Tattoos and Fire Alarms

So today was the Spring Fair. Theme: Treasure Island.

Argggghhh!

Anyway, we were on a minimum day schedule where we only have about an hour of class instead of 90 minutes. During first period, I helped Ars Poetica, the creative writing club, set up their temporary tattoo booth.

I had been back in my classroom for less than 5 minutes when the fire alarm went off. As we had a drill less than two weeks ago, standard procedure is for teachers to poke their heads out the door, rather than evacuate. Finally the principal comes over the intercom and says to actually evacuate. After about ten minutes outside, we learn there was an actual fire, but it's out, and, if we can stand the noise, we can go back in. They were apparently having problems turning it off.

Fast forward to 5th period. In the middle of class, a staff assistant asks one of my students to step outside with his backpack. As they retreat out the door I see 2 cops and a vice principal out in the hall waiting. Five minutes later, Student comes back into classroom and on his way in manages to loudly exclaim three (I counted them) profanities. "F--k! Somebody f---ing ratted me out. F---ing cops. I hate them."

I simply opened the door and called out the the group and had him removed from my class.

Fast forward to 12:30. Ars Poetica hawked their tattoos, eye patches, and had a relatively good time doing it. We made $46.50, which is pretty good. During the fair, Vice Principal walks up to me and says I won't be seeing my jewel of a student again. He was hauled off to Juvy for arson in the boy's locker room.

He's the second student in my 5th period to be hauled off to Juvy... though I suppose arson is better than attempted murder.

On a happier note, we had our California Distinguished Schools Visit yesterday. We've been approved! - The only high school in Long Beach with this honor.