“All of my students' grades went up. They even did the homework! My students actually looked forward to class each day.”

— April Holland, Teacher, Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School

STUDENT ANTHOLOGIES EXCERPTS

Johnathan Woo’s “Stopping Anger”

in Finding Our Way: True Stories of Dilemmas, Difficulties and Discoveries by San Francisco Youth

A few months ago, I survived a very interesting bullying incident. When I went to the bathroom, a kid named Moe stalked me and tried to corner me. It would seem like the boys' bathroom was made for cornering. Each door has two locks on each stall except the large one. Paper towels litter the ceiling, and the fluorescent lights blink. The sun penetrates the frosted windows every morning, causing the sun's rays to shatter and split all over the room. It smells as if someone forgot that there are toilets and started spraying everywhere. The tiles are sticky with a fluid I dare not classify.

I'm sure a lot of cornering and beating happened before mine. Every time I walk through the cold and clammy bathroom door, I have that fear of Moe cornering me. Now, that fear had come true.

When I began to walk out, Moe saw me and pulled me back into the bathroom. He is a stout kid and a seventh grader. You can almost see Moe, strutting down the school hallways. Owning the label of school bully, Moe is a force to be reckoned with. I've known injured rhinos that are nicer than he is when he gets mad. If you even nudge him, he gets in your face. Moe is rarely seen without his puffy jacket that makes him seem bigger than he already is. Even the toughest and the bravest kids steer clear of him. He is the monster from your worst nightmare. Now I was face-to-face with him.

"What did you say about my mama?" he demanded.

"Wha... What do you mean?" I mumbled.

But Moe wasn't convinced. "That ain't funny. What did you say about my mama?" he demanded again.

I was speechless. I tried to flush the words out. "Look, man, I didn't say any..."

Just then, Moe cut in, furious and dangerously loud. "Shut up, punk! What the $%&# did you say about my mama?"

Now this one blew me away. "Mama?" I asked myself. I hadn't even looked at him until now. Someone must have lied to him, knowing the potential of his anger. Still, lie or truth, I was pretty close to getting pounded into hamburger. I tried to force myself through the door, telling him, "I didn't say anything about your mama." But it was foolish. I didn't get away; he was too strong.

Then Moe started to threaten. He declared that he would take my watch in exchange for my life. I refused, still clinging to the now small fact that I had not teased him since the beginning of the school year. This moment was the first time I had actually feared for my life.

I forced myself to try being a diplomat. I am barely a diplomat, but desperate situations call for desperate tactics. I stated, "Why would I say anything about your mother if I knew you were going to kill me?" Bullseye! Straight in the hole!

But he did not give me the answer I wanted. He said, "I'm sorry, Johnathan. You thought I was really bullying you? I'm sorry."

I was outraged. This was what he called a joke? I stormed out of the bathroom, angry and confused. How can a human being be so emotionless? I even ask that question now. Maybe this was just a freak incident. Maybe not.

Born in Guangzhou, China, Johnathan Woo immigrated to San Francisco when he was only ten months old. Picking up English at an early age, he has forgotten his homeland and how to speak Chinese. He likes to go outdoors, to read long, thick books and to sleep. Johnathan always complains to his parents, asking them to buy him video games, but he usually fails to convince them. One day, Johnathan hopes to see his great grandchildren.

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