Takayanagi vs. Parent
Takayanagi’s PoV
As I was about to return to my daily duties after interviewing the members of the literature club, I suddenly had a visitor.
It was the mother of a soccer club member and a well-known parent who is an executive member of the PTA. Normally, the principal would’ve handled the situation, but he was on a business trip to the prefectural office now.
So the vice principal and I should handle it. …
“What does this mean? There is no way that my son will suddenly be suspended. Why didn’t you tell me before?”
She came at us in a high-handed manner. A shrill voice echoed in the guest room.
“This is because your son has been involved in a bullying problem. …”
When the vice principal tried to explain the situation, she interrupted him and became angry.
“I’m a member of the PTA at this school, you know. It’s an act of recklessness on the part of the school to try to impose disciplinary action without any prior notice. This fiasco has definitely tarnished the school’s image. The teachers’ misguided sense of justice has tarnished the entire image of the school. Do you understand? This is like a breach of trust, and I will take it up with the PTA. I’m sure you know what will happen to all of you if that happens. You can look forward to your next staff change.”
She’s really on fire and makes her point like a machine gun.
I can’t help but feel a little blue inside. I’m thankful that seniors like the principal and vice principal are taking the bullets up until now.
But,
“Respectfully, Aida-san…!”
I can’t help but blurt out a few words.
“Hey, what?”
She winced a little at the unexpected backlash. My true character, which was said to be wild in the club activities during my school days, comes out strongly.
“The PTA is an organization that helps children grow up healthy, right? I think it is inappropriate for you to interfere with the disciplinary action about this issue.”
Hearing my words, she vented her anger as if to counterattack.
“Takayanagi-sensei. This is a problematic statement. You are undermining the PTA. First of all, isn’t it a shame that so many students have to be punished to protect one student? Yes, they did something questionable. But even the guilty student has a future. If you try to take that future away from them, then we have to fight.”
It sounds logical for a moment, but it is just emotionalism run amok.
I can’t lose here. With this determination, I continue my words.
“That would be ridiculous. What is education if it cannot protect innocent students? Bullying is cancer in this country, and worse, it would be a human crime if the majority of people in power ignored it and instead intimidated the weak students. And maybe they even left scars that will never be erased. Yes, the guilty student has a future. But that future can only come after they take responsibility for their bullying, right?”
She reacts silently to my counterattack. But…
“Well, that’s…but that doesn’t mean the punishment of so many students is acceptable. …”
In a situation like this, the first one to attack wins. Especially for these guys who are strong on offense but weak on defense.
“… Given the original purpose of the PTA, how can they overlook this crime? Will it help students grow up in a healthy way? If we cannot make our students aware of their sins, they will grow up corrupt. That would be an abdication of the original role of us teachers and you parents. Don’t you agree?”
“…”
The PTA executive, who had been so forceful until a few minutes ago, was at a loss for words.
And the vice principal, who had been silent until then, put the finishing touches on it.
“Unfortunately, what I wanted to say was said by Takayanagi-sensei. But, I agree with Takayanagi-sensei. You may have thought that you could use your title as PTA president to intimidate the teacher and possibly cover up the problem…but that is hubris. Aida-san, it annoys me that a self-centered person like you is talking about sound education…”