The principal takes off his glasses and places them on his desk. “She’s had no fewer than seven detentions already this year.”
“That feels excessive,” I say.
“It is excessive,” Mrs. Falconbury says from across the room. “And totally unnecessary. If she just showed up, I wouldn’t have to punish her.”
Kennedy’s eyes are trained on the floor.
“What happened today?” I ask. “Did she miss class again today?”
“No,” the principal says. “Today, Kennedy chose to have a verbal altercation with Mrs. Falconbury.”
Kennedy springs up in her seat. “That’s not true.”
“I’ve already heard enough from you today, young lady,” her teacher says.
“But I didn’t choose to have any altercation with you.Youchose it. You started saying?—”
“Kennedy, lower your voice,” Mrs. Falconbury says.
The principal holds up a hand. “Enough, Kennedy.”
What the fuck?
“Well, I guess I should’ve skipped class today then,” Kennedy says. “It would’ve been better than to have to go through this.”
The principal sighs and looks at me. “Kennedy has been suspended for three days.”
Kennedy glares at me. Again.
“Okay,” I say, giving her a look to settle down. “I understand something occurred today, and you’re sending her home. But I haven’t heard her side of the story.”
“Backtalking a teacher is never justified, Ms. Kramer,” he says. “She’s been on her third strike for quite a few strikes. This is the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back.” He looks at Kennedy. “Maybe you can go home, cool off, and return with a new attitude.”
“Let’s back up,” I say, clearing my throat. “She backtalked a teacher. I got it. But that means we don’t need to hear what started all of this?”
“Her attitude started all of this,” Mrs. Falconbury snorts.
I turn to her slowly. “Considering I’ve been very polite, and you’ve dismissed me like a child, I sense that maybe Kennedy isn’t the only one with an attitude problem. Respectfully, of course.”
Kennedy’s eyes go wide.
“Ms. Kramer,” Mrs. Falconbury says, clearly placating me and doing her best not to lose her cool. “This is an ongoing issue with Kennedy. We’d like you to take her home and talk to her about her behavior. Someone needs to get through to that child.”
I laugh, anger bubbling up inside me. “Again, I’d like to hear her side of the story.”
Mrs. Falconbury sighs and throws up her hands.
“Kennedy,” I say, looking at her and ignoring her teacher’s antics. “What happened?”
“I got suspended for three days. That’s what happened.”
“Why?”
She just stares at me.
“Ken, level with me here,” I say. “Tell me what happened.”
“You’re just wasting our time,” Mrs. Falconbury says.
