Then it happened. The siren was blown. My tutors and I scrambled all over the yard collecting tools from my students and locking them in our tool shed. I thought I had all my bases covered. Staff were accounted for in the school, and I was allowed to go count the tools to make sure I had them all. Once that determination was made, and the prisoners were back in their housing units for count we had a program and school staff meeting with our new Assistant Deputy Warden, our Deputy Warden and Captain. As always with new staff I would be asked a thousand questions on why , what and where my students were working, and with this new ADW it took on a much different dimension.
All horticulture projects being completed in the level 2 yards and school yards were stopped. I had to have permission through this new ADW’s office to complete or continue working on the gardens both flower and vegetable. Plans on how I wished to continue had to be submitted and approved by the new ADW’s office. Even after informing all of them that the main plan was approved by our warden the new ADW (in cohorts with our Deputy Warden, and Captain) insisted I needed to resubmit my plans for their approval. I can honestly say their request had me flummoxed. Another level of bureaucracy was being immediately established and imposed on the school to purposely halt our progress.
I knew from here on out I was going to have a hard time with these DOC administrators overseeing the school. It became even more complicated when some of our naysayers became even more indignant, and vocal. For the first time at this facility I was being targeted by some real staff assholes who would grab their crotch and state for all to hear, “hey Horticulture Teacher, I got your tulips right here.!” I couldn’t wait for our school principal to return to our facility. He had to divide his time between two facilities, and he wasn’t present for our new ADW’s introduction to our school. When he returned he wasn’t concerned by what I informed had happened at our staff meeting. He called the Warden’s office and we had an immediate meeting with the New Assistant Deputy Warden, Deputy Warden, the Warden, and the captain.
The Warden informed everyone at this meeting that the program I was implementing was already approved by the Governors’ office. He had the blue print that I had submitted earlier and informed them he had already approved it before sending it on. He thought it was rather ambitious of me but he could see I was already making great progress, and that I was not to be hindered in that endeavor. He informed me that if I was being harassed on any level I was to inform his office. The new Assistant Deputy Warden, the Deputy Warden, and Captain looked at me but unfortunately didn’t return my smile. The principal thanked everyone for their time and understanding. He had a way of doing it with his eyes closed that either spoke of his experience or his boredom. I believed it was both. He informed everyone if their weren’t any questions for the school we were needing to get back, because my students will be planting “Elephant Head Amaranth.”
All the plants had been grown in our greenhouse and were being planted in the flower beds facing the Administration Building windows. (where the Captain and Deputy Warden’s offices were located.) There were no questions, the meeting was adjourned, and we proceeded on our way. However, once the flowers started maturing after being planted I was being questioned on their appearance. I couldn’t help it if they were being perceived by some to be giving “the finger.” My explanation fell on deaf ears. What they called “the finger” was actually the trunk and after time would curl around the head giving it an appearance of an elephant’s head. I was not being believed by my naysayers. They considered this an act of defiance. “But by whom” I would ask? “Me?” They actually believed I had planned this. Give it time I would explain, “everything changes with time.” To Be Continued…
MJ-Way 