Difficult Lessons Read online

  “Would you mind?” Sara asked almost childishly.

  “I certainly would not mind having you here with me tonight, or any night for that matter.”

  “I meant would you mind going to my house.” Sara giggled a little as she clarified her question.

  “Would I have offered if I minded?”

  Sara tried to relax on the sofa while Cynthia was gone to get her things. She decided that she might need to call her parents and let them know what was going on in case they tried to call or go to her house.

  Her mother was frantic when Sara told her what was happening at her house. “You need to come here and spend the night, “You can’t stay at your house with that going on outside.”

  “Mom, I’m at Cynthia’s. I’ll be fine here. She has gone to the house to get some clothes and a few other things for me.”

  “You just make sure you stay there and I hope no one follows her back.”

  “We’ll be okay, Mom. Don’t worry.”

  The conversation with her dad was worse.

  “I should go over there and give those people a piece of my mind. They have no right invading someone’s privacy like that.”

  “Dad, they are not invading anyone’s privacy. They are just making things difficult by being out there on public property.”

  “Well, they should not be allowed to do that.”

  “Dad, it’s okay. I am staying at Cynthia’s tonight. They are not going to bother me here.”

  “I still think I ought to…”

  “No.” Sara cut him off. “You do not go anywhere near my house. Don’t give them anything, Dad.”

  “Sunshine, you know I won’t. This just pisses me off though.”

  “Me too. Maybe if I don’t show up there tonight they’ll give up and leave.”

  Cynthia returned just as she was hanging up from talking with her dad.

  “Was it still crazy over there?” Sara asked timidly.

  “As soon as I got out of the car, people started calling to me. They wanted to know where you were and if they could talk to you. I told them that it was none of their damn business where you were and if they wanted to know something they should call your attorney. You probably need to call her and let her know what is going on.”

  You’re right.” Sara reached for the phone again.

  Chapter 16

  “You need all of the support that you can get,” Cynthia protested. “They need to see just how many people you have behind you.”

  “I understand that, but you do not need to put yourself in a position to have this turned on you. You are not even settled in good here. I don’t want anything that is going on with me to hurt you. Please protect yourself by staying home tonight. I will come by as soon as the meeting is over. I will tell you everything. I promise.”

  “I am not happy about this, Sara. I want to be with you to support you. If you want me to stay here, I guess I have no other option, but you know I’ll be a nervous wreck by the time you get back.”

  “Just try not to worry about me. Mom and Dad will be there. I am sure there will be a few others on my side. I’ll be all right. I promise.” Sara put her arms around Cynthia and hugged her reassuringly.

  ***

  The special called meeting was being held in the conference room at the school board office. There would be nothing on the agenda other than Sara’s complaint.

  People were already waiting outside when they arrived. Sara recognized several students and their parents. Officer Griffin glared at her from the crowd when she got out of Karen’s SUV. Karen saw him also. She placed her hand on Sara’s back and ushered her on into the building.

  Robert Williams, the chairman of the school board, directed Karen and Sara to a table on the left side of the brightly lit room. “We will get started promptly at seven. We plan to let the general public in about fifteen minutes before that. When the room fills, we will lock the doors. Mr. Michaels has asked to speak first. Is that agreeable with you?” Karen nodded affirmatively at Mr. Williams. “When he finishes, you will have your opportunity to address the board members. We would also like to hear from other people in the audience that wish to speak. I will tell everyone in advance that the entire proceedings will be kept civil or they will be asked to leave. Fair enough?”

  “Fair enough,” Karen said as she shuffled papers onto the table. Sara skimmed them as Karen laid them out. Her parents were sitting quietly at the end of the table.

  People filed into the room quickly and quietly when the doors were opened. Approximately twenty students, along with their parents, seated themselves behind Sara. Officer Griffin moved quickly through the crowd of people and took a seat at the table on the right with Mr. Michaels. A wave of nausea overcame Sara.

  Mr. Williams called the meeting to order and explained the purpose of the meeting and how it would be conducted. He introduced Mr. Michaels to the crowd. Mr. Michaels stood and faced the board members as he gave his statement. It was his standard rhetoric; immoral conduct, inappropriate behavior and insubordination. Sara had heard it so much that she felt as though she could have recited it for him. She grew more ill as she listened to him.

  Karen stood when it was her turn. “Thank you all for this opportunity. I am Karen Jameson, Ms. Carson’s attorney. I would like to address the issues that Mr. Michaels has brought up to support Ms. Carson not being offered a contract for next year. I hope that you being the distinguished, fair-minded board members that you are will reconsider this decision and allow Ms. Carson to continue working in the school in which she has dedicated so much of her life. Mr. Michael’s seems to think that Ms. Carson exhibits immoral behavior. What exactly does that mean? Immoral behavior is behavior that does not conform to what is considered normally right. Also, immorality is considered wickedness, evilness, and many other synonyms. What is immoral about a person sitting in an established legal business socializing with friends? Is it inappropriate to have an alcoholic drink? Ms. Carson is of legal drinking age. The establishment has a valid serving license. There is nothing inappropriate, much less immoral in this behavior. There is no documentation of insubordination in Ms. Carson’s fifteen years of employment with the high school. Mr. Michaels has tried to say that her insubordination stems from her patronage in the mentioned establishment. An employer cannot dictate what an employee does on his or her personal time, as long as it does not violate any laws. Ms. Carson clearly did not break any laws here.”

  Karen then picked up the papers that she had arranged on the table. She handed a packet to each board member and Mr. Michaels. The packet contained Sara’s job performance evaluations, letters from parents, letters from students, test scores of the students and letters from other teachers that Sara had worked with over the years. She carefully went over each item, emphasizing the fantastic job that Sara had done at Mills High School.

  “Now that you have everything laid out before you, you can see that Ms. Carson has dedicated herself solely to this school and its students. She loves her job and the community. It would be doing a disservice to her and to the students of Mills High School to not allow her to return to her job next year. I will give you ladies and gentlemen some time to look over these documents that I have given you before we take any further action. Please do not take too long though. As you well know, time is slipping by quickly for teaching contracts. It would be a great loss for everyone if Ms. Carson has to take her skills and her dedication to another school system.” Karen sat down confidently.

  Each one of the students that were seated behind Sara stood and gave a moving account of how they had succeeded in her class because of her dedication and encouragement. Their parents also spoke very highly of her.

  Several parents from the other side spoke of how they worried about their impressionable teens being exposed to her lifestyle. They were uncomfortable knowing that a person with so much influence over their children was gay. The final person to speak was Officer Griffin.

  “I was appalled that the sch
ool would have such a person influencing children. I have witnessed Ms. Carson on several occasions in a bar known to serve gays. This type of person has no business around our children. I requested…no… I demanded that my daughter be removed from her class as soon as I found out what kind of person she is. Many other parents feel the same way I do, but they do not want to rock the boat. They are afraid to speak up because they do not want their children suffering undue consequences. I am not afraid. I do not want Ms. Carson trying to recruit my daughter or anyone else’s child, nor do I want her offering her homosexual views to any child. It is in the best interest of everyone that Ms. Carson not be allowed to return to Mills High School next year. If she does, I will remove my daughter from there. I am sure that many other parents will also.”

  As Officer Griffin finished, Karen requested to speak one more time. “I left something out of the packet of information that I gave you. I just realized it and would like to distribute it to you.”

  Mr. Williams allowed her to give each person this last page. It was the letter that Shelly had sent to Sara. Sara saw the look on Officer Griffin’s face when he realized what it was. She could not decide if it was a look of horror or anger.

  Mr. Williams spoke up after a few seconds. “Ms. Carson, would you like to say anything?”

  Sara knees were weak and shaking, but she stood. “I think Ms. Jameson has conveyed my feelings quite well. I have dedicated my life to this town and school. No one has ever had a problem with me until Officer Griffin brought these accusations against me. I feel that it is a personal vendetta on his part and many others are blindly following him because they do not know me. A person’s personal views should not influence professional decisions and I feel that is what is taking place here. Mr. Michael’s, along with all of you, are aware of my job performance. My performance in the classroom has nothing to do with my personal life, regardless of how you feel about it. I do hope that you will reconsider this matter and allow me to continue doing what I truly love, teaching the students of Mills High School.”

  Sara sat down quickly, feeling that her legs were about to disappear from beneath her.

  “I promise you that we will give this matter all of the attention that it deserves,” Mr. Williams spoke solemnly. “Both sides have presented strong arguments. We need to look over everything and see what is in the best interest of our children, school, and our community. We will be in contact with all parties involved as soon as a decision is reached. This meeting is now adjourned.”

  Sara had hoped that the protests would slowly fade away, but they continued. Some days the groups were larger than others. Occasionally, there would be small groups of people outside her house in the afternoons, but they would leave when she asked them to do so. Her phone would start ringing almost as soon as she walked in the door. When she could no longer tolerate it, she turned the ringer off. Nothing seemed to be settling down.

  Her answering machine was overloaded with messages every day. Most were positive, but some were threatening.

  “Sara, you might want to consider staying with Cynthia or one of your parents until this blows over. Most of those calls are probably just people blowing hot air, but you never know when some nut job actually means what they say. If you don’t want to do that, I have a spare room that you are welcome to stay in if you want,” Karen offered.

  “Thanks for the offer Karen, but I am not going to let them run me out of my home and into hiding. I am not fighting this battle to hide more. I am fighting it to be me. I will continue my life as it is. Occasionally I will spend the night with Cynthia or she might come to my house, but I refuse to leave because of them.”

  “I can’t blame you for your feelings. Just make sure that you keep your doors and windows locked and a phone handy at all times, Sara.” Karen was truly concerned. “Call me if you change your mind about the room or if you need anything. I am always available for you”

  Chapter 17

  Almost three weeks passed before Sara heard anything at all. One Tuesday afternoon, as she pulled into her drive she saw Karen’s SUV parked on the street in front of her house. Karen was standing by Sara’s car before she could get out of it, holding an envelope. Sara was not sure if she was ready to hear it. She definitely knew that she did not want to hear it standing in her front yard.

  “Can I get you something to drink?” Sara was trying to read Karen’s face to determine what the news was, but she was unable. That is what made her a good lawyer.

  “I would love some water, if it’s not too much trouble.”

  “Okay, let’s get this over with. What was the decision?” Sara said as she returned from the kitchen with a couple of glasses of water and sat down in a chair across from Karen.

  “Sara,” Karen began quietly. “When we went into this, I told you that we might not have an easy time of this.”

  Sara’s stomach twisted as the words touched her ears.

  “It isn’t good, is it?”

  Sara knew what was in the envelope, but she did not want to admit it to herself. She had to hear it from Karen.

  “Well, it isn’t what I was hoping for, but it could be a lot worse than it is.”

  “Okay. Karen, just tell me straight up. What did they say?”

  “Well,” Karen paused and took a sip of her water. “They are not going to ask you to clean out your desk tomorrow.”

  “But they want me gone,” Sara interrupted.

  “They are willing to let you finish out your contract for this year. They are upholding the decision by Mr. Michael’s to not renew your contract for next year. The vote was four to two against you. You know who the two are that supported you.”

  The words hit her like a freight train.

  “Those bastards!” Sara was so angry that she was shaking. “How can they do this? This is not right and they know it. Lyons and Caine seem to be the only ones with any damn sense at all on that board. I guess they just do not have enough pull to sway the rest of them.”

  “We can continue to fight this, Sara. We can carry on with our plans for the discrimination suit, if that is what you want. We can take it as far as we have to. I will represent you and I am pretty sure we can win, even if it takes a while.” Karen’s demeanor was confident. “On the bright side of their decision, they are willing to give you a great recommendation to potential employers.”

  “I’m sure they are.” The sarcasm flowed from Sara before she could stop it. “How could they not? I had every student in my class pass the state assessment. I have been more than dedicated to those students and that school the entire time that I have taught there. I can’t believe they are still going to do this to me.” Sara was beginning to cry.

  Karen got up from the sofa and placed her arm around Sara. “Should I call Cynthia or your parents to come over while we talk about our next move?”

  “Please.” Sara could barely get the words out. “Call both for me.”

  While Karen made the calls, Sara broke down completely. She really had thought that they would reconsider and renew her contract. This was a blow that she did not expect.

  ***

  Sara’s parents and Cynthia arrived at the same time. Karen met them at the door and briefly told them what had happened. Sara had moved to the sofa and was still crying.

  “Honey, we are not going to sit still for this,” Cynthia said as she knelt down beside Sara. She stroked Sara’s hair and wiped her eyes with a tissue that was on the coffee table. “I’ve never had any reason to want to fight for anything. I do now, and I’ll fight right along with you. This is wrong and they know it. You’re not going to go through this alone.”

  “No, you aren’t,” Sara’s mother had made her way to the sofa and was sitting on the edge beside Sara. “I can’t believe that after all you have done for that school they are going to go through with this.”

  “Well Mom, evidently they don’t care what I or anyone else has done or will do. It seems that all they care about is keeping up a certain ap
pearance. Hell, we all know that gay people can’t be trusted to work with children. We have our agenda that we have to instill on the impressionable young minds. We have to meet our quota of recruits.”

  Karen could not stop the chuckle that came out. Everyone in the room turned towards her.

  “I’m sorry,” she said, still giggling. “I have heard those things so many times from people who seriously believe it. To actually hear it come from one of us just amused me. I should not have laughed. This is serious.”

  Sara started laughing along with Karen. Cynthia smiled at Sara. That was the Sara that she loved; the happy one, the one that nothing bothered, and the one that loves everyone. She did not like seeing the Sara that was curled up on the sofa crying. Soon they were all laughing and making jokes. They were trying to take Sara’s mind off of the problem at hand.

  When Sara had stopped sobbing completely, Karen spoke up. “I hate to kill the atmosphere here, but we really do need to discuss our next move. We do not have to do it now, but we at least need to set up a time that we can. I have nothing scheduled for the next week in the afternoons. You can stop by the office any time that you wish, Sara.”

  “I want to get started as soon as possible on this. Will it be all right if I come by the office tomorrow afternoon when I leave the school?”

  “That will be fine. I will make sure that I keep the afternoon open. I don’t expect anything to come up.”

  Chapter 18

  Sara’s alarm clock sounded Wednesday morning at its usual time. She pressed the button and crawled out of bed. Sounds of Cynthia in the kitchen drew her on down the hall while she put on her robe. How she had gotten lucky enough to end up with a woman like this, she did not know.

  Cynthia was busy putting breakfast on the table. She had to have been up a while to prepare ham, eggs, biscuits, gravy, and hash browns.