Faculty Meeting (Friday after classes)

[bigdamnprincipal]

After the student council cleared out, Zoe got the council room set up for yet another meeting, hoping all the teachers had gotten her handwavey email. Sure, classes had only been in session for a week, but she figured it was a good idea to check the new teachers for shell shock early. There were warm food and drinks set out (not the leftovers from the student council... at least, not totally) but nothing alcoholic. If people wanted to go that route, they would have to bring their own this time.

"Hello there, come on in and have a seat if you'd like," she said. "I thought it might be good for everyone to have a chance to get together without students around, and be inside where it's warm. I hope everyone's had a good first week. If you haven't, well, now you have a room full of people to vent to." It was the little things that helped make this job better.

[Open to all staff and OCD free!]

Comments

[never-dull.livejournal.com]

"Of course," Hannibal answered with a nod. "Your experience is likely to be the most useful, but some experiences are unfortunately universal."

[furnaceface]

//Even today, there were so many who...// Jono shrugged a little. //Some were hesitant to talk, and that's fine. We've made certain that they know that they are never under any obligation to tell us anything that they're not comfortable sharing. But some of them... Hannibal, we gave them a platform to speak, and they just... it was like watching them remember to breathe.//

[never-dull.livejournal.com]

"Sometimes that's the most important thing," Hannibal noted. "It won't solve everything, but acceptance is a very good start."

[furnaceface]

//It kind of... stupid as this sounds, reminded me a bit of me, when I was new here, back when I was about their age,// Jono admitted. //You know, I spent a while here pretending to be a mute burn victim? Here? Seems absurd looking around here, now.//

[never-dull.livejournal.com]

"Why should that sound stupid?" Hannibal asked. "You were in a similar place to many of these students when you came here. And if all you've ever known is mistrust and hatred, it stands to reason that opening up wouldn't come easily."

[furnaceface]

Jono's brow furrowed, but then he nodded his agreement.

//It only really seems ridiculous in hindsight, I suppose. I was shite at pretending to be a burn victim, anyway.// What with all the telepathy he kept doing. And the fact that he didn't know sign language in the least. //I suppose I am being a bit hypocritical for someone who made a rule in class today that nobody was allowed to talk down on their own thoughts about the building blocks of their identities. Putting what I preach into practice couldn't hurt, from time to time.//

[never-dull.livejournal.com]

Hannibal smirked. "Well, you recognize that, so I would say you're making progress."

[furnaceface]

//The going is slow, but I can be taught,// Jono joked, nodding. //I'm too bloody old to be tearing into myself all of the time, anyway.//

... Jonothon.

[never-dull.livejournal.com]

That was a terrible pun!

Hannibal approved. You could tell by the amused and exasperated look you were getting, Jono.

"I won't argue. Acceptance is a good thing."

[furnaceface]

//Last year was a long, exhausting, strange one. But I think I've managed to better come to terms with myself more even since that blasted carnival than I have in... however long, otherwise,// Jono noted, shrugging. //There's a long way yet to go, granted, but...//

He shrugged again. Because that was the 'in' thing this year.

//Hoping I can keep up the track record, I guess. Maybe by the end of the semester, I'll actually feel as qualified to be in that classroom teaching those students as I know I probably am.//

[never-dull.livejournal.com]

"I'll drink to that," Hannibal said, smiling and taking another sip of coffee.