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At the chalkface: A moral dilemma

Support staff Senior leadership Teaching staff
“But we ain’t doin’ nothing!!” Ah, the legendary phrase. I’ve heard it for 40 years. That flat denial of a misdemeanour as it is being enacted. All those negatives. They’ve always not been doing nothing, not ever, not nohow, not once in their whole lives...

I’m lugging some big, black bags to some large bins, through a globally warmed monsoon. It is mid-morning. I spot some “youths” huddling behind said bins, failing to hide. Five of them, two girls, three boys, probably 6th formers bunking the local, whizzo Academy. They regard me sheepishly – an intrusive, glum pensioner in the toxic rain – through a fug of thick smoke. They’re smoking dope.

One boy rolls Rizlas, skins up. They giggle stupidly with illegal smiles. Shall I shop them? Shall I lecture them? Probably not. I don’t need the grief or the verbals and, besides, I’ve paid my debt to society. Now it’s your turn.

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