Mrs. Daniels," he said, quickly standing. "We weren't expecting, Lieutenant Colonel Daniels," she corrected him. "And you should have been expecting me the moment your teacher assaulted my daughter." Wexley gestured to a chair.
"Please sit. I understand you're upset. I'm not upset, Mr. Wexley." Naomi remained standing.
"I'm methodical. There's a difference." She placed a military folder on his desk. The label read incident report. Daniels, a assault and battery, educational negligence, civil rights violation.
What's this? Wexley asked, not touching the folder. This, Naomi said coldly. Is what handling a situation looks like. My team has already compiled witness statements, medical documentation of Ariel's condition, and copies of all the permission forms we filed with your office last year.
Wexley's confident demeanor faltered. Now, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Ms. Ror has been disciplined. A one-day suspension is not discipline, Naomi interrupted.
It's a vacation, she tapped the folder. Inside, you'll also find evidence that Ms. Ror has a history of racially motivated incidents. This isn't her first time targeting a black child, though it may be her most brazen. Wexley's face darkened.
These are serious allegations. They're documented facts, Naomi corrected. And they'll be submitted to the district board, the state education department, and if necessary, the media. You're threatening the reputation of this entire school over one incident? Wexley asked, his tone incredulous.
You threatened my daughter's dignity, her mental health, and her right to education free from discrimination? Naomi replied evenly. I'd say we're still not quite even. Later that afternoon, Ms. Ror sat in a small office at the local news station, adjusting her collar nervously as a producer clipped a microphone to her blouse.
"We'll be live in 3 minutes," the producer said. "Just tell your side of the story like we discussed," Ms. Ror nodded, practicing her most sympathetic expression in the monitor. When the red light came on, she transformed her face a mask of wounded professionalism. Thank you for having me, she said to the anchor.
It's important that people hear the truth. And what is the truth, Miss Ror? The anchor asked. I was simply doing my job, she replied, her voice quavering slightly for effect. The school had implemented a strict dress code policy, and as teachers, we're expected to enforce it.
This student had been warned multiple times about her hair. The students family claims she has a medical condition. The anchor noted, "There was nothing in her file about hair exemptions," Ms. Ror countered. "And frankly, I think this is being blown out of proportion because her mother is in the military.