The meeting was set for Thursday at 9 a.m. Ms. Nair laid things on the table in order: Brennan’s rubric with scores per category, her written notes from the defense, the rubric handout distributed to all students in week one, a log of every email exchange with the Holloways since September, and the USB drive. Principal Harmon asked what was on it. She told him it was the audio recording of Brennan’s defense, taken as part of her standard classroom documentation — the same practice she had communicated to parents at the start of the year.
David Holloway said he hadn’t realised she recorded students. She showed him the email she’d sent in September explaining the practice, and his own reply — two words: Thanks, noted. Catherine asked whether playing the recording was strictly necessary. Principal Harmon said he’d like to hear it. Ms. Nair plugged in the drive and pressed play.
They listened to six minutes and forty seconds. The room stayed quiet long after it finished. David Holloway looked at the table. Catherine asked whether Brennan could redo the defense under different conditions. Principal Harmon looked at Ms. Nair. She said, “The school resubmission policy does not apply to live assessments.” There was a pause. Harmon said the grade would stand.