Parents, Lawyers, and 911, Oh My!

It was such a wild and crazy day. Not the Steve Martin *fun* wild and crazy day but the OMG what the heck has happened kind of day.

It started with the phone calls from the school board attorney and one of the assistant superintendents regarding a student who is medically fragile. Without going into many details, the student is returning to school after a long stay in the hospital for almost dying. As it turns out oxygen IS important. Suffice it to say, I was a bit nervous about making sure we were doing everything to ensure the child's safety.

I was meeting with the mother while the teacher got the child out of the car and into the classroom when my cell phone began to ring. It was one of the secretaries informing me that a parent was coming down the hallway searching for me. This parent had refused to sign in at the office. She was going to find me NOW.

DAMNIT I need a school resource officer. And not for the kids but to help deal with the crazy-assed parents.

The parent who was ready to take me out back and shoot me on her way set me straight has a really great daughter, Ms. Drama, who can get a bit physical with some of the students. The previous day, Ms. Drama had forcefully elbowed a student in the gut. It was enough for him to puke and have difficulty catching his breath. Not behavior anyone could ignore.

I went out in the hall and told the ridiculous crazy mother she needed to make an appointment because I couldn't meet with her at that moment. The mother kept walking and talking. Spittle sprayed from her mouth. Again, I told her I couldn't meet with her. I then nicely told her she needed to leave as she hadn't even signed in at the office. She kept arguing. And she got closer and closer.

Finally, I loudly said, "Turn around and leave or I WILL call 9-1-1."

She kept arguing. And she was really becoming intimidating. I wonder where her daughter learned how to be so physical and so dramatic. I began to worry about her elbowing me until I puked. Puking before breakfast is a surefire way to start the day off on the wrong foot.

I held out my phone (while trying to keep my hands from shaking due to the massive adrenalin rush) and dialed 9-1-1.

Once that happened, she turned around in disgust and said something about calling the school board.

Being my usual mature self, I asked the 9-1-1 operator to hold the phone while I shouted out the phone number to the board office. No need in her having to look up the number.

Once I was sure she was gone, we cancelled the National Guard call for police back up.

As I headed back into the classroom to continue my meeting with the first parent, I looked at my watch. It was 7:35 a.m.