And, they're off !!

My morning started watching a scene unfold that happens all too often these days in Elementary schools.
The teacher I share a room with is the Resource/Behavior teacher. She wears a radio so they can call her to come running when a child has a "crisis." Today, it was a 1st grader I'll call "John". He'd already been brought to the room for a "time out" and left seemingly under control. Things are not always as they seem.

About 9:15, I went out to pick up my first group of 2nd graders, and heard footsteps running toward me. It was John, and he was running. I stood there, because these days, you don't go after a kid unless you are specifically trained on the physicality of the moment. As I stood there, the teacher I am with and the principal chased John round and round for several minutes. He was an adrenalin filled 8 year old and they were grown women in work shoes. He clearly had the advantage and new his path well. After watching several laps and near-misses, John found himself cornered, and collapsed into a heap at the feet of the teacher. She and the principal put him in "transport" mode and took him to seclusion, where they called his mother. She came up, said all the right things, and went home. My co-worker says it will last for about a week, and then, they'll do it again.
There used to be one child like John in a district. Then, one per campus... later, one per grade level. Now, it's almost one "runner" in each class.

Please. Finger print me. Put my scores in the newspaper. Take away my laminating budget for the year. Give me a child or two like John.

Teachers don't ask for much. We just would like to teach and be left alone.