Creative Nonfiction Contest Winner
A Teacher’s Nightmare
False accusations derail a promising career
My sister sounded afraid. “We can’t get together tonight,” she rushed. “Something happened.”
“Oh no,” I said. “Are you OK?”
“I will be, I guess. This kid — this student — he told some lies and I’m in trouble. It’ll get worked out but it might take time.”
We could not have predicted the time would be more than a year. We didn’t know the journey would involve her picture on the front of the newspaper. We wouldn’t have dared guess how many thousands would be spent on legal fees.
Allison had decided to become a teacher like me. While I was a bit daunted when she took a job at the juvenile detention high school, her first year was a complete success.
She once called all excited about getting a greenhouse so the boys could “grow their own salad.” She would choke up talking about helping these young men realize a better life and never return to incarceration. Allison was in the profession to make a difference.
Then Tyler showed up. At the start of Allison’s second school year, I began hearing about the 17-year-old who bragged about stealing a car and killing a pedestrian. “He jokes about the man being…
