An Unforgivable Mistake

It wasn't the lecture that bothered them this time.

Two weeks into the new school year, the lunch room from 12:00 – 12:20 had been noisier than normal as the kids let off steam before returning to class.

Mrs. LeMoyne was trying to set the standard of a low-noise lunch room for all seven grades, not no noise, but low noise.

“Now that you’re two weeks into the new school year, you First Graders should know how it all works. As long as you keep the noise level low, you won’t have any problems with me.”

LeMoyne continued talking as six hands shot into the air. The other attendant, Miss Jane, approached the kids with the hands up and bent over to listen. While Miss Jane was talking with #5 handraiser, three more hands lifted high.

Mrs. LeMoynes said, “Now I shouldn’t remind you that you’re old enough to use your inside voice when you’re inside. You’ll have time for recess and when you’re outside, you can scream as loud as you can. Outside voices for outside, inside voices for inside.”

The buzzer rang and all the students rose to leave.

Miss Jane finished tending to the kids and approached Mrs. LeMoyne.

“Just so you know, Kate,” Miss Jane said, “All nine kids wanted to let us know that they were in Second Grade, not First. You might have to give that speech tomorrow when they’re not distracted by the wrong grade. They couldn’t get past that.”

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