South Park High

I got a note telling me that the Principal wanted to see me in his office. I had brought by class to assembly late and now I had to account for the error. His office had a large formal desk and windows facing the street that covered most of one wall. Mr. Burt was sitting behind his desk when I entered his office. He said, “You and your class were late for assembly.” I don’t recall much of what he had to say, perhaps because I was focused on the bullet hole in the window near his head. I wondered at the time if he had been sitting there when the shot was fired. Mr. Burt said, “My school doesn’t have any problems.” I didn’t ask, “How do you explain the bullet hole in your window?”

I watch only part of South Park High. It was too real and disturbing to watch all of it. I hope for your sake that you are not in a school like South Park High. If your are; well, then I wish you lots of luck and success in finding somewhere else to teach.

My first year teaching was in a school like South Park High. I did not return the following year.