Okay, I know people are reading this thing (the site tells me), but I have
no idea what you guys think about it. I'm indecisive here. Help me and
REVIEW!
***
Principal Kelly
***
Principal Kelly shuffled through his papers, separating the mutant related ones from the others. The mutant pile was of a height five times that of the general one. He sighed and sorted through the larger pile. Complaints about mutants in the school went on the left; most of them went on the left.
'Here's something interesting.' A petition from parents and civil rights activists asked him to have a school assembly on the mutant issue...get it in the kids' heads that mutants were human beings with feelings just like them.'
Kelly sighed again. 'Nice thought, but between the Brotherhood and the other half of the parent population, Bayville's teenagers will only see the bad and freakish. Still..." He put the idea at the back of his head. There would come a time in the future when mutants weren't as controversial and more common. When that happened, the government would be calling for his head if he let mutant haters out into the world.
A knock came at the door. "Principal Kelly? I'm Anita Fahls, the transfer student." He shoved the papers to the side and invited the new student in.
She walked in and the Principal's mouth tightened. As Anita took her seat, he mentally winced. Just what he needed: another mutant. She looked at him looking at her.
"Well Miss Fahls, this would be a good time to lay some groundwork. Did you look at the code of conduct you were sent in the mail?"
"Yes. The dress code was confusing. It doesn't matter what I wear as long as it doesn't contain offensive material, is that what it amounts too?"
"Basically. Bayville High is relaxed in that regard. However, we ask that students do show some self-respect and avoid certain "extremes." Do you have any questions on the school in general?"
Kelly found it easier to deal with the mutant when reciting and explaining the rules. It felt strange, the two of them interacting like normal people, but at least they were managing.
"Does the school have metal detectors or magnetic locks?"
"No."
"If my gym class has a swimming unit, will I be forced to attend?"
"As long as you have a signed parent's permission slip, I see no problem. However, you will be asked to make up the classes you miss."
"That's good. My body is too dense to float; I would drown."
'And there goes the normal conversation between two humans.'
"Will I be measured against a different academic, physical, or ethical standard than other students?"
"I should hope not."
"If I tell you I've been abused by another student or teacher, will you believe me?"
"What sort of question is that?"
"The kind I want an answer to. I don't like the idea of being target practice or a scapegoat, Principal Kelly. I'm a mutant, I'm obvious, and I'm basically helpless. Will you believe me or the non-mutant?"
"I can hardly make that judgment without knowing the situation. When it comes up, we will deal with it. Is there anything else?"
"No."
"Then please go to class..." Miss Fahls stood and walked towards the door.
"...and make an attempt to stay out of trouble."
She stopped and turned around.
"Actually, I do have one more question. Is it illegal to discriminate against students because of their skin, of the physical traits predetermined by their DNA? I thought so, but lately I don't know anymore."
Her voice rose and her face turned into a mask of rage. Kelly's eyes were fixed to her. He didn't notice the paperclips on his desk start to squirm.
"This is an indiscriminate school setting, Miss Fahls," he managed to say calmly.
"If I had normal, "flesh" toned skin, you wouldn't think twice about my ability to stay out of trouble. I have a 4.0, a spotless record; I'm only coming to a different school midyear because my family moved. You have no right to label me as a troublemaker. I can take some two thousand kids thinking I'm no good, but not my educators and mentors."
A tear rolled down the girl's cheek. Outside, the flag pole warped slightly and the lockers closest to the metal mutant twirled their combinations.
"Last year the government asked me to represent my country in a one month scholastic honors program for teenagers around the world. Now...now I can't even get a job at McDonalds in the area no one sees. God, the mentally challenged can work the crowd there, but can I work out of sight? No."
Miss Fahls laughed and grew quiet.
"Indiscriminate...right, whatever lets you sleep at night." The door shut and the school's metal calmed down.
.
Amazingly, only one person had noticed the steel's antics. He sat stock still, frightened out of his wits. The last time he saw metal move like that, his father had nearly snapped him in two. He still had the scars riddled over his back to prove it.
.
Kelly worried the edges of the petition. Finally, he picked up the phone and dialed the number listed at the bottom of the last page.
"Hello, Mr Celenz? This is Principal Kelly of Bayville High School. I agree with you and your associates that something should be done about the mutant sentiment here. I'm afraid even the faculty is heavily biased against mutants."
"No, I don't need a guest speaker. I'm afraid a simple school assembly can't make a dent in this situation. Do you have any more...radical ideas?"
***
It's a shorter fic, but I wanted to do Kelly and how long can you write for a school principal? I still kind of liked the way it turned out. Well, bye...oh wait, I forgot: REVIEW! (Or I may be forced to stop posting new chapters. The plot hasn't even started, please don't make me do it.)
***
Principal Kelly
***
Principal Kelly shuffled through his papers, separating the mutant related ones from the others. The mutant pile was of a height five times that of the general one. He sighed and sorted through the larger pile. Complaints about mutants in the school went on the left; most of them went on the left.
'Here's something interesting.' A petition from parents and civil rights activists asked him to have a school assembly on the mutant issue...get it in the kids' heads that mutants were human beings with feelings just like them.'
Kelly sighed again. 'Nice thought, but between the Brotherhood and the other half of the parent population, Bayville's teenagers will only see the bad and freakish. Still..." He put the idea at the back of his head. There would come a time in the future when mutants weren't as controversial and more common. When that happened, the government would be calling for his head if he let mutant haters out into the world.
A knock came at the door. "Principal Kelly? I'm Anita Fahls, the transfer student." He shoved the papers to the side and invited the new student in.
She walked in and the Principal's mouth tightened. As Anita took her seat, he mentally winced. Just what he needed: another mutant. She looked at him looking at her.
"Well Miss Fahls, this would be a good time to lay some groundwork. Did you look at the code of conduct you were sent in the mail?"
"Yes. The dress code was confusing. It doesn't matter what I wear as long as it doesn't contain offensive material, is that what it amounts too?"
"Basically. Bayville High is relaxed in that regard. However, we ask that students do show some self-respect and avoid certain "extremes." Do you have any questions on the school in general?"
Kelly found it easier to deal with the mutant when reciting and explaining the rules. It felt strange, the two of them interacting like normal people, but at least they were managing.
"Does the school have metal detectors or magnetic locks?"
"No."
"If my gym class has a swimming unit, will I be forced to attend?"
"As long as you have a signed parent's permission slip, I see no problem. However, you will be asked to make up the classes you miss."
"That's good. My body is too dense to float; I would drown."
'And there goes the normal conversation between two humans.'
"Will I be measured against a different academic, physical, or ethical standard than other students?"
"I should hope not."
"If I tell you I've been abused by another student or teacher, will you believe me?"
"What sort of question is that?"
"The kind I want an answer to. I don't like the idea of being target practice or a scapegoat, Principal Kelly. I'm a mutant, I'm obvious, and I'm basically helpless. Will you believe me or the non-mutant?"
"I can hardly make that judgment without knowing the situation. When it comes up, we will deal with it. Is there anything else?"
"No."
"Then please go to class..." Miss Fahls stood and walked towards the door.
"...and make an attempt to stay out of trouble."
She stopped and turned around.
"Actually, I do have one more question. Is it illegal to discriminate against students because of their skin, of the physical traits predetermined by their DNA? I thought so, but lately I don't know anymore."
Her voice rose and her face turned into a mask of rage. Kelly's eyes were fixed to her. He didn't notice the paperclips on his desk start to squirm.
"This is an indiscriminate school setting, Miss Fahls," he managed to say calmly.
"If I had normal, "flesh" toned skin, you wouldn't think twice about my ability to stay out of trouble. I have a 4.0, a spotless record; I'm only coming to a different school midyear because my family moved. You have no right to label me as a troublemaker. I can take some two thousand kids thinking I'm no good, but not my educators and mentors."
A tear rolled down the girl's cheek. Outside, the flag pole warped slightly and the lockers closest to the metal mutant twirled their combinations.
"Last year the government asked me to represent my country in a one month scholastic honors program for teenagers around the world. Now...now I can't even get a job at McDonalds in the area no one sees. God, the mentally challenged can work the crowd there, but can I work out of sight? No."
Miss Fahls laughed and grew quiet.
"Indiscriminate...right, whatever lets you sleep at night." The door shut and the school's metal calmed down.
.
Amazingly, only one person had noticed the steel's antics. He sat stock still, frightened out of his wits. The last time he saw metal move like that, his father had nearly snapped him in two. He still had the scars riddled over his back to prove it.
.
Kelly worried the edges of the petition. Finally, he picked up the phone and dialed the number listed at the bottom of the last page.
"Hello, Mr Celenz? This is Principal Kelly of Bayville High School. I agree with you and your associates that something should be done about the mutant sentiment here. I'm afraid even the faculty is heavily biased against mutants."
"No, I don't need a guest speaker. I'm afraid a simple school assembly can't make a dent in this situation. Do you have any more...radical ideas?"
***
It's a shorter fic, but I wanted to do Kelly and how long can you write for a school principal? I still kind of liked the way it turned out. Well, bye...oh wait, I forgot: REVIEW! (Or I may be forced to stop posting new chapters. The plot hasn't even started, please don't make me do it.)