Chapter 24

"So just how long are you planning to have a red-headed cheerleader living in your room?"

"I'll probably get tired of it by March, maybe April."

From the look on Tami's face, she didn't appreciate my humor.

"Tami, you ask a red-blooded American guy a question like that and what do you expect?"

Tami shrugged. "What I got, I guess. So how long does Allie plan to live in your room?"

"Actually, she moved out yesterday and into Traci's room. They're getting along great. But I think she'll go home tonight or tomorrow. She had a long talk on the phone with her dad last night."

"Did she talk to her mom?"

I shook my head. "Her mom evidently said that she was being a good mom and had nothing to apologize for. Allie says there's nothing else to talk about."

"That's sad."

I nodded.

"So, viva le revolucion?"

I grinned. "Viva le revolucion!"

"Mrs. Porter?"

"Yes?"

"I just wanted to say I think you're a good teacher."

"Why thank you Tony."

"And no matter what happens today, it's not about you, it's about the school."

Mrs. Porter, who was twenty-four and as cute as any girl on the cheerleading squad gave me a suspicious look. "That sounds... interesting." She taught a double class of health. Mr. Wiltkins was supposed to teach half the class, but he'd broken his leg a week before.

"Could even be a good day for Mrs. Jeffries to do classroom observation."

Mrs. Porter's look got even more suspicious.

"You have forty-five minutes. Go!" Mrs. Porter said.

I stood, holding the three pages of the test in front of me. "No."

"Tony, what was that?"

"I said, no. I won't take this test. Or any other test in this school."

That got everybody's attention. Tami in the seat next to me, grinned up and mouthed the words, "Viva le revolucion!"

"Tony, I don't understand. It's just a test. You've taken dozen of tests."

"Hundreds." From the corner of my eye, I saw Mrs. Jeffries and Mr. Parker along the wall, walking toward the front of the room.

"Then why?"

"I took tests when I thought I had a fair and equal chance of passing them. That was before I discovered that school policy was that any teacher can call me a cheater and fail me on a whim."

"That's enough!" Mr. Parker said, stepping forward.

"What, you don't want all the students to know that Mr. Singara accused Allie Smidt of cheating without any proof, and failed her? You don't want everyone to know that you upheld his decision, again without any proof?"

I looked around the room, every face was on me. "Do you really want to take a test when Mrs. Porter can decide you're cheating, just because she doesn't like blondes, or tall kids, or whatever?"

Robbie stood. "I'm not taking any test where a teacher can call me a cheater for no reason."

I held my test paper in front of me and tore it neatly in two.

"Mr. Sims, Miss Tate, maybe we should discuss this in my office?" Mrs. Jeffries offered.

"Why bother? You've made it clear in the past that you won't overrule a subordinates's decision. Mr. Singara decided that Allie was cheating. Mr. Parker decided she was too. You won't do anything. Talking to you is a waste of time."

"Mr. Sims, you've gone too far," Parker thundered.

"Do you folks know what Allie's crime was?" I looked around at a sea of shaking heads. "She studied. She wanted to do better, so she studied. And when she got a better grade than Singara thought she should, he tore up her test in front of everyone and gave her an F. Why take a test when a so-called teacher in a bad mood can do that?"

"Mr. Sims, my office," Parker almost screamed.

"I say, no more tests until we get a fair chance of passing them."

"No more tests," Tami said in a chanting voice.

"No more tests," Robbie added her voice to Tami's.

That was all it took. A second later fifty voices were chanting, "No more tests. No more tests."

I grinned at Parker. I'd never been suspended in September before.

"You three are the ring-leaders. I know it." Parker snarled.

"But can you prove it?" I asked, just to be difficult.

"I don't have to."

God, I couldn't believe just how stupid you could be and still get a master's degree and a job running a school. "And that, is the problem."

"Mr. Sims, you can't just refuse to take tests." Mrs. Jeffries said reasonably. We were sitting in her office. They never had gotten the test in health restarted. Now it was second period, and I had a feeling that my revolution was spreading.

"And Mr. Singara can't just call someone a cheater and fail her. But he did."

"Why didn't you come to me with this problem?"

"Because you're a figurehead. You don't make decisions. And, in your own words, you make it a point never to overrule your subordinates. I already knew Mr. Parker's opinion, so talking to you would be a waste of time and breath."

Mrs. Jeffries' mouth worked, but nothing came out.

"Twelve days, Mr. Sims." Parker said.

"Ah, the maximum. Nice to know you're cracking down."

Mrs. Hatcher walked in the open door. "Mrs. Jeffries, I thought you should know. Mr. Tatley just called, and so did Mrs. Wayne. Their students are refusing to take any tests.