Not Irreparably Shocked
As a teacher of 4th graders for more than a decade, Mrs. M had a reputation for being strict but also caring, and fun. This winning combination helped establish a sense of community for the class and advanced learning. The atmosphere in the class seemed casual by late September because everyone already understood the expectations and procedures. They were clear to every student and automatic for Mrs. M.
At the end of each day, Mrs. M saw her students out and went back to her room to correct papers. When it was time to leave for the day, she opened the large lowest drawer of her desk and took out her purse, until the day her purse was not in the large lower drawer. She knew the purse had been in her one and only large low desk drawer because that’s where she always put it.
She had only been out of the room twice, but the students had been at lunch so no one was around and people could not just wander the halls. Mrs. M went sadly to the principal. It could only have been a student, and the whole floor was fourth-grade classrooms except for the main office and the nurse’s office. Could she say for sure no one else besides her nine and ten-year-old students had been in her area? No, she could not.
Anyone who has had a purse stolen knows the replacement of items, and some like photos irreplaceable can imagine the frustration and disappointment that stretched over weeks. And at the school, nothing, not one hint of who might have taken the purse emerged. Mrs. M and her coworkers all listened for any casual comments bragging or joking that could lead to finding whoever took the purse. Nothing emerged.
Mrs. M replaced all the essentials she’d had in her purse and felt grateful that whoever had taken the purse did not use the credit cards. The pictures, money, and some personal mementos were gone. Mrs. M felt glad that her car keys had been in her jacket pocket. As time passed, she felt sad to think that not just things but some of her joy in her classroom had been stolen. Weeks and months passed and the shocking disappointment she had felt faded.
In December, a child in Mrs. M’s class who came from one of the poorest families, came to school with little gift bags full of candy for every classmate. Mrs. M was surprised but not willing to assume this child could have taken the purse and kept it a secret for months. The child’s family would have seen the purse, wouldn’t they?
Mrs. M called the child’s home to say how thrilled everyone had been to receive the little gift bags of candy from their classmate. The backpack the child carried had been full and completely expanded beyond what anyone might have imagined because of the gift bags the child had stuffed inside. The whole class had ooohed, aahed, and been sincerely impressed with this December surprise from a classmate.
The grandparents raising this student knew nothing about the gifts of candy for all the students in the class, but they did have a little corner market near their house. When they asked Mrs. M to name the candy, everything she named was available at the little store near the child’s home. The gift bags were small white sandwich bags, and the small neighborhood store sold those too.
Investigation of the child’s tiny bedroom revealed some expensive toys and collectible cards under the bed and in the boxes that took the place of a closet. The family had a confronting discussion with the child. Tears accompanied a confession. Just as the backpack had been filled completely with gifts, it had been filled to the stretching point with the purse. The ten-year-old student had taken the purse during a quick run up to the classroom when the class was at lunch and Mrs. M was not in the room. When the child arrived home, the purse was buried in the backyard.
Fear and confusion led to only taking some money out for a few toys and collectible cards that could be bought at scattered times and easily hidden at home. Then, when the child thought enough time had gone by, a date after Thanksgiving, the rest of the money taken from the purse was used to buy a few more toys and candy gifts for everyone in the class, including Mrs. M.
A conference with the grandparents, Mrs. M, school authorities and a police officer, took place. The child gave a full confession again, plus an apology. The class never knew their gifts were due to money taken from Mrs. M’s purse. The purse, dug up and cleaned off, was returned to Mrs. M with everything inside but the missing money.
Not irreparably shocked, Mrs. M recovered her enthusiasm for all her students. Over the years she had seen a number of ways students make wrong choices and learn lessons the hard way. Amends had been made, and considering the family’s personal struggles and economic level, Mrs. M had not demanded replacement of the cash taken from her purse. When Mrs. M’s fourth graders ended the school year, each received a certificate of achievement and best wishes from someone they all claimed was their favorite teacher, Mrs. M.
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