Fierce Impressions

The first day of school came and went and the only thing that seemed to be different than the rest of my first days of school was this one particular student of mine. She came in before anyone else for third period without a peep, handed me an assignment sheet for me to fill out for her in-school suspension and had a seat. And by “had a seat” I mean, facing forward, hands in lap, and expressionless.

Don’t misunderstand here. I have had plenty of jack-a-ninnies enter my classroom for the first time already with in-school suspension ahead of them. Usually, a last second jack-a-ninny move before the end of the previous school has them coming to me already in discipline debt, like that one kid who drew some junk on the baron statue during finals week last year.

This one though is different. She doesn’t look the part. Those kids usually come in wearing expensively ripped and worn down clothes, a costly haircut with a look that I could replicate if I just shook them (please) and accessorized with the stench of an Ain’t I the shit? fragrance. This one today was quite mousey. She didn’t fit the profile by outfit or attitude.

I was left wondering what in the world did this square do to get into such trouble and on the first day! Honestly, it had me so preoccupied that I couldn’t focus on what I was doing. Maybe that was her plan.

She had to be new. I know that wallflowers don’t really stick out, but I think I would have seen this girl during the last couple of years. And with her being new and perhaps self-aware of her meekness she needed to make a statement to ensure her high school survival. It’s like having to beat an inmate with a chair your first day in prison. She must have done something to warrant the suspension as to send a message that she in not to be messed with, right?

Maybe I’m over thinking this, but the whole thing was creeping me out that I need to explain it away. It didn’t help that she sat in the same spot I had her on my seating chart without me telling her where to go.