When the Principal Lost Her MindChapter 2

I stood in the corridor for a full class period, my legs aching. Finally, when the bell for the break rang, I went to the staff office to explain, but at the door, I overheard Principal Vanderberg’s voice. “That Lily Adams, she’s a rotten apple! Doesn’t show up for clean-up, her parents’ profession is ‘confidential,’ and her phone number is out of service! What kind of behavior is this? This is blatant deception of the school, deception of the teachers! Her family values are clearly problematic!” My heart sank. Another teacher spoke up. “No, that can’t be right? Maybe there’s a special reason? The child is usually very well-behaved.” Principal Vanderberg’s voice rose. “Well-behaved? I’ve seen plenty of students like her. What’s the use of good grades? If their character is flawed, they’ll just be a blight on society! Her parents are probably fugitives, that’s why she’s so secretive!”

I couldn’t take it anymore. I kicked the door open. It might have been my fault for not explaining properly, but how dare he, as a principal, insult my parents? All the teachers’ gazes turned to me. I looked directly at Principal Vanderberg. “Mr. Vanderberg, you can question me, but you cannot slander my parents like this! You have no evidence, so how dare you say my parents are fugitives!” Principal Vanderberg’s face was livid. He pointed at me. “What kind of attitude is that? Eavesdropping on teachers, then barging in to talk back! Was I wrong? I think you lack proper upbringing!” “My upbringing teaches me to be truthful and to follow rules!” I met his gaze without flinching. “What I’m saying is the truth, and as for my parents’ profession, you have no right to know!” “You’re out of line!” Principal Vanderberg was trembling with rage. He grabbed his lesson plan book from the table and threw it at me, but I dodged it. He roared, “Get out! From now on, you’re out of my class!” I pressed my lips together and turned to leave. Behind me, Principal Vanderberg roared, “Look at that! What an attitude, incorrigible! I’ll definitely teach her a lesson!”

Back in my classroom seat, three or five classmates huddled together, whispering, then all turned to look at me, then turned back to continue talking. “Principal said her parents are fugitives!” “We should stay away from her!” My hand, which was turning a page, froze. The class president stood up from his seat, clapped his hands. “Everyone, hand in your holiday assignments. Separate by subject, pass them up by group.” I lowered my head, rummaging through my bag, about to pass my holiday assignment to the student in front. Principal Vanderberg walked directly towards me. In front of the whole class, he took the stack of assignments from my hands, turned around, and tossed them into the trash bin. The classroom was dead silent. All the blood rushed to my head. “Principal Vanderberg!” “What?” He turned to me. “You’ve repeatedly challenged my authority. Since I can’t control you anyway, you don’t need to hand in your assignments anymore.” He took a stack of test papers from the podium and handed them to the class president. “These are this week’s practice sheets. Hand them out.” Principal Vanderberg glanced at me again. “Oh, and don’t give any to Lily Adams. I’ve confiscated her papers.” “Also, I’ve spoken with the other subject teachers. From now on, Lily Adams doesn’t need to hand in any assignments or test papers for any subject. It’ll be useless, we won’t accept them.” My body went cold. Just because my parents couldn’t come to school for clean-up? I was going to be treated like this? The class bell rang. Principal Vanderberg pointed to the corridor. “My class, you can get out!” I gritted my teeth, turned, and left the classroom, knocking on the head of student affairs’ office.