This story is part of an ongoing series.
The chronological order of my stories is listed in WifeWatchman's biography.
Feedback and
constructive
criticism is very much appreciated, and I encourage feedback for ideas.
This story contains graphic scenes, language and actions that might be extremely offensive to some people. These scenes, words and actions are used only for the literary purposes of this story. The author does not condone murder, racial language, violence, rape or violence against women, and any depictions of any of these in this story should not be construed as acceptance of the above.
Part 1 - Prologue
Friday, April 5th. Eastside Elementary's first graders were enjoying their favorite class of the day: Recess!
Jameis was involved in a game of two-hand touch football, but a number of others were at the Four-Square court. Whoever had the ball hit in their quarter of the large square and not be hit into another quarter after a bounce was out, and back at the end of the line. Everyone still in moved up towards the No. 1 square, and someone in line came in at the No. 4 square.
Shawn Redmond was in the No. 1 square, and it was very hard to remove him. He would often spike the ball very hard into one of the other squares, sometimes trying to hit the person in the other square, and his bully-'ish' tactics were hard to defeat. But he did not notice Carole and Marie next in line to come in, and Carole whispering something to her BFF.
*WHAM!*
went the ball as Shawn spiked it right at Tyson in square No. 2. Tyson was black and very smart, and Shawn seemed to not like him for both those reasons.
"You're out, Tyson!" Shawn said happily. Billy, a white kid that probably could use more exercise to go along with the sugary snacks he liked to eat, moved to No. 2. Sidney, a white kid with big glasses that was nerdy and picked on, moved up to No. 3. and Marie came in to No. 4.
Everyone else who had the chance would hit the ball back at Shawn, but he always could return it. In this case, the redheaded bully chose to pick on Sidney. When Marie's return came into Sean's square, he hit it as hard as he could into Sidney's square. The ball bounced up and almost got Sidney in the face.
"You're out, Four Eyes! Back of the line!" Shawn taunted. "Too bad I missed hitting it in your ugly face!" The other kids looked sullen at Shawn's taunting.
And then Carole Troy stepped into square No. 4. She just nodded at Marie, who nodded back.
Shawn served the ball and Carole surprised everyone by hitting an easy lob into Marie's square. Marie hit an easy one back, then Carole made a motion rearing back like she was going to slam it into Shawn's square. Shawn got ready... and Carole suddenly reached out with her left hand and very softly touched the ball into Sean's box, right near the point the four corners met.
The ball dribbled into and through the No. 1 box. All the kids in line and others watching erupted into cheers as Marie yelled "You're out, Shawn!" Shawn was red faced, furious with anger.
"Hey, you cheated!" Sean accused Carole. Carole did not back down but squared right up to Shawn.
"I didn't cheat!" she yelled. "I just made you look bad!" More cheering, then people gathered on around. It looked like Shawn was about to take a swing at Carole, who was fearlessly waiting for the bully's next move.
"I'm gonna beat your face in." Shawn threatened.
"You and whose army?" Carole retorted. Shawn's restraint broke and he threw a punch. Not only did it not land, but Shawn exposed a shoulder joint. And even five-year-old Aikido students know what to do with those. Shawn found his face being slammed into the tarmac of the four-square court as the other kids cheered and yelled.
"
What is going on here?
" yelled a teacher, coming through the ring of students as Shawn got up and was about to charge Carole again, but the teacher intervened, and hauled Carole and Shawn to the Principal's Office.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"You are
not
putting my daughter in in-school suspension, nor punishing her in any way." I said strongly to the Principal in the office. "She defended herself, as she has every right to do."
"She was fighting." said the Principal, Mr. Fogle, his voice sanctimonious, "and she will be suspended for three days."
Shawn Redmond's father Bill Redmond was also in the room. He was a large, well-built man, about my size, with light brown hair, and a mean-looking face. He ran Redmond Enterprises, which was allegedly a business services solutions for manufacturing companies. I knew Shawn's red hair came more from his mother than his father, but the demeanor of the son was definitely an inherited trait from the father.
Laura was also in the office. They'd called her instead of me, which did not save them: when she came down and heard Carole's story, and then heard the principal blaming Carole for the fight and threatening to suspend her, she called in for reinforcements... particularly one with a Badge and a Crowbar.
"I want a hearing before the Board of Education." I said, knowing I had the right to ask for that. The Principal, a short man with an egg-shaped head, black-framed glasses, became angrier. I knew he was a relative of Finneran, the Board of Inquiry man that hated Police, and that this was more than just disciplining a student.
"You really want to go that route?" snarled the Principal. "Just because you're the Police doesn't mean you can just bully us-------"
"He's not here as the Police!" Laura said, loudly and angrily. "He's here as the parent of a first grader you are wrongly trying to punish for defending herself against a bully!"
"Who are you calling a bully?" snarled Bill Redmond. "This cop is the one being a bully in here."
"Your son tried to hit my daughter." said Laura hotly. "And he's definitely a bully."
"That's not what I saw on the tapes." said the Principal. "The only person making physical contact was Carole, and she's going to be suspended for it. You can go to the Board if you want, but that won't stop the in-school suspension, and I am going to fight you with everything I and the NEA have got."
"I'll tell you what." I said affably. "Yes, I'm now here as the Police. I'm opening a formal, criminal investigation... of where every teacher was during this altercation, vs. where the teachers should have been. I'll subpoena the video feeds... oh, I'm going to do that anyway for the Board hearing... and I might even make some arrests. We'll let a Grand Jury... yes, a criminal Grand Jury... decide what's on those tapes, and if charges should be brought, and against who, and if your actions as principal to punish my daughter without giving her due process is a criminal action for which you should be imprisoned for several years. So how do you want to play it with me, Mr. Fogle?"
The Assistant Principal, Mrs. Carson, said "Mr. Fogle, the tape clearly shows that Shawn attacked Carole and she defended herself------"
"I DIDN'T ASK YOU!" shouted Fogle.
"I'm asking her." I said to Fogle. "And I want to see those tapes, and collect them as evidence... literally, as evidence of a crime being committed here as well as a false accusation."
The principal saw that he was going to lose. "All right, there will be no punishment for either of them."
"I don't accept that." Laura said angrily. "My daughter was physically attacked, and then she was blamed for being attacked."
"Are you blaming my son for this?" snarled Bill Redmond. "That girl taunted my son, then knocked him over! She started it! And just because this guy's a cop doesn't mean he can bully you into punishing my son for his daughter's assault on my boy!"
"Mr. Fogle," said Mrs. Carson. "Shawn Redmond did throw the first punch. He started it, and should be suspended for it."
"It's okay, Mr. Redmond." Fogle said with alacrity. "I can assure you that no punishment is coming to your son."
