Long, Long, Long

No, the title of this entry does not relate to one of my favorite (and under-rated) Beatles songs.  These days are just nothing short of long (well... to be short of long, it wouldn't be long, right?), long, long.  

Today, six students (3 of whom are in the special education program) got into a brawl at recess. Spectators said it was like a mob scene.  There was biting, scratching, and strangling---a teacher had her entire arm bruised and scratched trying to split it up. 

I spent the entire afternoon in the Dean of Students office trying to patch pieces of the story together.  

He was trying to get everyone who was "maybe" involved suspended for 10 days, as per DCPS' Chapter 25 in the new discipline code.  

But I was arguing against having my students out of school for 10 days.  Having my students not learning for 10 days?! Speaking of "long, long, long"----that is a LONG time!

If our school followed "protocol" every time students fought, we would have an empty campus.