Detention?

Jase hadn't returned home from school yet when I got a phone call from one of my friends. She said that her son came home really upset because of what happened with Jase at school and the way things were handled. I thought, "Uh oh! What happened?"

She explained that her son (Jase's friend) has last period with him. Their teacher let their class out a few minutes early because she was on bus-duty and just told them to walk quietly from their classroom to the outside. Her son said that they were walking and there was this little gap in the line in front of Jase. A teacher came out of nowhere and snapped at Jase, "don't you know how to walk in a straight line?" He and Jase thought she was kidding and Jase didn't seem to be sure what to say. Then she asked Jase what his name was and he didn't answer at first and so she asked someone else and then they both answered. Then the teacher was demanding that Jase go to the principal's office on Monday and that he would be put in detention. He said, "Mom, you know how good Jase is. He wasn't even doing anything." My friend said, "He just came home so upset because he felt that Jase was being treated very unfairly."

Well, I was glad that she called me because while I was still on the line with her, the vice principal called. So I thanked her and hung up. The vice principal said, "A teacher saw Jase twirling around in line, knocking another student and when she told him to settle down he wagged his finger at her (I am thinking...what?) and then she asked his name and he refused to answer. He was acting like a smart alec and mouthing off at her...." Whoa! This was definitely a different story! Because of the head's up from my friend I was a little defensive and explained to the vice principal what my friend had just told me.

While I was talking to him Jase walked through the door in tears. I hugged him while he cried. The vice principal was very nice and listened to both stories and was very fair. He said that he would talk to the teacher again and that they had video surveillance and that he would talk to a couple other students on Monday as witnesses. I have always loved this school and the faculty there. This is the first time anything like this has happened with any of my kids. I have never met this particular teacher, although I have heard that she has a loud voice and can be quite intimidating. My daughter had all sorts of things to say, but I won't go there.

I then hung up and asked Jase what happened. He said he walking (and admitted that he was turned part way around talking to the boy behind him) when the teacher said, "Don't you know how to walk in a straight line?" He said he thought she was kidding, but they were supposed to be quiet and so he did the sign for "yes" (which is a fist going up and down) while shaking your head up and down. And then she did the sign back at him as if she were making fun of him. Aaaaah...I can see the possible misunderstanding here. Perhaps she didn't know that he was doing the sign for "yes," and certainly she didn't know that at our house we go back and forth from English to American Sign Language all of the time.

She apparently thought he was being disrespectful (when he had no intention of being so). Jase said he asked him his name and he did pause (because he was scared) but then he did say it at the same time the person behind him said it. Jase also said that she chided, "Do you need to go back to fifth grade?" He claims that he didn't hear her say that she was the one over lunch detention and he definitely denies saying, "That's fine." He said that he didn't say anything at all. She was angry and demanded that he see the principal on Monday and go to detention.

This whole thing just ruffles my feathers. I mean Jase is a model student and has NEVER gotten into any trouble at school (at least that I am aware of). Of course he can act silly and was he "twirling in line?" I don't know, but it wouldn't surprise me -- but to say he was "mouthing off at a teacher?" Definitely not. That would be sooo out of character for him.

I called the vice principal back and explained about the sign language and how she may have taken that wrong. I said that Jase was very worried about what to do or where to go if he has detention. (He is also worried about possible lunch detention since he is a lunch worker and supposed to work during lunch, but I didn't mention that). He told Jase not to worry and to have a good weekend and he would let him know if he had to do anything on Monday.

Man -- here I have tried so hard to teach my kids sign language and then when my son uses it at school he gets sent to detention!! I tried to lighten things up with Jase saying, "at least you won't have to write 'I will not tell lies' on your hand with your own blood, right?'" He chuckled. (We just finished a Harry Potter marathon last summer). After all, any "difficult" teachers pale in comparison to Snape and Umbridge, right?

I just feel bad about the incident. Jase has been so excited about school. He checks his "powerschool" grades literally every ten minutes (just to make sure that he still has 100% in every class).

Acting silly -- yes. Talking? probably. But mouthing off? Definitely not.