The teacher, the staff members, and the student

“Let me out of here!! I’ll miss the big game!!”

Buddy was a star member of the football team. Super popular and very handsome, but he was also a big bully. He especially liked to pick on the kids with special needs because they were easy targets and didn't fight back. Recently, Mrs. Scheuler, one of the special education teachers, caught him giving swirlies to all the kids with autism, while the rest of the football team stood around cheering, and she assigned him to a week's worth of detention, and now, here he was, if he was here for a week he would miss the big game, while Mrs. Sheuler looked on.

First, Buddy tried sucking up. "Oh, Mrs. Scheuler, you're so beautiful, what are you doing inside on a day like this? You could ask Mr. Dolton (the chemistry teacher) to join you and have a nice picnic while you watch the game."

"Nice try, Buddy" replied Mrs. Scheuler, "but I'm already seeing someone and he's not available today. Plus, I am concerned about my students."

Next, Buddy tried bargaining. "Look, if you let me out, I won't pick on anybody for one month. I have definitely learned my lesson."

"Nice try" Mrs. Schueler retorted, "but first of all, I don't believe you, I can see you crossing your fingers, and also, one month is not enough. These students deserve better than that."

Finally, he tried threatening. "I hate to tell you this, Mrs. Scheuler, but my dad's the president of the school board, and he thinks that I walk on water. If you don't let me out this minute, I'll tell him that you have been abusing your students, they're just not able to tell anyone because they have communication issues, and you'll be fired my Monday. In fact, you won't ever work in this town again!"

"What?! You would seriously do that?! I love this job so much and I really need the income...you promise that if I cancel your detentions, you'll leave me and my students alone?"

"Absolutely. You have my word."

"OK, your sentence is overturned. Head off to the game,” she stated tentatively.

And Buddy rushed out the door.

A week later, though, Mrs. Schueler caught Buddy giving swirling to all the kids with autism again, while the football team cheered him on.

"What are you doing?!" Exclaimed Mrs. Schueler. "You promised!"

Buddy shrugged, "I lied. Don't try and send me to detention or you know what will happen to you."  

"Okay, wait. Let's not jump the gun. Let me go consult with a few of my colleagues and then I'll decide what to do."

"Okay, I'll stay here, doing what I'm doing. Good luck”, he said with a smirk.

So, first Mrs. Scheuler went to Mr. Dolton and told him the whole story.

"What are you complaining about," he exclaimed, "my students work with Bunsen burners at least once a week and I have to worry about them burning the whole school down! You can handle a simple bully." And off he went.

Next Mrs. Schueler approached the lunch lady. She told her the whole story and asked for her advice.

"Are you kidding me?!" She exclaimed. "I have to cook for hundreds of ungrateful brats every day and if I even get one piece of meat slightly underdone someone (or worse, a lot of someones) could get food poisoning! What you are dealing with is child's play!" And she headed out the door to work on next week's menu.

Finally, Mrs. Schueler went to the principal. She told him the whole story and expected he would most definitely take her side.

But no. "Do you think you are the only person who is under Buddy's thumb?! If he even gets one B, I'm on the one-way track to unemployment, and I'll never work in this town again. Not even as a garbage collector! Figure this out yourself!"

Discouraged, Mrs. Scheuler traipsed down the hall. She had completely given up when she ran into a young man with Down's Syndrome named Tommy.

"Mrs. Scheuler, you look so sad. Do you need a hug?"

"Yes, Tommy, I think I do." And she soaked it in while he wrapped her in his arms and emanated the kind of love that only he could give. 

“Do you want to tell me what is wrong?” he asked. “Maybe I can help.”

“Thank you, Tommy, but I don’t think so. This is adult stuff, I’m just not sure you’re up to it.”

“Why don’t you try me?” asked Tommy, “I’m a lot more capable than you think,” he said with a wink.

“Okay,” replied Mrs. Scheuler, and she told the whole story to Tommy.

“Hmmm…” said Tommy, “I’m not sure I got it all, can you tell me again?”

So Mrs. Schueler tried to repeat the whole thing, using words that she thought Tommy would understand, but she didn’t have a lot of hope. How on Earth could he help her?

“Let me get this straight,” Tommy replied, “This is Buddy? From the football team?”

“Yes,” Mrs. Scheuler stated. “His dad is president of the school board, so he has a lot of power, and he’s just not going to believe me.”

“Where would Buddy be right now, on the football field?”

“Probably,” replied Mrs. Scheuler, “they’re practicing for the big game.”

“Okay,” said Tommy, “I think I need to get closer to the situation to really understand what is going on. But first I need to call my Special Olympics coach. Can I meet you down there in a few minutes?”

“Absolutely,” replied Mrs. Scheuler, although she had no idea what Tommy’s Special Olympics coach had to do with anything.

When Tommy and Mrs. Scheuler got to the football field, Tommy told Mrs. Scheuler to call Buddy over and tell him that she had changed her mind and he was going to get detention for a week.

“But he’ll have my job!” exclaimed Mrs. Scheuler.

“Just trust me,” stated Tommy.

So, Mrs. Scheuler did just that, and Buddy went on a rampage.

"Like I told you, Mrs. Scheuler, but my dad's the president of the school board, and he thinks that I walk on water. If you don't cancel my detention this minute, I'll tell him that you have been abusing your students, they're just not able to tell anyone because they have communication issues, and you'll be fired by Monday. In fact, you won't ever work in this town again!" exclaimed Buddy.

Out of the stands appeared Buddy’s father. “How on Earth could you be so unkind?! First to torment the students, then to threaten the person who stood up for them. You are not only going to do the detentions and miss the big game, but you are going to be grounded for one month, young man! And if I ever hear of you treating people so unkindly again, the punishment will be much worse!”

Buddy was dumbfounded. Where had his dad come from? How could he possibly be in this much trouble when he was used to ruling the school?

“Thank you so much!” exclaimed Mrs. Scheuler, “but how did you know to come here?”

“I was coaching the Special Olympics team over on the soccer field when Tommy called me and said it was urgent. I knew he wouldn’t say that unless it really was, so I came over right away.”

“I told you,” stated Tommy with a smile, “I am a lot more capable than anyone believes. Thank you so much coach!”

So Mrs. Scheuler kept her job, Buddy was duly punished and became much less of a bully, and Tommy was a hero. All in all, it was a great day.