Friday, March 10, 2006  Paranoiac Demands  This news item caught
my eye the other day: "Former Teacher Surrenders at French
School." It struck me for the simple reason that we are
inundated, sadly, with stories of students turning on their
peers and bringing a gun to school to settle things. In the dark
places where my mind wanders after a day like today, I have
wondered why more teachers don't seek some kind of revenge or
retribution. That kind of thing is relegated to "disgruntled
postal employees." Maybe teachers, like George Lucas' Jedi,
aren't the "revenge type." Nicolas Vilpail apparently was. He
took twenty-three hostages, mostly students, and held them for
four hours. I usually hold my students against their will for
five to ten minutes before I can no longer stand their mewling
and panting. I suppose it could be argued that I hold them
hostage for six and a half hours every day (minus recess and
lunch - with the occasional trip to the bathroom or assembly).
To hear some of them tell it, I might as we