Is there something in the water?

WHAT. THE. HELL.

I go from the squeaky clean track record of just having shitty kids without any actual fights (almost but not), to two fights in as many days.

Yesterday was fist-fight number one, and it was far more aggressive than the one today. The first one was because two seventh grade boys who are notorious for being aggressive--one verbally (Michael), and the other physically (Sekou)--got into it after Michael said something along the lines of, "I don't want no dirty N** sitting at my table."

In a way, I'm glad that Michael got beat up. In fact, I don't even hold it against Sekou for punching me in the hand. I was in the way of Michael, and his aim was not intentionally for me (and it didn't really hurt, but more surprised me than anything because Sekou is always very careful around me). And as awful as this sounds, for all the crap that Michael dishes out to the Liberians about how they're dirty, nappy-headed, and that ugly N-word, he deserved to get the crap kicked out of him for once.

No, that doesn't sound very teacherly, but after you hear him get away with it over and over again no matter how many times you write him up, you can't help but want some sort of poetic justice to occur.

What cracks my shit up is that the fight was over in less than 2 minutes, and both boys just sat down in their chairs and panted (with Sekou at the same table as Michael). Michael made a quip about Sekou's mom, and Sekou looked at me, panted, "Do you hear him?" He made to get up but I stopped him both verbally and bodily. Plus, I think he was just plain tired. The security guard took her time making it to my room, and when she got there Michael's eye was swelling and his cheek had a small cut. Sekou was unharmed. The officer immediately said, "Both of you, up." And the hilarious part? Sekou and Michael both said, "But we're not fighting anymore. We're done. See? We're not fighting anymore."

Pffffff!!

But today, it was two of my little sixth grade boys. One boy comes up to my armpit, while the other is a good head taller than me.

Seth and Anthony were talking quietly until I asked Anthony to move back to his chair. I don't know what happened (because I was in the middle of teaching a lesson), but one minute I hear a student saying, "Miss Franklin? I think Seth is crying." And the next, tiny Seth is standing on his chair, growling, and then rockets himself across two different tables, jumping on people's chairs (with students in them!!) and jumps on Anthony's back. He is literally piggy-backed on Anthony, punching the shit out of Anthony's head and neck. Several students jump away, and I call for one of them to call for security through the button on the wall.

I walked forward (they were literally right in front of me) and plucked Seth off of a standing Anthony; to his credit, Anthony has severe anger issues, and did a really good job keeping himself from hurting Seth by not fighting back.

I held Seth to my side so that he couldn't attack Anthony anymore, and Seth latched on to me and began to bawl; his tears were soaked into my sweater for a good hour, and it hurt me to feel his anger and hurt on me for that long.

Ultimately, I don't know why Seth attacked Anthony. But I do believe that Anthony started it. Seth had been fine all hour until their quiet conversation.

::sigh::

I'm exhausted. Too much adrenaline wasted for breaking up fights.