A kid in my class had a knife today

Two actually. And I didn't even know it until I saw him being lead out of the office in handcuffs hours later.

My grade 9 class was being particularly bratty today. Individually, they're some cool kids. But put this particular combination of 27 fourteen year old kids together in a small room, and it often makes for 75 minutes of exhausting chaos.

Anyway, we were taking down a note, going through a review for a quiz they have next day, when one of the hall monitors comes to the door. He asks if one of the boys (I'll call him Wade) could gather up his things and go with him down to the office. So I go and tell Wade, and remind him of his quiz next day. He knows he's in trouble for something, but doesn't do the usual eye roll and "Ohh man," kind of look that most kids get when they're being escorted down to the office.

He goes, and I promptly forget about it. There were several kids who had been suspended this week for not having their inoculations up to date, so I just assumed that was his story too.

But a few hours later, after school hours, I was in the main office. Two police officers walked past me and went into the small conference room at the back of the office. I only had a small fleeting curiosity; cops are not an uncommon sight at my school. Then a friend of mine (Miss T.) storms in, pissed off, speaking angrily to the vice principal. She then tells me that Wade had been pulled out of my class for having two knives with him. She was angry that they had not made a bigger deal out of it.

If she hadn't told me, I might not have ever found out. I would have received a memo about Wade being suspended for a while, and it would have probably had a vague reference to the police being involved. But I most likely would NOT have been told that a student in my class had been carrying weapons.

A few moments later, I saw the two cops escort Wade out of the office. I've seen kids be led out in handcuffs before, but it was never one of MY kids. I couldn't quite decipher the look on his face. Shame? Anger? Fear?

I'm sure I'll get more details from the kids over the next few days. All I know now is that he was in a fight at lunch, and he hadn't used the knives, but other kids had seen them. I don't know if it was accidental, or if he flashed them, or what.

Was he carrying them because he felt he needed protection? Or because he wanted to threaten or intimidate someone? Was it just a stupid mistake that he'll learn from, or is this a sign that he's going downhill?

I wonder why they waited for a full period and a half after lunch then to pull him out of my class. He never struck me as a violent kid. He started off his grade 9 year as a goofy, sleepy-looking kid. Lazy, but likeable. He had a funny little smile. But then there was a personality change in the last few months. He became more sullen, more resistant. He would refuse to do work, started skipping a bit, and once told me he was upset and needed to 'go for a walk'. He needed some time to cool down from something, so I let him. He came back eventually and seemed better.

I'll try not to treat him any differently when he comes back from his suspension. He's definitely not a scary kid. But of course it'll be there at the back of my mind (or not so back). What if one of the other kids or I do something to anger him?

I have another friend at work, Miss D., who has a kid in her class who stabbed some other kid a month or so ago. He was suspended, but now he's back in her class. Apparently the other kids are scared of him. I have no idea why they allowed that kid back in the school.

I can't imagine where Wade is right now. Still at the police station? Poor kid. I know it's a little strange to have that reaction, but I do. I hope he's ok.