Story Three: Tanner's Fight

Tanner's mother is called into school because he's gotten into a fight and is suspended for three days.

Principal Dean: The other boy used ethnic slurs against Tanner's stepmother and stepsisters.  While I understand his anger, we can't condone fighting.  The other boy got the same suspension as well as punishment for the bigotry.  

Candy:  His father adopted those girls, so they aren't his stepsisters.  They're his sisters now.  

Tanner:  He said Dad adopted them because no - um - black children know who their fathers are.   He even said Taylor and Nikki were --   

Candy:  I can imagine what he said.  (To Dean)  You're supposed to call Pike or Rose-Grace.  I don't have custody.

Dean: I tried them, both were in meetings.  You're on the list after them.  

Candy (resigned):  Oh, that's fine, then.  I was just confused.

Candy texts Pike and they meet outside the grocery store he manages.  She lets Tanner explain the situation before chiming in. 

Candy: I think he was right to do it.  Defending his little sisters and step-mom.  

Pike: With his fists?  

Candy: I have a flight to London tonight, so I'll leave it to you and Rose-Grace.  (to Tanner)  Don't be mad if they ground you, all right?  It's their job.  

Tanner: You're nuts, Mom, but I love you anyway.

Fred:  Why we having a family meeting?  Is somebody else getting married?

Finnick: Tanner got suspended for fighting.  

Tanner:  I punched out a racist.  Totally worth getting in trouble. 

Pike: No one's denying Tanner was right in defending his family.  We have to stand up against this kind of thing, whether it's about race or religion or...  

Rose-Grace: But by resorting to violence, Tanner, you just proved them right.  They think we - and anyone who defends us - is less than they are.  We have to rise above the urge to break their faces.  Trust me, I'm familiar with that urge. 

Finnick: The guy hates anyone who isn't a perfect healthy white Anglo-Saxon Protestant dude.  

Stacie:  So what is a good way to deal with jerks like this guy?

Rose-Grace: First of all, you have to remain calm. Sometimes people are honestly ignorant.  Sometimes they mean what they say differently than how you hear it.  Always give them the benefit of any doubt you may have.

Nikki: Yeah, some of my friends make fun of the stereotypes.  Like Claudia pretends to love math and Courtney talks like Speedy Gonzalez.  It's funny because we know how dumb stereotypes are.

Rose-Grace: Right.  And remember a few years ago, the new student who was honestly surprised that Courtney's family has been in this country since before the first World War?  He didn't deserve to be yelled at or beat up. 

Taylor: And we prove the haters wrong.  They want to believe I'm dumb so I make sure I get good grades.  They want to think me and my friends are (side glance at Freddy) Never mind.  

Stacie: So they're jerks, but we gotta do all the work?  

Rose-Grace:  Sadly, that's the gist of it.  The world's a much better place now than it used to be and that's because of others who did all the work.   

    

Mayor's office, 8AM the next day

Rose-Grace:  Kyra, this is my stepson Tanner.  He'll be doing a little community service work for the next few days.  What sort of project do you have for him?

Kyra: If he's at all computer literate, he can help me with digitizing the archives.  

Tanner: I still don't see why I couldn't stay home.  You could have even saved a little on Freddy's day care by having me watch him. 

Rose-Grace:  Playing with your little brother all day is hardly a suitable punishment for getting into a fight at school.  Even if you were defending my honor.