Chapter 6: In charge of gym

The 'trial', although they preferred to call it an inquiry, lasted all afternoon and well into the evening. At lunchtime June came into the dining room with a clipboard and asked those who wished to speak at the inquiry, to sign the sheet. She emphasised that Paul would not be attending when they gave their evidence and it would all be confidential between the principal and her; Paul would not know what they said and would not be able to take reprisals against them. So many signed the form, that instead of taking an hour like they anticipated, it went on until 7:30. In all fairness, David allowed everyone who wished to speak, to do so although he curtailed some for getting away from the issue.

I didn't have to look after the whole school in the afternoon. June phoned Roger and he agreed to come in and between us we split the group and gave them the choice of what they did. We were all a bit edgy and security was much in evidence. At mid afternoon break Roger and I had our first chance to talk. "I hear you've been causing trouble again," he ribbed me, "And got me into serious hot water with Mrs. Herriot."

"Mrs. Herriot?"

"Yes, I should have finished her kitchen this afternoon and she tore me off a right mouthful when I had to leave it to come here."

"You know which side of your bread is buttered," I bantered, "You get paid well for coming here."

"And now I find that I've been turfed out of my own room and I've got to share with the woman who started this fiasco."

"She might even give you a cuddle if you're nice to her!"

"Wow, perhaps I'll spend the night here then and go back to work in the morning." We both laughed and pulled each other's legs for the whole of the break time and it took my mind off what was happening in the Principal's office. I liked Roger but we'd never been to bed together, in fact I'd never even seen him naked.

Throughout the afternoon, Theresa came into the classroom and took one of the students to the office and when they returned they were under strict instructions not to say anything about what happened or what they told the principal. Security ensured their compliance.

It was after 7p.m. before I was called; deliberately they'd left me until last. Kate lay on my bed while I put cream on her welts; Roger looked on and I noticed the telltale bulge in his trousers but I was pretty sure he wouldn't attempt to fuck her. I was disgusted that the poor girl had suffered when she had done nothing wrong and I wondered if it would be possible to run this place without corporal punishments. I rightly guessed none of the other staff, with the possible exception of Roger, would go that far. I hadn't seen him use the strap and I hadn't taken mine from the desk drawer but I knew Harry Penrose did occasionally and some of the security guards did too. Theresa came for me.

David stood and greeted me at the door and offered me an apology for not believing my story earlier in the day and for taking Paul's word instead of mine but I felt he resented having to do it and would rather I had submitted without protest. Better still, I shouldn't have interfered in the first place. I thanked him but suggested, "You need to apologise to Kate too; she was the one who really suffered." He agreed but said he'd already done so when she came to make her disposition. I already realised that, while he enjoyed thrashing a boy or girl, his sense of morality needed a valid reason for doing so and the fact that he'd made a mistake, was playing on his mind.

June started the interview. "Can we take what you told us this morning as being part of this interview so we don't have to go through it all again? We've spent far more time on this than we thought. Is there anything you want to add?"

"No, as long as my earlier remarks are recorded and not swept under the carpet." David assured me they were recorded and would be added into the file.

"There were far more students and even security staff wanting to have their say, than we expected and we now find this misuse of his authority has gone on far longer than we realised and things are coming to light we had no knowledge of. To us, Paul was always pleasant and enthusiastic, at least he was once he got over his punishment. Seems though, he hasn't got over it and tries to get his own back on anyone that thwarts him even in a minor way." David looked a bit shocked at all the revelations he'd uncovered and I guess he felt guilty over not having spotted the wrong doings himself.

June went on, "Without pre-empting the final judgement of this inquiry, if, as seems very likely, we find him guilty of gross misconduct, how would you suggest we punish him?"

The question floored me for a while; I certainly hadn't expected to give an opinion on the matter and assumed David would give him a similar thrashing to the one he'd intended to give me, or worse in view of the gravity of his offences. For a full two minutes I sat, head bowed, without saying a word. Looking up I hesitantly started. "Sir, I anticipate that everyone, including Paul, expects you to give him another thrashing." He nodded in agreement. "Will that really achieve anything?" June and David had startled and puzzled looks on their faces. "You thrashed Paul when he came and he still resents the suffering you caused and has sort to get his revenge in secret ways ever since. I still very much resent the way I was punished and I'm sure this resentment would have increased tenfold had not others stepped in to stop my punishment this morning. Once my anger at what I felt was a barbaric punishment for a seemingly trivial offence, died down and the pain decreased, I found I was able to get along well with the students. Because of the suffering I went through, they saw me as one of them and with their cooperation, I put those feelings behind me and began to enjoy my work. Had my punishment today been delivered, my resentment would have returned and it would have been a long while, if ever, before I worked with any enthusiasm again. If you cane Paul, it will only serve to increase his resentment and anger at his treatment and serve no real purpose."

"Are you suggesting we let him off with a warning not to do it again? Surely he'll laugh behind our backs and carry on as before and probably set you up again for more trouble."

Again I had to think before answering. "If you punish him with the strap and the cane, it will only increase his vindictiveness towards me, Kate and the boys and girls his imagination believes spoke against him. Maybe put him on probation for the rest of his sentence with the threat of punishment if he doesn't toe the line? Why not take the use of the strap away from him and have yourselves monitor and deal with any major incidents that occur? Minor things can be dealt with verbally or by other ways. Let him know that you and security will keep a close eye on what he does and as he only has one bed in his room, allow the students the computer picks to opt out of going for the next month, and extend it if his behaviour to the students is not improved." Wow! I didn't expect all that to come out of my head and I could tell they were thinking about what I said but whether or not they would act on my suggestions, remained to be seen. We talked some more and debated the points but when I left, I still had no idea which way their judgement would go. "I think we'll sleep on it and announce our verdict in the morning," were David's parting words as I left.