Your experience of our brutes is far different than ours. Your experience is of agreeable gals and fellows. They laugh at your jokes. They tell some themselves. They sigh at the "issues" with which they, the poor and suffering school principals and assistant principals, are saddled. And you commiserate with them.

"Yes, Mr. Jones. You are so right Mr. Jones. I'll get right on that Mr. Jones." they, both women and men, titter.

Oh dear Mr. Jones! It's no wonder you are confused!

"How can this be?", you might ask yourself upon receiving another report of abuse. "Jimmy is such fun!", you might comment. "And thoughtful! Why, just today, on the way to our leadership luncheon, he stopped at Starbucks. Bought me my mocha frappachinno. Remembered I like it with soy.....now that's leadership!

Why, even his teachers, counselors and assistant principals report he's wonderful!", you might snort.

Perhaps then, a small, yet clear thought--like a voice--might enter your mind: "At least those who remain......"

The bureaucratic Ï-AM-A-BIG-BOSS-AND-I-DO-NOT-MAKE-MISTAKES! voice will then barrel back in.

"Yes, yes, there have been reports of abusive. But he's explained that!

And his school--it's an "A" school! What a magnificent job!

Thank you ,Jimmy. The frappachinno is perfect."

Mr. Jones, you are being taken for a ride. Once Jimmy drops you off at the ivory tower, once the giddy thrill of riding in Jimmy's "A"utomobile--man! that's a pretty vehicle! Shiny and polished (just don't look under the hood)--is over, Jimmy's goin' home.

We're waiting for him. We hope it's gone well with you. We hope he's happy.

Actually we're saying prayers. Because if he's unhappy, if one of Mr. Jimmy's "Right away Mr. Jones! "suck-up comments displeased him; if, God forbid, he's got it in his brain that we are responsible for his having to answer to any little thing, because it is NEVER his fault, we are in for some trouble.

"Uh-oh. It's him," we each think to ourselves. We listen intently. Did his "A"utomobile's door slam a little or a lot? Oh yeah, we know the signs.

A lot. Oh no. Get ready. Positions everyone! Please God, not me today.....

And then, Mr. Jones, our Mr. Jimmy will reveal his true self.
 
He's baa-aack!

It will not be pretty.

Still, we will report to you our "deep admiration and affection"for our Jimmy. We're too terrified not to.

Mr. Jones, I invite you to take a ride in my car. It's not a glamorous "A"utomobile. It's just a car.

I'm a pretty good driver. I follow the rules of the road. Don't drive too fast. Brake at yellow lights. Use turn signals. Keep both hands on the wheel (well....notwithstanding the occasional command to Siri....)

And I am working real hard at keeping my car clean. You can look under the hood.

I invite you for a mocha soy milk frappachhino. Wanna go?

Kim
 
P.S. Coming up we will take a look at bullying systems: school systems in particular.

Have an awesome week out there!