It was a routine afternoon following lunch. I was walking down the hall with my students after picking them up from the cafeteria when a young Black female student turned around, stared me down aggressively, and continued staring directly at me as I approached my classroom door. “Is there a problem?” I asked. “There can be one.” She nastily replied. One student who was nearby told her, “You know that’s a teacher, right?” “I know,” replied the student who stared me down. There was no care or remorse in her eyes, body language, or tone. “Watch yourself,” I replied as she walked away and went to her class. The exchange was incredibly disrespectful, and because of how the student responded, I spoke with a seasoned teacher about whether I should report the incident. He shared that situations like the one that occurred could escalate, so I decided to report it. I wasn’t sure what the outcome would be, as the safety of teachers working in today’s climate has often been compromi
Writer. Storyteller. Unconventional Believer.