Lucky 13?

I guess when there are 13 days left of school things might get a little bit crazy. Like, for a few days your classes maybe wonderful, focused, managing themselves, and then just when you think the end of the year is going to end peacefully, positive, and happy.........

dun... dun............duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun.

Yep, that's what happened today. My last period of the day, 10 minutes to go before the end of class and a kid throws a chair across the room, throws hard punches at the staff, has to be restrained, but then the staff has to literally tackle him to the floor, and 2 staff basically lay on him on the floor underneath another table.

In the meantime, all my other students, step out of the way, while their mouths are gaping open. I couldn't believe that the table broke, and supplies went everywhere. For some reason, the other students handled it all really well. I immediately went for the 2 pairs of scissors that were out, and got them safely in my desk.

Why would this kid do such a thing? Well, he was mad at the staff for taking a "symbol", which basically takes away a privilege. So he kept talking about it, and the staff gave him another warning, which means you go to your room NOW. He didn't want to go to his room. Well, now that's exactly what he'll get. 72 hours alone in his room.

There hadn't been something that had happened like this in a while in my class. But you really never know when it could happen. You can't get too comfortable here, and I guess that's one of the reasons why it's so difficult to work in a place like this. You want it to be consistent, and challenging, and inviting, but then something like this happens and you realize a kid could do anything at any moment. Although, most kids don't. He's really an exception to the rule. Even kids that have done something violent won't ever do something violent in here. Just today I have a kid who I knew was brought up on 3 charges with a knife, and I gave him a glue gun to work with. I've also given him scissors.

It's a delicate thing. These kids can be ticking time bombs and our job is supposed to be about giving them some skills for their life. However, those needs are not being met here. Most kids don't even have a counselor, just a parole officer. Don't even get me started on the detention staff, they're so passive aggressive and inconsistent.

All I can do is what I do.