This article was originally published by Cape Fear Voices/Teen Scene. It has been republished with permission as part of We Are’s international student voice partnership.
Where It All Began
Benjamin
So, I drew on a few of the lockers. I blasted rap music at the school dance. So what? I just wanted to have fun, but now, I have to go to juvie.
I’ve always thought the idea of jail for kids is just stupid! I mean, that’s even worse than summer school! While kids want to have fun and be able to go out and enjoy themselves, they get called to go to juvie for something as small as that. It was just a drawing of Patrick and some music!
After school, I have to go to prison. My mom is furious. I really hope we get phones in juvie because I might need to call my best friend to explain why I’m missing two weeks of school, or how I like to say it, practice jail. I’m certain I won’t even learn my “lesson”.
I’ve been to juvie twice already. Once, I pushed a crippled kid on accident while I was trying to get the kid I shoved in my locker out because I needed a textbook for math. The other time, I shoved a kid in my locker. And now, this time, I committed “vandalism”, whatever that means.
What makes matters worse, I have a football game on Friday. So now, because of kid prison, I can’t even watch my team annihilate the Eagles. I’m so getting that nerd back for snitching on me in two weeks.
Oh yeah, that nerd’s name is Charlie, like from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. So now, this kid who I like to call Snitch got me in juvie. Oh, he’s so going to regret doing that. He’s going to be stuffed in my locker with that other crippled kid and the other kid who I stuffed in my locker. I’ve just gotta hope I don’t get juvie again.
