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1. There was a big hullabaloo before school even started today, because after school (and off school grounds) yesterday a group of three seventh and eighth grade girls jumped and beat the crap out of another eighth grade girl – it was so bad that the police had to be called. I teach or have taught all four of the girls involved, so it was pretty bizarre to find out that two of my students will be absent for awhile because they are in police custody. It’s frustrating, because the girl who got jumped has been in our school since Kindergarten and has never been a problem. The three bullies have all transferred to our school in the past couple years, and have all been suspended multiple times for bullying and fighting. But the DOE’s policy about bullying is transfer the victim, not the aggressors – how ridiculous is that?? This girl has grown up in our school and hasn’t done anything wrong, and it’s like the want to punish her for being victimized. And these new girls, who the school has done everything they can with, get to stay and continue terrorizing weaker kids. The AP was saying that she hopes the victim’s parents go to the press or do something to draw attention to how unfair they are being treated, in the hopes that the bad publicity would convince the DOE to change their policy in this case.

2. We had a seventh grade town hall meeting during lunch today to talk about the incident after school yesterday, and also to explain next week’s “Spirit Week” schedule to the kids. I love town halls because they usually end up eating into the period after lunch, and also it’s much easier to bring the kids up from the auditorium than from the cafeteria (which is in the basement). However, when eighth period rolled around I noticed that a lot of the kids were unusually cranky and snappish, so I finally asked them what was up – their class had got to the cafeteria last, and didn’t get to eat lunch before having to go to the meeting! I’m pretty sure that’s illegal. I felt really bad for them, and wished I was one of those super-prepared teachers with a stash of granola bars or something. Oh well. I hope they all were able to get something to eat after school.

3. 7+ is officially starting on Monday! They pulled the dozen kids that will be in it at the end of the day to tell them about, and except for one girl who sobbed when she found out she no longer gets to eat lunch with her friends, most of them were really excited. Sidewinder was running around the yard after school pumping his fists in the air about the prospect of going to high school next year. I felt like running around and pumping my fists too, but for a slightly different reason…

4. I ended up catching the same train home as one of my all-time favorites from last year, and got to spend a while hearing all about his eighth grade year. I love how awesome this kid is and have really missed having him in my class this year, so it was great to get to chat and catch up with him for more than 30 seconds in the hallway. It was the best possible way to end the week