It's Raining Cats and Dogs...and Rodents, if You're in Mrs. P's Class

Yesterday I was doing a really cool lesson that required students to listen to music from the "Braveheart" soundtrack in the dark, while watching abstract images play across the projector screen.  Every single student was completely riveted by the music and images...except for Rayne.  Being a perpetual attention-hog, he proceeded to talk and disrupt the lesson.  After several warnings, I told him to move to an empty desk in the back of the room where he wouldn't be so tempted to socialize.  He responded by huffing his way to the back of the room, sweeping up Ms. Frisbee (who was playing on another student's desk), and then proceeded to throw her about eleven feet across the room.  I was livid.  I marched into the vice principal's office when class was over, referral in tow.  VP's response?  He laughed.  A lot.

Okay, so I can admit that I do see a little humor in the situation.  I mean, administrators receive a wide array of referrals, with anything ranging from "student shouted obscenities in the classroom" to "student snuck Germ-X into another student's Powerade."  But I don't think anything can quite prepare a principal for "student had temper tantrum and threw rat across room."  Plus Mr. A was at a complete loss as to what box to check on the referral.  There is simply nothing on the school referral forms that address chucking rodents.  I think we finally settled on 'throwing dangerous objects' ("After all," Mr. A. stated, "that rat might have poked someone's eye out") and possible 'destruction of personal property'. 

So yes, I do see the humor.  But still...my poor little Ms. Frisbee.  She is the sweetest thing (even though I know some of you are shuddering with disgust...sorry about that).  She trusts all of my students implicitly and never saw this coming.

This morning I decided to take Ms. Frisbee on a field trip to Mr. A's office so that he could see exactly the sweet little innocent creature who was thrown across my room and perhaps take the matter more seriously.  He isn't entirely comfortable with rodents, but I finally managed to talk him into holding her.  She then peed on his hand.  I really should have given her a better pep talk first.