B.B.'s, Bunnies, and Rogue Tortillas

Schools don't have signs "122 days since our last incident" We have strange happenings every day. Some little, unnoticeable to most. Some gossiped about and rumored after the fact. Even some strange and unusual shaping the mood and tone of the day. This day, April 3rd started out calm- even played out quiet and purposeful like most days at our school. A charter school in Albuquerque. An environment very much based around student learning, teacher engagement and smiling faces. Yesterday, a usual Wednesday, had a few bazaar events that alone would not be considered for long- but together made for a memorable hump day.

During class change before 5th period, my students were arriving to class and one of them had a large shoe box. It looked like a shoe box. No one gave it a second look until the lid popped open and inside- surrounded by unraveled toilet paper was a small brown bunny- of which they affectionately named Carlos. Carlos had gotten stuck in some construction materials right inside our building and was rescued by a teacher. This wild Lagomorpha was adorable- but a wild hare. Students wanted to pet it and snuggle it. I however, needed to get it to a safe place. It was removed by an administrator and it has been given to a local ranch that saves animals. Carlos is safe- students washed their hands and what has been named the 'bunny debacle' has been resolved. This might not seem unusual- but at our school wild animals being carried about in a shoe box is not a common occurrence.

At approximately the same time as the adventures of Carlos- some smoke filtered out of the teacher lounge. Someone had placed a tortilla in the microwave- apparently for an extensive amount of time- and it was singed and it sent its aroma throughout the building. This was reported via email with the title- Rogue Tortilla. Not appreciated by those near the area- disgruntled and frustrated staff responses with "please treat tortillas and the staff lounge with respect. Clean up after yourself." Now being reminded of civil cleansing of an eating area is common at my school- unfortunately- but the Rogue Tortilla was a reminder of the humor we carry around with us on a day to day basis. Rabbits and Tortillas.

The last event, less funny and more unexpected. When I think about it right now, I am floored by the lack of common sense. There is a Forensics Class at our school and there are many supplies in the science storeroom for it, as well as all of the other classes. In a box, in the back of a shelf were some B.B. guns and pellets used for ballistics testing. They haven't been used in ages. But a teacher was rummaging through looking for supplies for a physics experiment and ran across them. Then students in that class, asked to take them home to use in their assignment. He allowed three students to leave campus with a B.B. gun and the pellets. One student took his on the bus. Well, you can imagine the rumor and gossip and the parent reactions. Emails, phone calls and a parent escort returning the B.B. guns back to school. Now called the B.B. gun incident- is a 2 day old event but still the topic of many a conversation.

Thus the B.B's, Bunnies and Rogue Tortillas a day that will live in infamy.