I have been working at my High School while waiting for the elusive "Green Card." As we all know, I LOVE this job. Sometimes, I think I am crazy for leaving it. But, then I think IRELAND- Enough said.
In honor of the beginning of a new school year- I am providing you with a mini test- focusing on your ability to determine the "truthfulness" of statements, exclamations, and excuses given by teenagers. These are just a few of the nuggets offered up to me in the past two weeks. Test your skills- answers at the end. Names are always changed.
1. Girl -Freshman- comes into the room- 15 minutes late. Band aid on left middle finger, the left pointer is bleeding copiously. "Mrs. Hall, I am sorry that I am late, but Linda attacked me with a knife." Me: "Lynn, did you go to the clinic?"
Lynn: "Yes, and all they did was hand me a band aid and an alcohol swab."
Me: "Why did Linda attack you?"
Lynn: "IDK..." [Breaks out into long convoluted story...I only half listened]
Was she shived? Did she really go to the clinic?
2. Boy-Junior-Asks for a pass to the restroom....returns with fresh bottle of Mountain Dew??? Tries to smoothly pull cell phone out of his pocket-
Me: "You've lost the phone, hand it over."
Boy: "I was just turning it off...I didn't want it to ring...I would never disrespect you like that."
Was he just turning it off?
3. Boy- Senior- Strategically throws items on the floor- Just at edge of table. I am thinking that he is doing it to look up skirts.
Me: "John, I know what you are doing. Stop it or leave."
Does John admit to it or deny it?
4. Girl-Freshman-Comes into the room muttering under her breath. Raises her voice, makes eye contact and says--actually yells at the top of her lungs, "Run now or I will KILL YOU ALL."
Do you need to run? Will she really kill us all?
Answers:
1. I took Lynn to the Clinic- Apparently she had been there before. Was there a girl shiving in our midst? Jury is still out.
2. He was so text messaging- However, his next excuse was that he was text messaging with his Mom. Right.
3. John freely admitted to purposely throwing items on the floor. He apologized and immediately stopped.
4. Well, gotta say, I was tempted to run. But I stood my ground & even though there was fist shaking on the girl's part, I lived to tell the story.
What is your score? I find that I score a little higher if I assume 50% of the excuses or stories are variations of the truth...I just never know which 50%.
