Found Poetry
Sourced from a Year of One High School’s Discipline Infractions
These are the exact words of one high school’s disciplinary infractions, written in the heat of the moment over the course of a year by faculty and (much later) arranged and punctuated into line breaks and stanzas. This is Found Poetry. Names have been reduced to first initials; teachers have been reduced to the printed word as their last resort. This collection is Adolescence and Universal Truth and Coming of Age and a laser pointer into the dark corners of the teacher’s lounge. It’s silly and it’s sad and it’s honest – Composure and Attitude bumping shoulders in the hallway.
GRANTED,
Talking repeatedly during a quiz,
I gave multiple warnings and redirections
that we were taking a quiz
and it needed to be silent
and they continued to talk.
Granted, the room smelled like an urban fish market,
In the middle of august
BIOLOGY = SERIOUS CLASS
The class was wiling out,
Mostly because J, C, M and M
Were all putting on a stellar performance
Of doing things
Which they should not have been doing.
Biology is a serious class.
STANDARDIZED TEST HAIKU
While we were taking
A break, he wore a contra-
Ceptive on his head.
L’ETRANGER
Came in with a deans pass
And immediately said
She needed a sweater.
She had one wrapped around her waist.
She left anyway.
ONE MORE THING
Took D by the neck –
And chocked her in the hall.
I asked him to go to the Deans.
He said “f*** no”
And walked in the other direction.
He also had headphones in, hood up.
THAT HE IS READY
J received 3+ demerits for talking,
as well as multiple warnings.
He then refused to leave the class and eventually did,
after giggling with S and saying
“Mister, you don’t know the things I have been through,”
Giggle.
“Especially yesterday, twenty billz man,”
More giggling.
I have never seen a student get so
Giggly for a trip to the deans.
J pretends that I have hit/tripped/punched him
every time he walks near me. He then groans loudly,
limps, and yells that I’ve assaulted him.
I’m hoping to have this addressed before I am
accused of physically harming a student.
J earned two demerits for talking during a silent Do Now.
He then said “I ate an edible this morning.”
Please check in with him,
and make sure that he is ready.
THREE + FIVE
M refused to face forward to take his test.
(He also repeatedly spoke
when it was supposed to be quiet.)
C, he and then S were dead set
On discussing 3 and 5 piece meals from Popeyes.
I docked 5 pts from each of their Interims,
Which focused C and S.
M continued to be disruptive,
So I sent him out.
He then threw his test
(Which hit I and Z in the face)
and left the room.
He then came back in, took a whiteboard marker,
And wrote “Fuck this test” on the board.
OFF TRACK STARS
Both students were purposely trying to get the class off track.
Ms N started the Do Now.
They received two demerits.
They then talked throughout the video –
Making high-pitched sounds –
I issued J a demerit.
He said it was S.
Then S said it was J.
I then asked them both to head to the Dean’s
To focus.
They both said “yes that’s the plan,”
As they rushed out and yelled “yeeep” in the hallway.
I followed them to the Dean’s office as Ms. N was teaching,
I wanted to make sure they found their way.
J said “stop following me”.
Then he asked me if I was on my period.
I, UH
T says that he doesn’t have his Yondr
And that his phone was in it.
It took him a very long time to explain this
And I think he might be high.
Can someone please check in with him?
JUST WRONG
Wearing
Gym Sweat
Pants
THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT
Received
Pepper spray
From another student
And sprayed it in the girls bathroom
Necessitating the evacuation of the school
And the dismissal of students
for the day.
DATED
M has been testing the teachers
All period,
Being very disruptive at times,
But then doing good work during others.
He got four disruption demerits,
So I asked him to refocus at the dean’s.
He left without a fight, but then
Was screaming a song to iCarly
On the way out
Which was not only distracting,
But a rather dated reference.
COURT>SHIP
D and C
were grabbing things
from each other
and hitting each other
with a bag of goldfish.
I sent them both out.
I, YOU, WE ALL
Eating ice cream out of a mug
And refusing to put it away
(not sure what to do about this
Because it will leak everywhere
If it’s in his bag.)
ONE ON A MINION
J was asked to draw a minion
During technology, using software
The class was using.
He actively called me over
To look at his minion.
I asked him if he was sure
He wanted to show me his drawing
Because he was laughing when he asked me
The first time and I said yes.
When I went to see his picture
It was clearly
the image of a penis.
UNEASY LISTENING
L asked me to play music
While work was being completed.
I explained that I would not be playing
Music today. She then filled a sentence
With more expletives
Than I have ever heard at once.
She topped it off with,
“You fucking boring, miss.
That’s why nobody does their fucking work.”
OLD SCHOOL
took teachers computer
as she was helping another student
put a sign w tape on teachers back
refusal to settle down
and get to work to complete task
ESPECIALLY
A. refused to stop talking and listen to instructions.
I asked him three times.
On his way out and all throughout class,
He made digs at my sexuality,
asked if I liked him –
because I am always on his back – and
On his way out asked if he smelled good,
Because I was always want to be up on his back.
I would just like for him to follow directions,
Especially during lab,
When we are using expensive equipment
and following complex procedures.
GIRL, INTERRUPTED
Z had her uniform shirt
slung over her shoulder.
I told her she needed to put it on,
she couldn’t carry it over her shoulder.
She said “girl, I’m doing it” and went to her locker.
I said “please don’t call me girl.”
She finished at her locker and went to class,
still with her shirt clung over her shoulder.
At that point, I told her to go to the dean’s office,
and she said “I’m doing it!” and entered the classroom.
I told her that it was too late,
she needed to go to the dean’s office.
She yelled “no one is going to the dean’s office!”
I told her it wasn’t an option,
poked my head in her class,
and told her teacher she needed to go.
She then yelled “Girl!
I’m not going to the dean’s office!”
By the time she gets to you, she may have her shirt on,
But that is no longer the issue.
THE V WORD
J came in late wearing a garbage bag.
Got two talking demerits.
I moved his seatmate, then he wanted a break.
I did not give permission.
He left anyway,
So beware a person seeking attention in a garbage bag.
He is wandering the halls.
He came back to class
(without a pass,
yet still in his garbage bag), and
That’s when I noticed a strong smell of vinegar.
HE ALSO
J has argued with me over multiple things.
He thinks it is appropriate
to play music on his laptop while students are taking a test.
As he was ask to check in with the dean,
he said “damn you n***** are on some crack today.”
He also took his laptop with him,
Which I explicitly told him not to do.
HALL PASS
J and T were play fighting in the hallway,
and being disruptive of the classes on the first floor.
Calling each other “little bitches”
(or teachers– I’m not sure?)
The counseling intern told them to leave the hallway
and go to class.
J said he’s in a free block.
THAT THIRD STRIKE, THO
Came in at 1:27
(5 min late).
Talking non-stop
since he came in.
Talking about mother-in-law being naked…
causing others to crack-up laughing
ROPE-A-DOPE
I was in the 3rd floor staff bathroom
and came out to a big group of kids
all passing something around.
They all scattered off as soon as they saw me,
and Z ran away
with two boxing gloves on her hands.
SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT
I sent K to you because he was on the skip list.
On his way out, he made a comment about E and D.
K then bumped into E’s seat
and E got upset.
E said that K smelled like a dirty vagina.
I asked them both to leave,
as they are clearly not ready to be in class.
Also, neither student has all black shoes.
I BELIEVE
J came into my silent work period,
and said to, I believe L,
“you deserve a stab in the ass with a dildo”.
GREAT DEAL
I know that she will disagree with me,
but K has been refusing to work lately.
We have been using laptops quite a bit in class,
And she is using hers to check her email,
watch videos and listen to music.
When approached or confronted,
she loads her comments with a great deal
Of attitude.
FISH TALES
A and M are having a loud,
repeated conversation
about the size of their penises.
I have asked them repeatedly to stop the conversation, but they continue to yell about
it
Across the classroom.
CHANGE COMES FROM WITHIN
It took him exactly
18 minutes to
“change into his shirt”
OUT OF ORDER
Yelled out that W is getting horny.
Eating chocolate.
Refusing to get into her
assigned seat.
ALL YOURS
J came into Freshman Seminar
5 minutes late after lunch.
As I was trying to settle the class,
and get their attention for attendance,
J laid across 3 desks, as if they were a bed.
I asked him 5 times, both outloud and privately
to please sit in a seat. I told J that if I had to ask again,
I was going to assign him a detention.
After I assigned the detention, I told him
if it was still a problem, I would be calling home.
He said “I’m not doing shit,
I already have a detention, the fuck?”
I called home and explained it to his mom.
J got on the phone with his mother and told her about
“this dumb bitch
and stupid ass class
that he wasn’t fucking doing shit in”
and then proceeded to hang up on her.
I called back,
And mom said the school could do whatever they see fit.
TAKING ABOUT
I have given
A SO MANY chances to stay in class.
His language and behavior has become
More, and inappropriate. He has a really hard time
understanding this. I truly want him to stay in class,
but I just can’t keep someone
who keeps taking about penises.
He also said “fuck you” to Mr. F,
which is not acceptable.
LOOSEY
Walked into the tutorial office,
Asked Mr. F
and myself
If we had any cigarettes.
NO HOMO
I’ve given A lot of chances,
to work and be appropriate in class.
I’ve tried talking to him multiple times,
But he continues to say inappropriate things to J.
Most comments start with “no homo,”
And then he will finish with
Something completely inappropriate for class,
such as “I want to fuck you.”
LATE DROP
Showed up to class
with 8 min left to class.
Said they were at the dean’s,
when I asked for dean’s slip
they told me:
“huge dump”.
HOW TO PROPERLY RESPOND
TO A TEACHER
I was trying to get the classes attention,
Everyone was silent,
Except for R and S.
I asked S how come he and R can’t be silent,
when everyone else is giving me their attention.
He responded,
“because I don’t have your dick in my mouth”.
The class then began yelling and laughing.
He needs to step out of the classroom,
and speak with the deans about
How to Properly Respond to a Teacher.
S.O.T.D.
When waiting for lunch,
L began bouncing up and down
on a bench
and screaming and repeating
“sit on that dick.”
L did not stop this
despite me making direct eye contact
and saying “stop.”
76’ERS
Just walked out and told me she was being dismissed.
T never called the room, and I didn’t get any email,
So, I told her she couldn’t leave.
She said, “the person who is supposed to dismiss me is 76
Years old, so she forgot.
But you’re obviously even slower than her”
And then she threw her work and ran out.
TRUFFLE SHUFFLE
Walked into math class,
Late, and immediately screamed
“How do I get fatter every day?
The fuck?!?”
He was asked to step outside
to speak with Mr. B about entering a classroom
appropriately. He then yelled
that he’s going to “have to cut [his] titties off.”
He also lifted his shirt
to show everyone his stomach
and did a little dance.
NEVERTHELESS,
We are practicing for town meeting,
And J keeps boo’ing people.
I warned him
that if he kept this up,
then he would be sent to the deans.
He kept it up.
WALK A MILE IN THEM
He yelled
“this snitching ass teacher
loves to snitch
with her black pants
and her goddamn pioneer shoes.”
I have tried
explaining to him
that I am just doing my job.
Also, I really like these shoes
so that was mean.
TIGHT
Continues to talk during class.
I have spoken to him privately as well.
The third demerit for talking
was when I turned around and saw him
wrapped up in packing tape.
GAME OF INCHES
M has been having a loud conversation with J,
About sex, penis size and girls
For the past 10 minutes. I have asked them to stop
Many times. They continue to ignore me,
And yell loudly in the back of the classroom.
I have asked them to step,
Out of the classroom multiple times,
and it is like they cannot even hear me.
ABOUT TO BE WILD
E earned a couple of demerits,
for talking through our silent opening routine.
He then took a bathroom break.
He returned to the room speaking loudly,
interrupting another silent period.
He then continued to throw a tennis ball,
despite me asking him to stop.
Then he burped, and blew into C’s face.
I asked if he needed to check in with a dean.
He said “I don’t know. Do I?”
I told him to check in for his repeated disruptions.
He then sat for a while saying things like
“the fuck? I’m not going to the deans.”
He then yelled loudly that Elvis Presley died
“when a snake crawled up his butt.”
He then began heckling me about writing the referral,
saying things like, “this referral about to be wild.
Keep typing, miss. Keep typing.”
Then he left.
Dave Gentry 