The setting is an urban high school, intended to be anywhere. The names of the high schools mentioned at the end were events that were reported nation wide.
The characters are three teachers in the lang arts department office and the voice of the principal. Ages are not really too relevant, but FRESHMAN is younger. Sexual identity is also irrelevant, even though statistically we have more female than male teachers. They do not have names for a reason, they are identified by what they teach, furthering the thesis that this could happen anywhere.
CHARACTERS
SHAKESPEARE Language Arts Department chair. Near retirement, but likes teaching in a "diverse" school and thrives on the aggravation it begets. They do not teach a Shakespeare class, but teach Shakespeare in all of their classes, just because they want to.
SPEECH AND DEBATE New to the building last year during Covid, has yet to experience the "behavior challenges" that plague most city schools. Spend 15 Years at a well known school after it reopened, left for a diverse school environment after students brought bees into the classroom to be "funny". One of the students had a deadly allergy, was not stung, but admin did nothing to reprimand the student who brought live bees into a high school. After 15 years of tolerating white entitlement, this incident was the final breaking point for this teacher, who opted out of the district.
FRESHMAN COMP AND LIT Graduated in December of 2020 with their teaching credentials. They spent the spring of '21 subbing in this building before getting hired in March of 2020 for the fall of 21. This person is not white. They almost dropped out of the education program twice due to anxiety issues, and changed content majors three times, resulting in a double major in Lit and History with a minor in Psychology, which resulted in more classes and a "late" graduation date. They have come to realize they love learning, but are not sure about teaching.
PRINCIPAL'S VOICE This principal has just been through a year of Covid Hell and was excited to have students return when they had to immediately call a lockdown protocol. They may sound exasperated, they may sound neutral, but they are not breathless or panicky. They are not new at this.
Scene
Three educators are seated in an office, with two desks, a couch, a microwave, a refrigerator. This was a place that looked more lived in before Covid, but has been unpacked, sanitized and barely moved back into by August of 2021.
( SQ Principal's voice: " We are implementing a lockdown protocol, please see the charts in your classrooms to familiarize yourselves with Code Orange. If you are already in a classroom, Please remain there. Students, if you are in the hall, please move quickly to a classroom near by. If you are upstairs, please go to the cafeteria. Teachers, if you are in the halls, please assist students who need direction. This is a code orange. If you have an exterior window please pull your blinds. If you are in your classroom, please check the hall for students before locking your door. I'll be back on with an update later. Be safe.
S&D
Really? (looks at Freshman) on your first day? It's 7 am, school hasn't even started yet. Are there kids in the building?
SHAKESPEARE
Swimmers, mostly. Some newspaper and yearbook kids. Us.
FRESHMAN
Does this happen a lot?
SHEAKESPEARE
What's today?
S&D
Tuesday.
SHAKESPEARE
Somebody's not paying attention, today is not Bring Your Gun To School Day, that's Thursday. Tuesday is Shank a Friend. (They laugh). Freshman, your question requires more information. What do you mean by "A Lot?"
FRESHMAN
What?
SHAKESPEARE
How frequently is "a lot" in your mind? Once a week? Twice a day?
FRESHMAN
I don't know...once a week? is that a lot?
SHAKESPEARE
That's cute. Once a week is normal. A lot would be three or four times a day. (pause) I'm mostly kidding. These kids bring guns every day, they just don't always get caught.
S&D
We had drills in my previous building The only time it was 'real'-well, after the one incident- was if someone robbed the bank on the corner, or a kid at the Alt School took a gun from home and was walking to school with it.
SHAKESPEARE
We usually don't go on lockdown. The kids put the guns in their pants with their shirt open, security sees them before the get to the door. One kid shoved his uncle's gun so far down his pants, he tripped on it coming out of his pant leg while walking across the parking lot. Hilarious.
FRESHMAN
What district were you in?
S&D
White Entitlement In The Suburbs. Our kids opened fire with out any warning.
SHAKESPEARE
You're safer here, nobody actually uses their gun. They bring it to show their friends.
FRESHMAN
We had lockdown drill training in the district I did my student teaching. They never had a real lockdown, they said, but they did drills twice a semester.
S&D
During Covid? Are you kidding me?
FRESHMAN
No, no I am not.
S&D
Shakespeare, do I need to actually walk over to my room to let kids in?
SHAKESPEARE
No, your door is locked. Even if a kid was here, they know that and wouldn't try to get in. The ones who are here will go to counseling and clog up the lobby there. They never go to the cafeteria, I don't know why they always tells them to do that. They never go. The performing arts kids all go to the theatre, nobody actually goes where they're told. If we had a real emergency it'd be a mess.
FRESHMAN
So if this was real, we'd have to close the blinds and leave the door unlocked?
SHAKESPEARE
This is real, it's just not an emergency. Class just hasn't started yet. You're in the office, not the classroom. (nodding at S&D) Speech and Debate, What'd y'all do for yours back in the 'burbs?
S&D
We were supposed to have an automated system with a pre recorded voice calmly instructing us as to what we should do. But the two times they tried it, the alarm went off but the voice did not work, so the principal got on the intercom and read the instructions. The second time it was real, we went on lockdown when the April 2019 shooting happened, even though it was miles away. The kids were great, calm and on their phones looking up the story as it unfolded. I played BALLZ and waited for it to be lifted.
FRESHMAN
That was horrible, I was up at school when it happened. A lot of my cohorts changed their degree programs from teaching to anything else after that.
SHAKESPEARE
We are too far north for it to have mattered here. (pause) So, Freshman Lit, first day, first year teaching! How're your rosters?
FRESHMAN
When do they stop adding and dropping students?
SHAKESPEARE
When you retire. Next question. (Shakes and S&D Laugh loudly)
FRESHMAN
Does class start late today since there is a lockdown before the bell?
SHAKESPEARE
The principal will make an announcement. Probably we'll start ten minutes late, it depends on whether the kid was caught inside or outside the building. Takes longer if they got in.
S&D
About that, you guys don't have metal detectors do you? I didn't see any.
SHAKESPEARE
Nope. We're on the "Eyeball System". Usually security will see it before the kid gets in the building.
S&D
I guess that works....
SHAKESPEAR
It must. I've been here 20 years, we've never had a shooting. We've had stabbings and a few all out gang fights, but that's it. (noting Freshman's face) Stop with the eyes Newbie. You're fine. You can't go to class with that terrified expression on your face, the kids will eat you alive. We have bigger issues here, like getting kids to come to the building in the first place, and then getting them to come to class in the second place and to stay in class in the third place, if they show up in the first place. Never mind the district's screaming about the Achievement Gap and College Readiness.(Shakes and S&D again laugh too loudly, years of experience and administrative rhetoric recall finding its way out of their systems.)
FRESHMAN
I'm lost.
S&D
You won't be by May.
SHAKESPEARE
Come talk to me before you implement any Tier of Intervention, or classroom rules.
FRESHMAN
They used that at the middle school I student taught at. They said it worked really well.
S&D
That was out south, right?
SHAKESPEARE
You ain't in Kansas any more.
FRESHMAN
To be fair I finished my student teaching and graduated during Covid. Nothing was normal, everyone was home.
S&D
But in the 'burbs, y'all were mostly in person, right?
FRESHMAN
In quarantine a lot, somehow every time there was an outbreak I was exposed.
SHAKESPEARE
Nobody knows how this is going to to. We were remote all year, pretty much. The kids who cause trouble didn't log in, it was very different. I'm shocked a kid tried to bring a gun this morning, honestly, I'd think they would return on their best behavior.
(Principal's voice on intercom: Thank you for your safe behavior. We have lifted the lockdown. Teachers, you may return to your classrooms, or open your blinds if you are already there. Students, thank you for your quick response. Please continue to your first period. School will begin on time.)
S&D
Allrighty then. See you at lunch?
SHAKESPEARE
I'll come join you in your room. (Looking at Freshman) You are welcome to join us. I'd like to get to know you a bit better.
S&D and SHAKESPEARE stand to leave. Freshman remains seated.
S&D and Shakespeare say good bye, sound of door closing behind them.
FRESHMAN
I should get up and go to my classroom. I need to stand up and walk to class. Today is my first day. Get up. Stand up, and walk to class. I got this. Here I go... (does not move)
Door opens.
S&D
Are you coming?
FRESHMAN
I can't move.
S&D
Can you turn your head to me? (does) Lift your finger? (does) Breathe (does)
You aren't in a building where kids shoot teachers. Repeat that.
FRESHMAN
I'm not in a building where kids shoot teachers.
S&D
Look at me. I did fifteen years at a school that reopened after a shooting. Columbine reopened. Granite Hills High School reopened. Santana High School. Arapahoe reopened. Campbell County High School. Pine Middle School. The STEM school reopened. I have the list memorized. People work there. Guess what else I found out after getting hired here? Ten years ago a teacher got caught in the crossfire of a gang "disagreement" and was killed. It wasn't this building, but it was this district, and kids from this building were involved. You get up and go to work and you believe that you are not in a building where kids open fire, otherwise you won't get up. (pause) Both of our rooms have huge windows, you can see the front of the school. That helps.
FRESHMAN
I believe I am not in a building where kids open fire. I believe I am not in a building where kids kill teachers. I believe I am in a safe building. I believe I am safe. I believe.
S&D
Good job. Put it to music and you could be in Book of Mormon. Can you stand up?(does). One foot in front of the other. Just one. Good. Now the other. Great. (Singing I BELIEVE from Book of Mormon) I beeeeelieeeeeeeeveeeeee-----
FRESHMAN
Will you walk with me to my classroom?
S&D
Only if you sing along. I beliiiiieeeeeeeeve
Door closes behind them.
Scene.
No comments:
Post a Comment