The principal closed the folder firmly. “This is your warning. A pardon, not forgiveness. If you continue, the door will close for good.” Diane nodded reluctantly, a rare seriousness in her eyes. For the first time, Carol believed her daughter had heard the weight behind the words.
Then the principal’s tone shifted, steely. “And Mrs. Connors. She, too, will hear from me. Authority does not excuse cruelty. Teachers sometimes forget that their ridicule plants seeds that children carry for life. I will not allow that cycle to repeat under my watch.” Carol’s chest eased at the justice unspoken for years.