The Landry News by Andrew Clements Page B

to the students. It is true that Dr. Barnes asked to see each copy of the newspaper before it was printed, and I refused that request. But Dr. Barnes did not insist on previewing each paper, which, as principal, he could have. Instead, he left the responsibility with me. He gave me no guidelines about what topics were not appropriate,nor does the school board have any clear policies regarding school newspapers. According to the Hazelwood Supreme Court decision, a school board must have a clear set of policies in force in order to censor a student newspaper.”
    Mr. Larson paused and looked around at Dr. Barnes. “So, as I see it, I am being accused of allowing something to happen that no one ever informed me I should not have allowed to happen in the first place. Either that, or the real issue here is those past complaints about my teaching practices that Madam President has mentioned.”
    Mr. Larson walked back to his place, opened his briefcase, and pulled out a copy of the article. “As part of my statement, I would like to read out loud the entire story from the newspaper so that all present and also all those watching at home on the town cable TV channel can judge for themselves its appropriateness or inappropriateness.” The board members began hurriedly whispering among themselves, their hands cupped over their microphones.
    The whispering stopped, and Mrs. Deopolis said, “Since it is a part of your defense, you have the right to read the story into the record, Mr. Larson.”
    A woman in the sixth row immediately stood up and raised her hand. Mrs. Deopolis nodded to her, and a Boy Scout trotted over to her with another portablemicrophone. “Thank you, Madam President. My name is Allie Morton, and my son Michael has asked if he may read the story aloud. He’s the boy who wrote it, and it’s about the divorce our family went through last year.”
    Almost everyone in the auditorium seemed to gasp at once. But Cara Landry didn’t gasp. She had known this was coming. She had called Michael a week ago to ask him to read his story at the meeting. She told him it would help Mr. Larson if people could see that this was a true story. At first Michael said no. He thought he would be too scared. But after he talked it over with his mom, he called Cara back and said he would do it—for Mr. Larson. Cara sat up on the edge of her seat to see what would happen.
    After another hurried conference among the board, it was agreed that Michael Morton could read his own words aloud for the record. He squeezed his way past knees and seat backs in the sixth row and walked down the aisle to where Mr. Larson stood. Mr. Larson handed Michael the story and held the microphone for him. Michael brushed the mop of brown hair out of his eyes, looked once at his mom in the sixth row, and then at Cara Landry in the fourth row. He focused on the page, gulped, and began to read, squinting because of the bright lights held up by the TV camera crews.
    Lost and Found
    When I heard that my parents were getting divorced, the first thing I did was run to my room, grab my baseball bat, and pound all my Little League trophies into bits.
    I felt like I wanted to run away. I have a lot of friends who have divorced parents, but I never thought it would happen in my family. I felt like I was lost. This was going to ruin everything.
    My mom told me that my dad was going to move out and live somewhere else. She kept saying things like “Don’t worry” and “Everything will be all right” and “Things like this just happen.” And she said that I would still get to see my dad and that I could talk to him whenever I wanted to. I didn’t believe her.
    My dad took me out to a restaurant. He wanted to talk to me. He said I wouldn’t understand, but that he just didn’t love my mom anymore. He was right—that was the part I couldn’t understand. I mean, sometimes I yell “I