Heartbroken 2

The student who was placed on PDP and caused all my heartbreak was saved. He was not expelled from school as a direct result from my testimony.

I know I never finished that post. I was so emotional even typing up the post, I was totally drained. I couldn't even finish it because it broke my heart to type the words he could potentially be expelled.

I was livid when I went to testify for his hearing. First of all, when I found out he was PDP, I emailed the Dean and asked when and where his hearing was as I wanted to attend. She said the student would have to formally request me to attend in writing. It was that formal of a hearing. I found the student outside after school and told him on the day of his hearing, he needed to dress up and look sharp. No baggy pants, button down shirt, no gym sandals. I also told him he needed to request I testify. He showed up to school that day wearing slacks, a collared button down dress shirt, and dress shoes. He told me he requested me to be there. I said I would.

The hearing was scheduled to begin at 1:00pm. I have lunch from 12:30 - 1:15pm. I thought it would be perfect. I would testify at the beginning then make it back to catch my class at 1:15. Right? WRONG! I get down to the building this so-called formal hearing was supposed to be in and no one even knew there was a hearing scheduled to take place. I got down there at 12:54. I was the only one there. There was supposed to be an administrator present, the student, the parents, and the hearing officer. I was the only one there. Finally, another teacher who was asked to be present outside the meeting showed up at 1:00. When I asked the Assistant Principal's secretary where the meeting would take place, she told me the "conference room." I walked around and found no such room - well I didn't think I did because the conference room was being used to house all the athletic uniforms in boxes stacked so high, I couldn't see the table. 1:10pm the Dean arrives and begins to move boxes in the conference room. 1:15 the Assistant Principal who was conducting the hearing shows up (we are in his office area by the way) and says he needs to get his stuff together for the hearing. 1:16pm I call security to tell them to let my students in my room and ask one of them to just monitor my kids until my English Language Learner (ELL) aide shows up. 1:22pm I call my room and one of my students answers saying no one was in the classroom. 1:24pm the parents and student show up....... I saw them walking on to campus on my way over to the office. Apparently it took from 12:54pm - 1:24pm to pull a student out of ISS (In School Suspension) and walk him over to the office. 1:32pm the Assistant Principal says he is ready to start the meeting. Then he tells me I can't testify right away because there is a protocol they are supposed to follow. This would have been fine if the meeting had started 32 minutes ago!!!!

They call me in, swear me in, and tape record the whole meeting. I state my name, who I am, and how long I have known the student. I go through my history with him and at the end of my statement, I am already so worked up over the whole situation I choke up; "I can see in ____ the reason why I went in to teaching. I am here testifying today because of the support he has at this school. I am afraid if he is expelled, he will be lost and he is not worth losing. ______ is a great kid (looking right at mom in the eye). I believe he needs guidance, support, and reassurance. This school can offer him that with the amount of people here who care about him. I see in ____ why I became a teacher. He makes me glad every day I am in the position I am in at this school. (now I am crying and mom is crying and student is crying) Please ______, whatever happens, know that there are people who believe in you and believe you are better than the actions you did to get you to this point."

I got up and left in tears. I got back to my classroom (which was in shambles) and told the kids that they needed to be careful of the behavior choices they made and to make sure they carried themselves in a respectful manner because you never know when you are going to need a teacher like Ms. Dooley to testify for you.

They gave him 40 hours of community service, his grade went from a C in my class to an F with all the time he spent in ISS and not in class. He won't turn in his homework, take notes in class, or even complete the make-up tests I gave him to take home and complete. Well - that was........ worth it?

Still really irritated with the way the meeting was conducted.