Justice Rendered

Teachers see it every single day and have to deal with it all the time:  the conflict between children.

This seems to always happen out on the playground, away from the teacher’s line of vision.  As the children line up to go into the classroom, angry red faces of the two students who boil in their rage stand at the end.

The teacher pulls the two aside, send the class to their desks, with directions to read from the designated text book.  Then she faces the two combatants.

source

Who started it?  What did you do?  Who said what?  The two children each point a finger at the other, claiming that “he’s the one—he did it!”

source

Then there is the evidence gathering.  Which students in the class witnessed the event?  One by one those witnesses are questioned outside, while the finger-pointers steam at their desks, out of ear shot.

Debates, questions, answers ensue.  Decision made.  Teacher directs the two less-angry students outside to deliver the verdict.

Sometimes both are guilty.  If the students are girls, this is highly probable.   

Sometimes one is the guilty party and the other the victim.  These are usually boys. 

One will shout the loudest and deny the most.  He will also accuse the other of the very things of which he himself has been accused.   I look at that person suspiciously from the get-go.

Chances are this is not his first time facing judgment. 

I sigh.  Being the judge and delivering the verdict is a great responsibility.