victory3-SSB4.png