'Crack' Pants

A pair of pants, mysteriously left behind by someone, found their way into my English class. Our teacher picked them up and began going through the pockets for identification. What was suppose to be an attempt at embarrassing the student crazy enough to leave a pair of pants in English class; soon became an embarrassment to our teacher. She warned us she might find something unpleasant and joked about finding a wad of paper with something written on it. When she reached into the back pocket, she pulled out a tiny bag with white powder in it. Our eyes got very big and our mouths shut quickly while she held it up and seemed to ponder what it could be. About 10 seconds later the 'light bulb' in her mind came on and she bolted out of the room like a canon. The police were called and now the mystery of "Who left their pants in English class?' begins...but that's High School.

Am I Locked In or Out?

I had a make up quiz to take today during my lunch hour and as I entered the stairwell to make my way to the third floor, I heard the door lock behind me. Suddenly, I was scared. I had forgotten about the locking of the stairwells during class time. When I grabbed the handle on the third floor door, it didn't move. "Oh, no. It's locked!" I was locked between two floors; in a school which has violently been torched twice. I started to bang on the third floor door frantically; then the second floor door. Back and forth I went until someone heard me and opened the door from the other side. I am thankful for the people skipping class and wondering the halls; without them I would have been stuck in the stairwell for 50 min. If locking the stairwells is for our protection, imagine being locked between floors with the wrong person. Very scary...but that's High School.

Librarian - With a Match - In the Locker Room?

Due to the fire break-outs, the library was closed. Now that the library has re-opened, Princess Ash made her way back to the Castle of Books. Madam Librarian was standing guard at the entrance when Princess Ash arrived. Princes Ash smiled and said hello. "Where's your pass" said Madam Librarian in an unfriendly tone. "Don't you remember me" replied Princess Ash, followed by the showing of her pass. Madam Librarian examined the pass intently and said "This pass is from last semester and unusable this semester." Princess Ash then asked for a pass this semester. 'We are out!" replied Madam Librarian. "It's me, Princess Ash, remember?" With a blank stare on Madam Librarian's face she said again "Pass, please." Princess Ash is currently not allowed into the Castle of Books, again. What is the evil plan of Madam Librarian this time? Maybe it's to burn down the village (school). If this were the game of Clue, I'd guess the Librarian, with a match, in the locker rooms...but that's High School.

Keys, Please...Get Me Out Of Here!

During class the doors leading to the stairwell are locked, then the doors are unlocked between classes. This has created a tardy issue. One tardy equals out-of-school suspension, and it also means you will not be permitted to attend the Prom or any senior activities. On my way to 7th period, a huge crowd formed on the third floor in the stairwell. "What the heck is going on?" I slowly made my way up to the front of the crowd and found the doors locked with only 1 minute left to get to class. Students were banging on the door like victims of the Holocaust. A fellow student came to our rescue and opened the door from the other side. The hall monitors were walking the halls and telling us to hurry to class or we would receive a tardy. Honestly, didn't any of the hall monitor's hear us banging? The classroom doors were a blur as I ran as fast as I could down the hall. I almost tripped before entering my classroom. I heard the bell ring. "OH, NO! Please, please, please don't give me a tardy." I just bought my ticket to Prom. Thankfully, I have an understanding teacher...I have to wonder about the fire code, though. Isn't the stairwell the way out if a fire occurs? Do they expect us to start jumping from the third floor, in panic, if something does happen? Who's making these crazy decisions? I'm becoming more afraid of our administration than the 'school's arson'. How about you?...but that's High School.

Fire in the Hole!

Well wouldn't you know it...the school is under major lockdown. We must all sit in the lunch room during lunch and we are to remain seated until the lunch bell rings. All bathrooms are locked during lunch. If we need to use the bathroom during class we must sign in and out on a log sheet. We were also informed there will be random bathroom checks. My friend had the unfortunate experience of being in the wrong stall at the wrong time. During a random bathroom check, she was in a stall doing her business when she heard someone call for an evacuation of the bathroom. She asked for more time. When she was finished the security guard said she took to long, took her to the front office and searched her and her belongings. My friend told the guard "Maybe if you gave a person time to pee, you wouldn 't have to go through all this trouble." The library is blocked off until further notice. The poetry place is blocked off until further notice. The bathrooms are blocked off until further notice. Until someone confesses this is our punishment for a crime we didn't commit. Why is there not an investigation going on? Why are there not investigators or police interviewing all students? Why are we being denied human rights waiting for someone to confess? Honestly, who would claim ownership to a crime they feel entitled to commit. After all, the schools are running like a prison, we're treated like prisoners. Is there any wonder crimes are being committed...but that's High School.

Arson Again

Testing was scheduled today for under classmen. Seniors were asked to come in late and would have an assembly schedule of 20 min per class. Yesterday teacher's told us nothing exciting would be happening and gave us permission to miss class. Is there ever a time of 'nothing exciting' in high school? Tonight I received a recorded message from my school stating there had been another fire and the entire school was evacuated. I guess it's a good thing I didn't go to school today. What's up with all the fires? IT'S NOT FUNNY! If someone wants to burn down the school building would you please wait until after I graduate. I've been working for more than 12 years to accomplish this goal...but that's High School.

Fire! Fire! Fire!

Wow, a real fire alarm day. Every year the schools hold fire drills preparing us for the real deal. Well we had the real deal. We all wondered the halls on our way outside and joked about another fire drill. Once we were on the field we began to notice something different. The entire faculty was outside. Usually a fire drill is only for students and teachers. After standing on the field for over an hour, yes an hour, three police cars and two fire trucks pulled up to the school. I began to question the decisions of the administration. After all, if this was a real fire, why did it take so long for emergency to show up. Ten minutes after the arrival of these emergency officers they let us go home. Later in the evening, we received a recorded message from our principal over the phone. The message said a trash can in the boys locker room was set on fire and one boy was rushed to the hospital from smoke inhalation. The messaged ended with an announcement that school would be in session for tomorrow. They would work diligently to keep the students safe and if anyone had any information about this crime to call crime fighters. Given our school's history of punishing the majority for the crimes of a minority, I wonder what the restriction will be...but that's High School.

360 degree Monday

Monday's? I don't like Monday's. I had a very busy weekend and completely forgot about the field trip planned for today in my 1st period class. I forgot to have my parents sign the release form. I forgot to have my other teachers sign my excused absence for field trip form. Oh, boy. Not today, please. After pouring out my heart and a little begging with a touch of teacher sympathy, I was granted permission to go. I'll have to rethink my feelings about Monday's after the great time I had at the art museum.