Introduction
This journal of sorts describes the first month or so of my senior year at
Martin Luther King Academic Magnet High School for the Health Sciences and
Engineering. Mildred is Dr. Mildred Saffell-Smith, principal. Hurst
is Brent Hurst, assistant principal. Mr. Wilson is in charge of In School
Suspensions and Ms. White is a Guidance Counselor.
To give you some back ground, Mildred and I didn't have the best working
relationship. Brent and I didn't have the best working relationship.
So they tried to make my life a living hell. It's no fun, I don't
recommend it. Enjoy.
Mildred and Brent: A Journal
September: Mrs.
White: Accused of wearing an explicit T-shirt, that was inappropriate for
school. It read “Gigabyte Me.”
It was from SyQuest, a company that makes the Sparq drive, a hard drive
that holds one gigabyte of information.
August-September:
Called into Hurst’s office for the whole tardiness-outdoor sign debacle
August: first student council meeting, Mildred
absent, Hurst stares at me says, “we would like the class sponsors to get more
involved in class decision making.”
Sponsors being the teachers who help the classes fundraise, etc. I
say, “well, if we had good sponsors, maybe I could.”
He says, “I'm going to forget that you said that.”
August-September: called in to office regarding Silly
Putty, distractions
September: Accosted
by Mildred regarding distractions
September: Apologized
to Mildred, she tells me “Rusty, you’re so full of it.”
September: My
period as an office aide has been transferred to the Library, so I can aide
there. I was informed of this by
the Librarian after I handed him the letter of transfer, a letter that I had not
read. I was not asked for any input
at all in any regard regarding this change of schedule. Nor was I given any warning, nor was I given any thanks for
the work I did in the office during my time there.
Nothing. It just happened to
me…perhaps for the best.
September 28: Mr.
Wilson, upon seeing my locker asks me, “Rusty, what are lockers for?”
I tell him that they are for holding stuff.
Then he says, “No, Rusty, for holding school stuff.
I’m going to change the combination if you don’t clear it out.” I was shocked. I
was amazed that I would have to take down all the stuff I worked so hard to put
up. Then I found Miss Beasley, and
told her of my predicament. She
goes into the lounge, only to, a few minutes later, have both of them come out,
with Wilson telling me that “as long as you don’t wire it for electricity or
have a pay phone in there” that I’ll be fine.
I had no clue is he was serious at any time during the conversation
October 1: (Part 1) Mr. Wilson shouts from down the
hall for some kids standing at my locker for them to move along.
This is between classes, with plenty of time before the next class
starts.
October 1: (Part 2) After school, in front of a
friend’s locker in a different hallway, Mr. Wilson points at me, and tells me
that “if he hears about any kids being late to class because of my locker,
then he will make me take it down.” He
then turns and walks away without me being able to comment at his statement.
October 7: (Part One) Before school, Millie (Dr.
Saffell-Smith) approached me when I was at my locker and asked me if the lights
turned off when I closed the door. I
have no problem with her asking the question, my problem is with her
attitude…the way she asked it to me.
October 7: (Part Two) I was in the central hallway,
between the two columns talking with Leah Min.
Mrs. White was walking across the lobby to her office, when I offered her
a newspaper. She said yes, but in a
way that I was unclear if she was sarcastic or serious.
I stayed in my place, as she continued to walk to her outer door.
At the door, she turned and asked if I was coming.
I said that I was, and I followed her to her office. As she reached into her purse, and got a quarter she said
that she didn’t want to hear anymore backstabbing out of me, or something to
that effect. I was, of course,
flabbergasted.
October 8: In
4th period (newspaper) we discussed initial reaction to the paper.
All class members mentioned that lots of people enjoyed it.
Either Matt Meisels or Scott Farager mentioned that Ms. White didn’t
like my article. Apparently, she
thought that it was offensive…developing…
