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Oct. 13th, 2017 08:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fry_sandhuAfter being shouted at for fifteen minutes by Ben's mother, Mrs Patel sends Ben and his mother to wait in the secretary's office, and calls in Fry.
As Fry enters, Coral comes in with him.
"We don't need you, thank you, Coral." Mrs Patel says.
"I'd like to stay please. Mum isn't here yet, so I'm his avocado." Coral says politely.
Mrs Patel just about keeps a straight face. "Advocate, I think you mean. That's fine. Fry, Ben and his mother have been in with some very serious allegations that you have been bullying Ben. I am going to ask you whether each thing they have accused you of is true, and then we will deal with the matter, all right?"
Fry nods.
"Did you punch Ben in the face on his first day?"
"Yes." Fry says, surprised that Mr Mags hasn't already reported that to her.
"Why?"
"Because he stuck a wet finger in my ear, and he scared me. I didn't mean to punch him, and I said sorry after. Mr Mags, I mean, Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald, said that was okay."
"Did you on the same day threaten to break Ben's arm?"
Fry has to think about this one. "No. I said it was lucky I didn't, when he startled me, but I meant it was lucky I didn't do it by accident."
"I see. The way you said that sounds like a threat. Did you glue Ben's desk shut?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because he kept banging it to make me and Joram jump and Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald told me I should stand up for myself. I didn't think it would stick so well. I confessed but lots of the others took the blame with me."
"So you knew that was the wrong thing to do. Did you and your friends read Ben's diary?"
"No." Fry says. "Tommy looked in the desk to see what he was hiding, but we didn't read it."
"Would you have read it, if Ben hadn't caught you?"
"No. Well, I wouldn't, I don't know about the others."
"On that day, did you threaten to break Ben's teeth?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because he called me lots of names in the toilet and wouldn't let me out and kept making the driers go off and it hurt."
"Did you mean it?"
"Yes. They were only baby teeth."
"I understand why you were upset." Mrs Patel says. "But you can't do that."
Fry nods.
"This afternoon, did you push Ben to the floor?"
"No. I took him down in a controlled way that I knew would not hurt him."
"Why did you do that?"
"He scared Joram with a loud bang and laughed at him. I think that's a horrible thing to do to a refugee. I took Ben down to scare him but not hurt him."
"But Fry, Joram hasn't told the other children he's a refugee, has he?" Mrs Patel asks. "So how could Ben have known that?"
Fry hesitates for a moment. Oh. Yes. Good point.
"It's still mean." he says.
"Yes, but it would be less mean if it was just a joke, than if it was meant to scare a victim of war, wouldn't it?" Mrs Patel says.
"I understand." Fry says, after a momentary glance at Coral.
"Did you make a hole in Ben's jumper."
"No." Fry says. "It already had a little hole. I didn't make it bigger."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Last question. Did Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald see you fight Ben this afternoon and not punish you?"
"Yes." Fry says.
"Thank you Fry." Mrs Patel says. "I will take it from here. You must not threaten, hurt, or 'take down' other children unless it is truly in self-defence; for example, someone is trying to hit you right now and you need to block them. If you had broken Ben's arm or his teeth I would have suspended you, even if it was provoked. You are a big boy now, Fry, and you must learn to use non-violent and non-destructive methods to solve conflict."
She sighs. "I do not think this situation is entirely your fault, though. Did Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald give you any guidance on how to stand up for yourself?"
"Not really." Fry says.
"Perhaps you can work on that with Mr Irons." Mrs Patel says. "Can you and Coral wait outside while I speak to Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald, please?"
Fry and Coral go out into the secretary's room and sit the opposite side to Ben and his mother. Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald shoots both culprits a glance before going inside.
"Magnus, this is the third complaint I've had today." Mrs Patel says. "The first being Bethany Sharpe being in here in floods of tears with her mum because you apparently allowed one of the other children to bribe their way to being class president. The second was Anna's mother complaining that you compared her daughter to the Phantom of the Opera."
"Objection: I said to Anna's mother that Anna shouldn't have to cover her scar because she wasn't the Phantom of the Opera, and I apologised when she took offence." Mr Mags says. "It was far less offensive than what her mother said about her losing the election because of the birthmark."
"Still not appropriate. And now it appears that there's been a lot of other things happening in your class that I wasn't made aware of."
"Let's be fair." Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald says. "Every kid in my class learned this week that bribery is a feeble way to win an election."
"You can't allow the children to beat each other up, emotionally or physically." Mrs Patel says. "This is a school, not Lord of the Flies. Ben's mother has made a serious allegation that Fry is persistently bullying Ben, and there is some degree of substance to that claim."
Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald snorts.
"Fry is no bully, and his behaviour is fine. His only issue in this matter is that he doesn't know how to stand up for himself. Ben on the other hand is a jealous, lying, bullying little snot who picks on vulnerable kids because it makes him feel like a big man."
Rather unfortunately for Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald, Ben's mother happens to be near enough to the door to be eavesdropping, and on hearing this speech, bursts into the office and starts screeching again.
"Look." Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald says after a minute of this. "I could have hauled Ben in weeks ago for all the rubbish he's put kids in this class through. It's not just Fry, he goes for other kids - a girl who's a bit overweight, a lad who doesn't speak much English, and a girl with a birthmark. Maybe I wanted to give him a chance to realise he was making a bad start for himself rather than labelling him a bully?"
"I think you just couldn't be bothered to intervene." Ben's mum retorts.
After a very tense half hour, Mrs Patel eventually calms Ben's mum down, calls the children back in, and suggests that Ben and Fry both shake hands and write one another a letter of apology. Both the boys, suspecting now that they have got their teacher into trouble, meekly comply. At this point, Mum catches up with Fry and Coral, and Mrs Patel decides to send them all home before Fran can turn lioness too.
She motions to Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald to stay behind, and once the parents have gone, closes the door.
"Magnus, I believe there is some method in your madness. I agree that sometimes the children need to learn to solve their own problems. However, I don't feel that you supervised their efforts to do so nearly enough on this occasion. That I could have worked with."
She turns to him. "But I will not have you calling the children names like that, let alone in earshot of the parents, and for that reason I am suspending you while I conduct a full enquiry. Since it's half term, that will give me time to establish the full facts."
"You'll have my resignation in writing by tomorrow morning." Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald says.
"That may not be necessary." Mrs Patel adds, hastily. "It will need to be brought before the governors but you are likely to get off with a written warning."
Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald shakes his head.
"Conduct your enquiry, take whatever action you need, but I'm still resigning." he says. "I make a better substitute than a long term class teacher. If your investigation leaves you satisfied I will be happy to come back to do supply work if you want me to."
***
A few days later, during half term, Mum calls Fry over to the living room with her and Dad. Mr Mags is on the laptop, skyping them.
"What's going on?" Fry asks, sitting between his parents.
"I want to tell you something important." Mr Mags says. "And I wanted your parents in on it so that I can make sure there's no misunderstanding. When you come back after half term, I will no longer be your teacher."
"Why?" Fry asks.
"Because I said some things in front of some of your classmates' parents that was inappropriate." Mr Mags says. "I wanted you to know that me leaving was in no way your fault because of the business with Ben. Not Ben's fault, either."
Fry has mixed feelings. He'd just started to get used to Mr Mags, and kind of felt that he was at least on his side, but it's been a difficult half term.
"Thank you for your teaching." he says, after a moment. "It's not going to be Mr Morton, is it?"
"No, I made sure of that when I discussed how long I would stay." Mr Mags says. "Or I would have carried on as a substitute for a few weeks. Your new teacher will be called Ms Owlswick."
"They found a replacement so quickly?" Dad asks.
"Ms Owlswick is a teaching student who was looking for a placement transfer." Mr Mags says. "I've met with her and she is very capable." He looks back at Fry. "Now listen, little dude, because I have one more bit of advice for you. I might not have advised you very well on how to stand up for yourself, you needed more help with that than I knew to give you, but I don't want you to stop standing up for yourself, all right? Mr Irons will help you learn now. Otherwise, you will be bullied all your life, and you do not deserve that."
Fry nods.
"Thanks sir."
And with that, they part ways. Fry looks at his parents.
"Are you disappointed with me?"
"No!" Mum says. "Fry, Mr Mags may have been your teacher only briefly but he does have a point. But it's okay to ask advice as to how to tackle these things, okay?"
"And it's definitely not my fault he's going?"
"No." Dad says. "Mr Mags had to be the adult here, and he didn't do that. It's not your fault, Fry."
Fry looks back at the blank screen. He wonders whether the rest of the class will be so sure about that.
As Fry enters, Coral comes in with him.
"We don't need you, thank you, Coral." Mrs Patel says.
"I'd like to stay please. Mum isn't here yet, so I'm his avocado." Coral says politely.
Mrs Patel just about keeps a straight face. "Advocate, I think you mean. That's fine. Fry, Ben and his mother have been in with some very serious allegations that you have been bullying Ben. I am going to ask you whether each thing they have accused you of is true, and then we will deal with the matter, all right?"
Fry nods.
"Did you punch Ben in the face on his first day?"
"Yes." Fry says, surprised that Mr Mags hasn't already reported that to her.
"Why?"
"Because he stuck a wet finger in my ear, and he scared me. I didn't mean to punch him, and I said sorry after. Mr Mags, I mean, Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald, said that was okay."
"Did you on the same day threaten to break Ben's arm?"
Fry has to think about this one. "No. I said it was lucky I didn't, when he startled me, but I meant it was lucky I didn't do it by accident."
"I see. The way you said that sounds like a threat. Did you glue Ben's desk shut?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because he kept banging it to make me and Joram jump and Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald told me I should stand up for myself. I didn't think it would stick so well. I confessed but lots of the others took the blame with me."
"So you knew that was the wrong thing to do. Did you and your friends read Ben's diary?"
"No." Fry says. "Tommy looked in the desk to see what he was hiding, but we didn't read it."
"Would you have read it, if Ben hadn't caught you?"
"No. Well, I wouldn't, I don't know about the others."
"On that day, did you threaten to break Ben's teeth?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because he called me lots of names in the toilet and wouldn't let me out and kept making the driers go off and it hurt."
"Did you mean it?"
"Yes. They were only baby teeth."
"I understand why you were upset." Mrs Patel says. "But you can't do that."
Fry nods.
"This afternoon, did you push Ben to the floor?"
"No. I took him down in a controlled way that I knew would not hurt him."
"Why did you do that?"
"He scared Joram with a loud bang and laughed at him. I think that's a horrible thing to do to a refugee. I took Ben down to scare him but not hurt him."
"But Fry, Joram hasn't told the other children he's a refugee, has he?" Mrs Patel asks. "So how could Ben have known that?"
Fry hesitates for a moment. Oh. Yes. Good point.
"It's still mean." he says.
"Yes, but it would be less mean if it was just a joke, than if it was meant to scare a victim of war, wouldn't it?" Mrs Patel says.
"I understand." Fry says, after a momentary glance at Coral.
"Did you make a hole in Ben's jumper."
"No." Fry says. "It already had a little hole. I didn't make it bigger."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Last question. Did Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald see you fight Ben this afternoon and not punish you?"
"Yes." Fry says.
"Thank you Fry." Mrs Patel says. "I will take it from here. You must not threaten, hurt, or 'take down' other children unless it is truly in self-defence; for example, someone is trying to hit you right now and you need to block them. If you had broken Ben's arm or his teeth I would have suspended you, even if it was provoked. You are a big boy now, Fry, and you must learn to use non-violent and non-destructive methods to solve conflict."
She sighs. "I do not think this situation is entirely your fault, though. Did Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald give you any guidance on how to stand up for yourself?"
"Not really." Fry says.
"Perhaps you can work on that with Mr Irons." Mrs Patel says. "Can you and Coral wait outside while I speak to Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald, please?"
Fry and Coral go out into the secretary's room and sit the opposite side to Ben and his mother. Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald shoots both culprits a glance before going inside.
"Magnus, this is the third complaint I've had today." Mrs Patel says. "The first being Bethany Sharpe being in here in floods of tears with her mum because you apparently allowed one of the other children to bribe their way to being class president. The second was Anna's mother complaining that you compared her daughter to the Phantom of the Opera."
"Objection: I said to Anna's mother that Anna shouldn't have to cover her scar because she wasn't the Phantom of the Opera, and I apologised when she took offence." Mr Mags says. "It was far less offensive than what her mother said about her losing the election because of the birthmark."
"Still not appropriate. And now it appears that there's been a lot of other things happening in your class that I wasn't made aware of."
"Let's be fair." Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald says. "Every kid in my class learned this week that bribery is a feeble way to win an election."
"You can't allow the children to beat each other up, emotionally or physically." Mrs Patel says. "This is a school, not Lord of the Flies. Ben's mother has made a serious allegation that Fry is persistently bullying Ben, and there is some degree of substance to that claim."
Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald snorts.
"Fry is no bully, and his behaviour is fine. His only issue in this matter is that he doesn't know how to stand up for himself. Ben on the other hand is a jealous, lying, bullying little snot who picks on vulnerable kids because it makes him feel like a big man."
Rather unfortunately for Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald, Ben's mother happens to be near enough to the door to be eavesdropping, and on hearing this speech, bursts into the office and starts screeching again.
"Look." Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald says after a minute of this. "I could have hauled Ben in weeks ago for all the rubbish he's put kids in this class through. It's not just Fry, he goes for other kids - a girl who's a bit overweight, a lad who doesn't speak much English, and a girl with a birthmark. Maybe I wanted to give him a chance to realise he was making a bad start for himself rather than labelling him a bully?"
"I think you just couldn't be bothered to intervene." Ben's mum retorts.
After a very tense half hour, Mrs Patel eventually calms Ben's mum down, calls the children back in, and suggests that Ben and Fry both shake hands and write one another a letter of apology. Both the boys, suspecting now that they have got their teacher into trouble, meekly comply. At this point, Mum catches up with Fry and Coral, and Mrs Patel decides to send them all home before Fran can turn lioness too.
She motions to Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald to stay behind, and once the parents have gone, closes the door.
"Magnus, I believe there is some method in your madness. I agree that sometimes the children need to learn to solve their own problems. However, I don't feel that you supervised their efforts to do so nearly enough on this occasion. That I could have worked with."
She turns to him. "But I will not have you calling the children names like that, let alone in earshot of the parents, and for that reason I am suspending you while I conduct a full enquiry. Since it's half term, that will give me time to establish the full facts."
"You'll have my resignation in writing by tomorrow morning." Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald says.
"That may not be necessary." Mrs Patel adds, hastily. "It will need to be brought before the governors but you are likely to get off with a written warning."
Mr Magnesium-Fitzgerald shakes his head.
"Conduct your enquiry, take whatever action you need, but I'm still resigning." he says. "I make a better substitute than a long term class teacher. If your investigation leaves you satisfied I will be happy to come back to do supply work if you want me to."
***
A few days later, during half term, Mum calls Fry over to the living room with her and Dad. Mr Mags is on the laptop, skyping them.
"What's going on?" Fry asks, sitting between his parents.
"I want to tell you something important." Mr Mags says. "And I wanted your parents in on it so that I can make sure there's no misunderstanding. When you come back after half term, I will no longer be your teacher."
"Why?" Fry asks.
"Because I said some things in front of some of your classmates' parents that was inappropriate." Mr Mags says. "I wanted you to know that me leaving was in no way your fault because of the business with Ben. Not Ben's fault, either."
Fry has mixed feelings. He'd just started to get used to Mr Mags, and kind of felt that he was at least on his side, but it's been a difficult half term.
"Thank you for your teaching." he says, after a moment. "It's not going to be Mr Morton, is it?"
"No, I made sure of that when I discussed how long I would stay." Mr Mags says. "Or I would have carried on as a substitute for a few weeks. Your new teacher will be called Ms Owlswick."
"They found a replacement so quickly?" Dad asks.
"Ms Owlswick is a teaching student who was looking for a placement transfer." Mr Mags says. "I've met with her and she is very capable." He looks back at Fry. "Now listen, little dude, because I have one more bit of advice for you. I might not have advised you very well on how to stand up for yourself, you needed more help with that than I knew to give you, but I don't want you to stop standing up for yourself, all right? Mr Irons will help you learn now. Otherwise, you will be bullied all your life, and you do not deserve that."
Fry nods.
"Thanks sir."
And with that, they part ways. Fry looks at his parents.
"Are you disappointed with me?"
"No!" Mum says. "Fry, Mr Mags may have been your teacher only briefly but he does have a point. But it's okay to ask advice as to how to tackle these things, okay?"
"And it's definitely not my fault he's going?"
"No." Dad says. "Mr Mags had to be the adult here, and he didn't do that. It's not your fault, Fry."
Fry looks back at the blank screen. He wonders whether the rest of the class will be so sure about that.
