She Made Her Mark From the First Day

by Donna Swagerty Shreve

The year was 2002 and I greeted 150 new eighth graders on the first day of the school year. I had a seating chart for each period and I tried to learn as many names as possible the first day. As with most years, several names were repeated throughout the students. This particular year contained four Ashleys. I remember wondering how I would keep them straight. One of those Ashleys quickly stood out.

After school the principal came to my room and asked if I wanted to call back an irate grandmother or should he take care of it. According to the grandmother I was already showing great prejudice towards her granddaughter. According to this Ashley, I had commented to her that her name did not match her as it was not a Mexican name. I knew I had not and would never say such a thing and said I would call the grandmother.

“Hello, Mrs.Holt, this is Mrs. Shreve. I am Ashley’s teacher. I understand we have a problem.”

“I should say so! Ashley told me what you said to her about her name. Why would you say such a thing unless you have a problem with Mexicans?”

“Could you refresh my memory Mrs.Holt.”

“You told my granddaughter she did not have a Mexican name to go with her appearance!”

 “I was introduced to 150 students today and I do not remember any thing that resembles what you are telling me. I happen to have four Ashleys this year and I certainly do not know their last names let alone all of their first names. Besides that is something I would never say to anyone.”

“Well, my granddaughter never lies!”

“Then I suggest we figure out why she chose to lie this time.”

Ashley was being raised by her grandmother as her mother had had her as a young unwed teenager and it quickly became evident she was not mother material. Her grandmother had come to the girl’s rescue. Now Ashley was making it very evident to all that she was sexually active and looking for excitement. Her boyfriend was well known as a trouble maker and when his backpack was searched during an office visit, many condoms were found. The Vice-Principal was sharing this information with me thinking I would be shocked. I told him I was thrilled that student had condoms so maybe the he would not get Ashley pregnant.

One morning before school, Ashley had made a big production of getting into a car driven by a high school kid from a neighboring high school. She flaunted her big ditch from school. Unfortunately for Ashley the car she was driving around in was stolen. The same crew arrived at the end of school so Ashley could go home as if she had attended all day. The police were waiting and the three were hand cuffed and taken away. As soon as Ashley was hand cuffed, she turned around so the crowd of exiting students could have visual proof of her badness. With a big smile on her face, she got into the back of the police cruiser.

I had had minor skirmishes with her as the year progressed. She was constantly challenging me but never gave me her all. During her family life class that she took, with parent permission, she was given a computer infant to take care of for three days and two nights. The twelve other infants were “normal” babies that required some kind of attention every three hours. Ashley had been given the drug baby that was under sized and needed extra constant care. It was rarely given to any student to take care of and was usually used as a demonstration model only. 

Ashley complained to me that her other teacher had been most unfair and had given her the drug baby on purpose. I agreed that she had been given the baby on purpose. She was surprised I would agree with her and asked why. I responded that several of us teachers were concerned about her and were hoping she would not get pregnant but finish school and use her smarts for succeeding in something she would find that interested her. She couldn’t imagine she had elevated herself to make all of our radars.

Both she and her boyfriend promoted from eighth grade. I gave a sign of relief as I really wanted her to leave my classroom unscathed.  She had sized me up that first day of school and had tried to discredit me right off. She figured she would be butting heads with me and wanted me known as the problem instead of her. By her freshman year she was pregnant by same boyfriend.

It was now 2003. I saw the two of the at then Kinkos copy center. I was having some copies made of my son’s recent wedding and they were having copies made of their baby. When they saw me they looked miserable and I did not chat very long. What was there to say?

• Back to Blog