Why did I get thrown out of the St.Louis public school system? Its an ugly story - not one I'm proud of. It was the sixth grade. I started school when I was four so I was ten at the time. It was a new environment for me cause kindegarten through fifth was at a completely other location. Most of the kids from my grade school went elsewhere, many of them to private schools. While the grade school I went to (University City McKnight grade school) was top notch, the public middle school (Brittany - Woods) sucked. It was the first time I had different classrooms for different subjects, and a locker. Which, I thought at the time, was dope.

Special school district kids. I don't know how the school systems work in other cities. In St.Louis each school has a special section. Special equals retarded. Sorry I'm not one for euphemisms or politically correct bullshit. You'd know if you had these kids at your school cause they always rode in on a little yellow bus. Some of them wore head gear, many of them had ridiculuosly mangled teeth. Often they were happy and sweet, despite or the result of their condition.

During the second semester some new retarded kids were added. One in particular was a tall and gruff looking black chick, don't recall her name. She kinda looked like Patrick Ewing of the Knicks. First time I met her - I was getting books out of my locker and all the sudden my head is slammed inside of it. She hit me as hard as she could on the back of my head, gave an alomost stereotypical retard chuckle, and ran off. Stunned, I watched her scuttle down the steps to the special section of the school. Next day, same thing. I tried calling out to her to ask her to stop but she already retreated to the safety of the special den. Next day, same thing. This time I followed her down to the special area. I told her teacher about what happened, and she said she would have a little talk with her. Next day, same thing. This time I went to the assistant principal, and she said she would talk to her teacher about it. Next day, same thing. I decided to go to the principle this time. She told me that special kids need to be handled specially, and that she would see what she could do. So a little longer than a month the retard would hit me on the back of the head with no reprimand or reprecussions. Finally, I snapped. She hit me on the back of the head and before she could dart off I grabbed her by her shirt. She started flailing aroung like a salmon caught by a bear. I released all the pent up anger that had been builiding for a month and a half and unloaded. I was blind with rage. A huge history teacher peeled me off of the retarded young lady (who was now balled up in a fetal position), and dragged me to the pricipal's office. Of course, I got the immediate brow beating for not being the level headed one, and that she was special and needed to be treated with kid gloves. I received scorn after scorn from the principal, assistant principle, and of course her bleeding heart teacher waiting for my parents to show. My mom walks in. The pricipal relays the details (as she saw them). Then my mom turned to me and asked if that's what happened. I started relaying the story from its month and a half long beginning. The priciple got annoyed and tried to cut me off. My mother stared her down and told her that she had listened to her degrade her son very politely and that she was now listening to her son, and that she had better shut up while I was talking. I finished my tale and I could no longer hold back the tears I felt like releasing the minute they laid into me. The principle said it was obvious that I would have to be expelled immediately. My mother reminded her (in a voice that I know well, when she explains something to you in this voice you kinda get a chill down your spine) that I had informed at least three official people of the abuse I was receiving at the hands of a reckless retard. She told the principle that I would finish out the year, and then go to private school after that. And if she had any problems with it that we could settle it in court, and she wouldn't be satisfied till the principal wouldn't be allowed to so much as teach dogs to piss in the yard. The pricipal said she would have to confer with her superiors. "You do that" I spent the next day at home. I finished out my year at Brittany-Woods (never saw the retarded girl again), and went to Lutheran school the next year.