Challenge #01971-E147: Help Them Grow
[Title: the Trousers of Time] Sir Terry Prachett quote there. Some one did something, often trying to be nasty that changed your Life for the better. -- Anon Guest
[AN: I keep telling y'all please DO NOT relate the content of your prompts (which I always use) with the title (which I hardly pay attention to). It's a pain in the butt for me to derail my usual routine to make certain the prompt makes sense to my readers]
This is how bullying goes: (1) Pick someone who stands out from the norm. (2) Humiliate them in some manner. (3) Make certain everyone knows that they're humiliated. (4) Never let them forget this humiliation. It is a complete mystery what this is meant to accomplish, but there are some sad individuals who climb the social ladder by stepping on other's fingers.
This is aided and abetted by adults who don't understand how micro-aggressions work, and further single out the bullied by defending the bully-er. Or at least it was.
The child glaring at him was one of Natures Mean Girls. They never had a hurdle bigger than what to wear and believed firmly in fitting the mould society had made for her. In this case, it was being perfectly pretty and singling out everyone who wasn't for some daily haranguing. She was seven, and already knew how to perfectly contour her face. "This isn't fair," she complained. "I didn't do anything wrong!"
Mr Fenry sat behind his desk with his fingers steepled and Counsellor Jarmon as a witness. It paid for male teachers to have a female witness when speaking alone to children like Tammie. She was just the sort of kid to instigate a false pedophilia charge. "Did your parents read you the code of conduct for this particular establishment?" he asked rhetorically. "Article Five: Bullying. Sub-section Three: Verbal abuse. Clause A: Mocking and condescension. No student shall use a mocking voice or a condescending tone to make another student feel less worthy than another."
Tammie rolled her eyes. "She deserved it."
"Really?" said Mr Fenry. "And what has Elwyn Baker done to you that deserves you breaking the rules for her? Did you file a report about it?"
"Elwyn Baker is a freak and a weirdo and she should be eliminated from the gene pool! She's seven and she still likes purple. Purple's passé by five and a half at the latest. It's in the rules."
"Thank you for saying that on camera," said Mr Fenry. Indicating the classroom monitor that kept accusations to a minimum and teacher conduct above board. He brought out the school rulebook. A dictionary-thick tome that included the code of conduct. "Now, since you're so familiar with the rules, perhaps you can show me where it says people aren't allowed to like and wear certain colours at definite ages."
"This isn't fair," Tammie shrieked. "You're mean and horrible and I hate you!"
"On the contrary, Miss Kerriway. It is completely fair. All rules for all people who attend this school. Even the teachers abide by this rule book. Why didn't you?"
"It's not fair, it's not fair, it's not fair! I hate you and you should die!"
"And that makes your third violation of the code of conduct. Including two death threats," said Mr Fenry. "Recorded for posterity and added to your permanent record. We will be discussing this, and other incidents at this school with your parents at their convenience. In the meantime, Counsellor Jarmon will escort you to a quiet room where you will remain until you have calmed down. Do you understand why this is happening?"
"'Cause you're ugly and jealous and stupid and mean," snapped Tammie. "You're all stupid! This school is stupid! I hate it and it's not fair!"
Mr Fenry quoted one of his personal favourites. "You say that so often. I wonder what your basis for comparison is."
Counsellor Jarmon made an ushering motion. "Come along, Tammie. It's time to go."
Tammie was throwing a tantrum. Something definitely passé by the age of four. Screaming variations of, "I hate you!" and "It's not fair!"
Mr Fenry calmly dialed Tammie Kerriway's emergency contact numbers. Like all young bullies, her parents believed that she was a perfect little angel who could do no wrong. Therefore Mr Fenry didn't much care if they heard Tammie screaming in the background.
"Good morning Mrs Kerriway, I'm Mr Fenry - Tammie's teacher. I do apologise for interrupting your day, but your daughter is causing a disturbance to the smooth running of the school." And like a miracle Tammie stopped cold and followed Counsellor Jarman like a meek little lamb. "We have extensive footage of her behaviour for your perusal. And... given the severity of this incident, we do require you or another guardian to come and discuss this."
A voice from his past said, "I don't believe this. You're out to get me through my daughter." Chenille Dennis. So. She'd grown into adulthood, but was still salty about former schoolmates ignoring her efforts to reform them through abuse. "I can sue that school of yours and make sure you never work again."
"You can certainly try. The evidence in this case is overwhelming in the school's favour. Further, Tammie's behaviour was brought to my attention to me by someone both of us never knew as children. When can we expect you or your husband to come for a behavioural review interview?"
"I will be calling your Principal about this," she threatened.
"Principal Warwick has already been informed, but go ahead." In fact, flagged feeds were automatically sent to the Principal's inbox. For inspection and action plans.
"I can prove persecution, you stupid freak!" And then she hung up.
Amazing how violent abusers got when they were caught out.
Mr Fenry took ten deep breaths and left his classroom to check on Elwyn, who was just finishing a guided meditation session with Counsellor Penticost. She was shaken and pale-faced, but rallying. "Feeling better, Miss Baker?"
Sniffle. Nod. "Don' wanna go back out, yet."
"That's okay," said Mr Fenry, pulling up a beanbag. "Can I tell you a story?" He waited for a nod. "Thirty years ago, there was a little boy a lot like you, and a little girl a lot like Tammie. The only difference between then and now is that nobody lets children like Tammie get away with the things they do. The little boy was made to feel bad. Day after day. Some days, it was hour after hour. The little boy had done nothing to the little girl but exist and be weird. As being weird is a crime."
Elwyn giggled.
"That little boy made a decision. The mean little girl was being mean just to feel good by making him feel bad. Therefore, for every mean thing she said, he found a bright side. Something good to overshadow the bad. For every time she said, 'you're weird,' he said, 'yes. Weird and way more interesting.' And made her so angry that she broke some rules nobody could ignore. Not even her parents." And he showed Elwyn the scar on his arm. Where Chenille had struck him so hard with a metal ruler that he had had to go to hospital and get stitches. "Laws were passed to stop children like that little girl ever doing anything like that again."
Elwyn boggled at the scar. "Is Tammie going to hurt me like that?"
"No. The laws won't let her. She's going to be suspended until she shows improvement from sensitivity training. Or... knowing one of her parents like I do... she's going to move to another school. With this incident on her record. Eventually, she will learn that her behaviour is not tolerable. Eventually, she will change her ways. And by then, Elwyn... you will be someone amazing."
"Weird and way more interesting," she said.
"Weird and way more interesting," he echoed encouragingly. Another little victory for the tall flowers in the field.
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / dariolopresti]
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