Blac Feet Matter

It just seemed like another day, the day it began that is. All weekend we'd been looking forward to the Superbowl. The three of us had got together as a family and crowded around the television, each of us wearing the team's jersey and ready to cheer them on to victory.

But then, as they played the national anthem, and we all stood with our hands to heart, Brad went ahead and did it; he dropped to one knee in front of the television.

I scowled through the rest of the song, wanting inside to scream at him, however, I knew it was disrespectful to break the melody of the anthem. As it drew to its conclusion, Brad climbed back up from his knee and took a seat on his bean bag as if he hadn't just committed a mortal offence.

"Bradley, what the hell did you just do?" I asked while still standing in front of the television.

He turned around, his eyes big and blue. "Ms Alexandra said in school we should kneel for black lives matter."

"Miss who said what!?" I screeched. "We don't agree with any of that crap in this house."

Bradley's mouth hung open. "But it hurts no one," he said with a shrug. "Ms Alexandra says it's just to support our black brothers and sisters."

I rolled my eyes. "And let me guess, it this Ms Alexandra black?"

Bradley didn't open his mouth, but instead silently nodded, a look of expectant doom on his face.

"I knew it." I nudged my husband, Eric, in the arm. "You hearing this crap, darl? Can you believe the nonsense they're filling our kid's head with?"

"First Trump loses, and now this," he said through gritted teeth. "I got good mind to go down there tomorrow and give them an earful." There were droplets of spit firing off from the gap in his bushy beard.

"Oh, don't you worry." I looked at Bradley again through narrowed eyes. "I'm gonna be going there myself first thing tomorrow."

"Mom!" Bradley said in a desperate tone. "Please don't. Ms Alexandra is a good teacher. I enjoy her classes."

"Well she ain't gonna be your teacher no more if I got something to say about it."

"Mom!"

"Be quiet and enjoy the game, kid." I nodded towards the television just as the game was about to kick off. "But this isn't gonna be the end of the matter."

The next day after I dropped Brad off, I went marching up to the principal's office. My knock was thunderous on the door, and as the diminutive Principal Jones tentatively eased it open, my eyes were bulging with fury. "You've got some explaining to do," I said, before brazenly marching passed and taking a seat in front of her desk.

She tip-toed passed me with a sheepish look on her face. "Is there something the matter, Mrs Nicholson?" She brushed down the skirt of her lace dress, knees touching together, before sitting in her seat with her back straightened the entire time. Her cheeks were rosy after my outburst and that gave me the confidence to press further.

"You damn right there is something the matter." I jabbed my fingertip into the surface of her desk. "I'm not paying your extortionate fees and making generous donations every year for your staff to fill my son's head with this liberal crap."

Her eyebrows screwed up in confusion. "What ever are you talking about, Mrs Nicholson?" Principal Jones knew enough about me to know I wouldn't stand for crap on my watch. This was the third time I'd been in to see her this semester. I was well known around the school and neighbouring community, always participating in the PTA and ensuring the school had the right image. I strutted around the grounds revelling in the respect lavished upon me. I was used to it after years of adoration from my beauty pageant victories.

"Who is this Ms Alexandra teacher?"

Principal Jones' faced relaxed. "She's a new teacher that has moved here from Georgia. She started a couple of months ago and comes highly recommend." She smiled. "Actually, there has been considerable improvement in the students' performances since she's come on board."

I rolled my eyes again and raised the palm of my hand, just to let her know that I was done listening to her drivel. "Umm, hello? Why wasn't I consulted in her hiring?"

Principal Jones' face remained blank. "Mrs Nicholson, you know employee hiring isn't an issue that we consult the PTA on."

"Well it damn well should be! How dare you hire someone that's gonna come along and brainwash my son's head with her ridiculous politics."

"Mrs Nicholson, what exactly are we talking about here?"

"Your new teacher has been filling my kid's head with warped ideas and I'm not gonna stand for it."

"Okay, well are you wanting to make some kind of official complaint?"

"No, I want her gone. I'm not having it."

"Well, I can't just do that, Mrs Nicholson. There's a whole disciplinary procedure we have to go through. I mean, you haven't even told me what's happened."

"Bradley dropped to one knee during the national anthem in the Superbowl yesterday, all because of your new teacher and her soppy ideas."

Principal Jones raised an eyebrow to the point her skin stretched and her aging wrinkles almost disappeared. "Why is that a problem exactly?"

My mouth dropped open. "Are you being serious? Why the hell should we drop to our knees during our own national anthem? It's completely disrespectful to my beliefs."

Principal Jones shook her head, then she leant over and hit a button on the intercom. "Stacey, could you ask Monique to come to my office please."

I felt a flush run through my cheeks. "Wait, what are you doing?"

Principal Jones was still leaning over her desk when she looked up at me. "I'm asking her to come and explain what happened. That seems only fair?"

"I don't want to speak to her!" I wiped my forehead dry of sweat. This whole situation was really getting my back up and the cramped little office felt like a sauna. "I want you to deal with her and get rid of her as soon as possible."

Principal Jones scratched her chin and appeared to be considering my suggestion, but then, barely a few moments later, there was a knock on the door. "Come in," she said, while I looked at her distraught.

I squirmed in my seat as a large, black woman came into the office. Large in more ways than one, as not only was she taller than me, but she was wider too. She was easily carrying a few extra pounds, and although that didn't make her ugly, I pouted my lips in disgust that such a specimen was involved in the education and raising of my child. "You asked to see?" she said, in a polite, Southern tone.

"Yes, Monique, thank you. Would you like to take a seat?" Principal Jones gestured towards the remaining empty seat in the room, immediately adjacent to my own.

I wanted to shrink into my seat and hide away. I was good at sticking my oar in and stirring up trouble when something didn't go my way. I'd use my looks, wealth and position in the community to come out on top, but I always did this behind the scenes, using my networking and connections to my advantage. Principal Jones bloody knew this well enough, but by inviting this teacher into the mix she had surely complicated things.

"Have you been teaching your students about the Black Lives Matter movement?"

Monique glanced at me momentarily in confusion, then she cleared her throat. "Well, yes, to an extent. We cover a lot of areas regarding civil rights. Rosa Parks, Dr Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X and of course more recent events and protests. We're trying to paint a picture of struggle to achieve a fairer society for all."

"What a load of rubbish," I said under my breath, perhaps a bit too loudly.

Monique's eyes flicked towards me, but she didn't say anything regarding my snipe. "Is there a problem?" she asked, directing the question towards the principal.

Instead of answering, Principal Jones looked towards me and gesturing with her hand for me to speak up.

"What?" I turned slightly away from Monique so I wouldn't have to look her in the eyes. This was completely unprofessional of Principal Jones! Bringing the teacher in to face the complainant. I was going to be after her job too at this rate.

"Is there a problem?" Monique asked again, and when I turned to look at her I realised the question was directed at me.

"Well, yes, actually." I sat up straight in my chair. "I don't like you filling my son's head with your liberal opinions."

Monique's face screwed up. "These aren't opinions," she said while looking flabbergasted. "This is American history."

"What's taking a knee to the national anthem got to do with American history? You think that's right? That you've taught my son to kneel to his own anthem? He should be standing with pride!"

"If he did kneel, then he has my respect." Monique smiled, actually smiled at me. "Though, it certainly wasn't at my instruction to do so."

"Oh, give over." I rolled my eyes. "Stop with your lying. He flat-out told me he learned it from you."

Monique nodded, though her expression remained neutral. "There's a difference between learning about something and being told to do it."

I grimaced and turned in my chair so I was facing her better. "Don't speak to me in that patronising tone like I'm an idiot."

Monique sighed and looked back towards the principal. "All I'm saying is that if your child decided to kneel to the national anthem for Black Lives Matter then that was his own choice. In my opinion you should be applauding his empathy, not accusing me of falsehoods."

I looked at Principal Jones aghast. "I've already made it known that her opinions aren't welcome around here."

Monique put her hand to her chest. "Honestly, Ruth, I've never once told the students to kneel or support Black Lives Matter. They're aware of it because it's a big part of current events. Some of them have been seen it at home on the news. But, let me make this clear, I've never once endorsed or promoted the movement." She leant forwards with a serious stare. "You know I wouldn't do that. I know how strict the rules are when it comes to politics in the classroom, Ruth."

"Sure, you do." I chuckled and rolled my eyes towards Principal Jones not quite believing the tripe that was coming out of Monique's mouth. "You just think they don't apply to your sort because you have a chip on your shoulder. You think the world owes you something because you're black." Principal Jones eyes were wide as she took in my words, then they rapidly darted towards Monique at my side. Both women seemed to be silent and lost for words, and I took that as my cue to seize the initiative. "I believe in All Lives Matter, not this skewed version that favours black people over everyone else. Why should you get a free pass because of the colour of your skin? I see your lot all the time, burgling houses, dealing drugs and stealing cars and then you cry about racism and think that gets you a free pass. It's no surprise the prisons are filled with you lot and now you're trying to get my son believing in your rubbish too."

Principal Jones' mouth hung open and she rapidly blinked a number of times in succession. "Mrs Nicholson," she said in a shocked voice. "I can't believe what I've just heard."

"What?" I asked. I looked over to Monique and she too was sat with a look of shock on her face. "Why are you both acting like what I'm saying isn't true." I leant towards Principal Jones and talked through the side of my mouth while gesturing towards Monique with my thumb. "I mean, what did you expect when hiring one of her sort? Everyone knows what black--"

There was suddenly a sharp pain in my scalp, and before I could realise what was happening, I tumbled onto the floor out of the chair.

"You racist bitch," I heard Monique screaming, and I realised she was the one yanking on my hair. I tried to get up, but her tugs were relentless and the pain intense.

"Monique, the hell you doing?" I heard the principal yell while she leapt from behind her desk and tried to pull the raging banshee from me. But I was caught in Monique's clutches and completely unable to escape. Her fingers clenched my blonde locks with my scalp screaming for a reprieve. It seemed there was muscle beneath her flabby arms and she began rag-dolling me back and forth across the office floor.

"Get off me, ya crazy bitch," I squealed. "Get her off me." I tried to scramble away and scratched at her hands, but there was fury in her eyes and I was completely out-marched.

Thankfully, Principal Jones managed to grab Monique's face and turn her head so she was looking into her eyes. "Monique, let go of her!"

The older woman seemed to calm the raging teacher down, and Monique thankfully released my hair, dropping me to the floor with a thump. While I had the chance, I crawled to the far corner of the office and managed to claw my way to my feet. "I want her gone," I screamed while leaning back against the door. "I'm not putting up with this when I pay so much towards your school. She almost killed me!"

Monique's face suddenly softened and terror overtook her eyes. She looked towards Principal Jones in hope. "You know how much I need this job."

Principal Jones adjusted her skirt and removed some loose strands of her hair from her face. "Monique," she whispered, while placing a hand on her shoulder. "You just assaulted a student's parent right in front of me."

"You heard what she said," Monique spat. "She was racially abusing me."

I was now leaning onto the back of a chair, exhausted after the ordeal I'd just been through. However, I was still able to keep my spine and voice my feelings. "How dare you say such a thing. I'm totally in favour of All Lives Matter, just not that slanted version you're pushing."

Once again Monique's chubby cheeks were filled with rage, however, Principal Jones kept a grip on her arms and shook her delicately. "Don't, Monique," she said in a firm voice. "You're only going to make this worse for yourself."

I could see Monique's eyes turning bloodshot even from across the room. Damp patches had collected in the armpits of her blue blouse and there were beads of sweat pooled above her eyebrows. Her teeth chattered at spitting some kind of retort or insult my way, but somehow, she managed to reign it in.

I felt emboldened now I knew Principal Jones was on my side. "I'm pressing charges." I straightened up and tidied my hair. "I'm not having some hoe assaulting me like that."

"Who you calling a hoe, bitch?" Monique screeched as she brushed the older principal easily aside and lunged for me claws outstretched.

I was still stood, shielded by my confidence at gaining the upper hand, when Monique's fingers latched into my hair once more and yanked my head to the point of whiplash.

I was sat in a chair with a hot coffee clutched in my grasp, taking trembling sips and darting my eyes around. My scalp hurt a little, but I was mostly fine. I wasn't about to tell the police stood nearby that though, was I? I hunkered down beneath the blanket one of the other teachers had draped over my shoulders during the aftermath of Monique's violence. I held a bag of ice wrapped in a towel to my head.

The one officer had been questioning Monique for the past ten minutes while Principal Jones attempted to placate the situation.

"She's adamant on pressing charges," I heard the officer say to the principal, and I smiled and nodded along. "Is there some way this could be resolved before this is taken any further?"

"Could you apologise to her, Monique?" Principal Jones whispered.

"Are you kidding me? After what she was saying?"

"I'm not advocating her words, Monique, but you assaulted her, in front of me! And everyone outside the office heard too. You're going to be arrested unless we put a stop to this now."

"But apologise...come on!"

They continued speaking for the next few minutes, but unfortunately Monique turned her back to me and I wasn't able to make out what she was saying. However, eventually she turned, took a deep breath and came over to me with both a police officer and Principal Jones at her side.

"Umm, I'm sorry for the way I behaved." She looked towards the floor and was fidgeting from foot to foot. Her fingers were linked above her podgy tummy and I almost lost it at the pathetic sight of this larger woman.

It was difficult to hide my smug grin, but I managed to do so while holding the ice against my scalp. "For permanently disfiguring me?" I pulled the ice away and pointed at my head. "I'm probably going to have a bald patch here for years to come."

Monique looked up and rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

I took that as an opportunity to pounce. "Did you hear that?" I screeched while looking between everyone. "She doesn't even care." I was pleased to see that the police officer was nodding along.

"Come on, Monique," the principal said. "Just apologise and say you're sorry. It's not that difficult."

"But she's the one in the wrong! You heard everything she was saying." She looked aghast between the three of us. "I should be the one pressing charges for being victim of a hate crime."

Principal Jones lowered her voice, "Monique, you put your hands on her! There's no defence for that. If she presses charges your career is over."

My ears perked up at that. "To be honest, I don't like her attitude. I think I will be pressing charges."

"Are you sure that's how you want to proceed?" The police officer asked. I could see there was an expression of resignation in his face; he wanted this over with as soon as possible and I was about to prolong his paperwork.

I glanced between the three of them, then when I noted the desperation in Monique's eyes, for a moment I was hesitant. The current job climate was tough and she would be in a pretty precarious position joining the unemployed queue. The desperation gave me an idea and I almost trembled with excitement. "If she gets down on her knees and says she's sorry, then maybe I'll think about dropping it here."

Monique's eyes shot open in rage and she was about to say something, when Principal Jones raised a finger in the air. "Come on, Mrs Nicholson," the older lady said. "We can resolve this without the need for such unnecessary gestures."

I shrugged. "Well, that's what it's going to take."

Principal Jones face was a picture of unimpressed experience. "I see what you're doing. You're just trying to antagonise her further."

I leant forwards and straightened my back. All eyes were on me and I revelled in the power I clearly had. "If she doesn't get down on her knees, right here, and beg for forgiveness, then I'm going to press charges just as she deserves. She assaulted me." I pointed at the principal accusingly. "And you saw her do it!"

"Can she do that?" Monique asked horrified, while shooting the police officer a hopeful look.

"Well, I mean..." There was a pinkness in his cheeks as he spoke. "If you amicably sort things out between yourselves then there's no need to proceed. How you do that is entirely up to you."

"And if I don't do it?" Monique asked, this time directing her question to Principal Jones.

Principal Jones let out an extended sigh. "If there's a complaint against you, Monique, then you'll be suspended pending investigation. But I mean, you assaulted her in front of everyone, so I'm fairly certain you're going to be fired."

"And possibly more, if charges are filed," the police officer added. "Assault is a serious offence." He glanced towards me and nodded sympathetically. "Looking at her injuries, maybe even a custodial sentence."

I couldn't hide my smile as Monique's shoulders visibly sagged. I could see her thought process spiralling as she stewed on the spot before me. She glanced between everyone, then looked at the floor close to my feet.

"Get on your knees," I said majestically while feeling totally in control. "And apologise for your behaviour."

"I'm sorry," she said.