A parade, a festival, and a runaway.

Memorial Day. Super fun, big parade, flags, the whole nine. This was several years ago, just an awesomely frustrating and unbelievable story.

Of course, I had enough flags for everybody in my class to get one, and for some kids to get two. When I finished handing them out, my special naughty friend only had one. So, naturally, he refused to line up for the parade. Reminder, in case you forgot: These are fourth graders and not first graders.

I called the main office and informed them that he was not moving, and that my very awesome across the hall teacher friend was kind enough to take the rest of my class to the parade since I was stuck with this kid boycotting Memorial Day. (Sidenote: Several other students offered him their flags, but his mind was made up.)

I was told that an administrator was on her way. As soon as my little one heard me on the phone, he left the room. Left. The. Room. I dropped the phone and raced after him, reaching him as he stepped out of the school, into the fields in the backyard. I think it was at this point that he realized he was crossing a line. To his credit, he came back inside on his own. And that was where my administrator found us, engaged in a stare down in the vestibule.

She told me that he was her case at this point and I should go join my class. Okay, cool, at least our class will have a break from him for this one day. We’ll enjoy the parade and it will be worry-free.
I kid you not, five minutes after I rejoined my class, which was waiting on the front lawn for the parade to begin, and HE was brought back to our class. The administrator said he was better. HE WAS BETTER!!! IT’S A MIRACLE! THE REST OF THE YEAR WOULD BE CAKE! No. That is not how it works.

This is when another teacher friend comes in. She is involved in everything. Plus, her class is kind of a handful as well. Anyway, she volunteered to take him off my hands for the parade and let him march with her class. AHHHHHHH! (That's angel's singing, if you couldn't tell.)

La ti da, the parade ends, the day ends, and I write, literally, 7 behavior referrals. One for each behavior. I could have kept going, but I just wanted to see what my administration would do. The kid left the school! This had GOT to be automatic suspension, right? Wrong.

He did not receive a consequence. NOTHING. I got copies of my 7 referrals in my mailbox the next day, but there was nothing written in the consequence section except something about a talk. A TALK! I was livid.

I marched myself into the principal’s office, showing her the forms, and demanded that he lose field day. The whole field day. This behavior cannot go on. He’s seriously learning that there are no consequences and that he can do whatever he wants. Not to mention the fact that the other kids were learning that he got away with everything, so they could too! Finally, after much convincing and evidence showing, I got a consequence. He missed a half of field day. Big whoop.

It reminded me of the time he called my across the hall neighbor a bitch, received ZERO CONSEQUENCES until I fought for him to lose our day before winter break fun day. Guess what happened halfway through the day? The principal brought him into the school movie viewing, gave him some popcorn, and sat next to him. Like it was a reward. For foul language and disrespect. No joke. This is where I worked.