The problem with a rumor...

So, I have another story to share with you from my little world of short people. On Thursday I was standing outside one of the fifth grade regular education classes, swapping stories with one of the teachers when all the kids came in from recess. We were all laughing at the time about a story that had happened in one of the big classrooms this week. Then I saw one of my kids come in PISSED!

Goofball, who is typically a bundle of laughter and joy was pretty angry. At that moment one of the kids came up to us and said, "There was another fight on the playground today."

I knew immediately that it was something to do with Goofball. Which isn't a good thing. Truth be told, Goofball has been one of my favorites and I HATE having to get onto him. I do, trust me, I spend a fair amount of time holding him accountable each day, but I don't enjoy it. But, it's 5th grade, in the Spring, I know this time of year well.

So I caught the duty teacher, who was a regular sub, and he filled me in. Apparently Goofball got mad at another goofychild who had said that Crutchboy had cheated on the mile run that morning by using his crutches. I need to mention here that the ONLY way Crutchboy can walk is by using his crutches.

So, Goofball went to stand up to him, and he started pushing the kid. Fortunately, that's all Goofball did was push, but it was still physical contact. In our school, that's not tolerated.

So, I said, "Thanks, I'll take it from here" to the duty teacher. First off, Goofball is mine, and second of all, I was scared that Goofball was going to do something else to dig his hole even deeper. Typically, when he is made he'll keep going until he's calm.

So I went into his regular class, and he was explaining to the teacher what had happened. She looked at me and said, "Ms. Spring, I think a referral needs to be written, you want to take it from here?"

I said, "Sure."

So, I told Goofball to get his stuff together, and I would walk him to the bus. It was time for bus riders to leave and I didn't want him to miss the bus due to the drama. Especially since a referral at that moment wouldn't have been productive since Mrs. AP is on bus duty at that time.

So, we walked. Here's what transpired:

Me: Okay, so tell me what happened.
GB: Well, Goofykid said that Crutchboy was cheating on the mile today by using his crutches, and that's not right because Crutchboy can't walk without them.
Me: Yeah, then what happened?
GB: He got in my face, made a motion saying my breath stinks, so I pushed him.
Me: And?
GB: And he said he never said that and I was lying, so I kept pushing.
Me: And?
GB: I just got madder and madder and kept pushing until Mr. E. split us up.
Me: You know a referral needs to happen, right?
GB: Yeah.
Me: You know I'll be calling Dad tonight, right?
GB: Yeah.
Me: K, I'll meet with you first thing in the morning.
GB: K.

I walked back in the building and put on my detective hat, again. As it turns out, Goofykid has had a history of behavior issues. I didn't know that. Thankfully, I can say I've never dealt with Goofykid. I didn't even know what he looked like.

So, I called Goofball's Dad Thursday night, and we discussed the events of the day. He stated that Goofykid has been picking on several of my students saying that they are stupid and retarded because they come to my class. I NEVER knew that! How can I fix something if I don't know about it? Goofball's Dad was okay with me doing a referral, and agreed that the physical contact wouldn't be tolerated. I told him I would call him the next day and tell him what his punishment would be. Thankfully, he is a supportive parent, and is okay with most of what I take to him.

So, first thing Friday morning I was met by Goofball. I asked Goofball about the past month of Goofykid's bullying, and he basically told me the same thing his Dad had told me the night before. I told him I would talk to Goofykid, and then get back to him.

Mrs. AP happened to be walking by at the time, and I pulled her in and we had the "Come to Jesus" chat with Goofball about physical contact. He got the message loud and clear. Mrs. AP turned to me and said, "I want the referral form this morning." I said, "Okay." She left.

So, I let Goofball go back to class, and proceeded to the classroom that Goofykid is in. I'll be honest, I didn't even know what he looked like. So, I had to have the teacher point him out to me.

I couldn't believe it. This kid fits the name Goofykid perfectly. I took one look at him and thought, "This is the bully?" So, I pulled Goofykid out in the hall and played the role of mean teacher:

Me: So, GK, what do you think was reported to me about you?
(You always lead with a question, just to see what the kid knows already)
GK: Um...I don't know... Then he started looking around...
Me: Um, try again. Your name has come up in several conversations I've had in the past 2 days.
GK: Um...I don't know know what ya mean.
Now, I'll be the first to admit, this kid probably didn't remember. The more I watched him the more I thought that maybe he should be in my classroom. Sad to say, but true. So, I followed with:
Me: Tell me about recess yesterday afternoon.
GK: Oh yeah, well, Goofball got mad at me and said I made a comment about Crutchboy and I never said it.
Me: Really? I've had Goofball in my class for a year and a half and he's never lied to me. Try again.
GK: Really, Miss, I never said it. Goofball and Cruchboy are my friends, I wouldn't say that. All I said was the Crutchboy must be really strong to do the mile on his crutches.
Me: Really? That wasn't reported to me.
GK: Miss, I'm not lying.
And, my gut told me to believe him. But, I felt stuck between a rock and hard place because Goofball had never lied to me. He's messed up, but he's always fessed up.
Me: Okay, who else was a witness?
At that moment, Crutchboy entered the building on his crutches. So, I stopped him.
Me: CB, what did Goofykid say yesterday at recess?
CB: Um, I don't know. Someone said that he said that I was cheating yesterday on the mile.
Me: So you never heard Goofykid say it?
CB: No.
Me: Okay, go to class, Thank You.
Then I turned to Goofykid, and said, "Did anyone else witness it?"
GK: Yeah, BigBoy was there.
Me: Go get BigBoy.
I stood there. I felt like I was interrogating all these kids to get to the bottom of it. He returned with BigBoy.
Me: BigBoy, were you involved in the events yesterday at recess?
BB: No.
Me: Okay, can you please send Goofball to see me?
BB: Yeah.
We stood there. At that moment, I had a parent walk up who needed me for a separate issue altogether. I just asked the parent to wait a moment. I was almost done.
Me: Goofball, what did you say yesterday?
GB: That Goofykid said that Crutchboy cheated on the mile.
I paused.
I had to be very careful with what I followed with...
Me: Did you actually hear that from Goofykid's mouth?
GB: No.

And that, my friends, was about a 30 minute drama, and it all came down to a rumor. Goofball never heard it, he was going off of what he heard from another kid. Rumor mill drama.

I looked at Goofykid, and told him he was excused.

I turned to Goofball and he knew. He knew he had made a mistake. He knew I was now pissed. All of the drama over a rumor.

I looked at him and calmly said, "Go to PE. I'll get with you later."

Now, I'll be the first to admit, it wasn't true anger. I've seen anger in teachers, and I wasn't there. I was just drained and frustrated.

I met with the parent, dealt with that drama, and it was about an hour later when I turned in the referral. Mrs. AP told me it was up to me what his punishment was because I knew him better.

So, in the end, he missed his recesses, had to write a letter of apology, and said, "Sorry" to me for the drama. I called his Dad, who was okay with all of it. But, I was blunt with his Dad. Goofykid is a goofykid who isn't to be feared. Goofball's Dad was okay with it.

Now, what have I learned from all this? Well, first off, I have learned to begin each drama with "Did you actually hear the person say it?" And, two, I have learned that the Rumor Mill begins a whole lot earlier than I expected.

It's only March.

Say a prayer for me!

Later!