24. Packing, Protecting, and Pulling No Punches

Tomorrow marks a big milestone: I’m moving into my new apartment. C and a few of our friends are coming up to help me haul the rest of my life into this new space — a symbol of change, growth, and a fresh chapter as I close out my first year of teaching.

And what a wild ride this year has been.

I’m genuinely excited for the reset. There’s something comforting about the click of a new key in a new door. But I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’m also carrying a swirl of emotions. Newness is beautiful. Change is good. But both can be hard. And being an adult? Also hard. Like, ridiculously so.

Speaking of doing hard adult things — something happened yesterday that reminded me just how much weight we carry as teachers beyond the lesson plans and grading.

Some of my students came to me with a concern about a male coworker. They shared that he’s been saying things to them that feel off — oversharing personal information, telling them about his crush, and even asking them (again, let me emphasize — middle schoolers) for advice. He’s treating them like peers, not students. And while I don’t have any evidence that there’s anything overtly exploitative happening right now, it’s still deeply inappropriate.

He’s also made uncomfortable advances toward me in the past — nothing blatant, but enough to make me uneasy. At the time, I didn’t say anything. I figured I could handle it. But this? This is different. This involves kids. My kids.

And the dynamic he’s creating is dangerous. He’s normalizing closeness and blurred boundaries between young girls and an adult man — and even if he doesn’t realize it, he’s laying the groundwork for behavior that can so easily cross into something harmful. I’m not saying he is grooming them, but I am saying he’s building a culture that makes grooming easier.

And I’ve lived through that before. I know what it feels like to not have a voice, to not know how to advocate for yourself. I wasn’t protected when I needed it most.

So, my hope — as the teacher these girls trusted enough to talk to — is to be a voice for the ones who might not realize yet that they can use theirs.

On Monday, I’m having a conversation with administration. I don’t want revenge. I’m not trying to go after anyone’s job. But I will not let this behavior slide. I will not look away. Because if we ignore the “small” things, we’re complicit when they grow into big ones. These students are my priority. Protecting them matters more than protecting someone’s ego or comfort.

This is what doing the hard things looks like. It’s not glamorous. It’s not fun. But it’s necessary.

So here’s to new beginnings, strong coffee, deep breaths, and showing up — even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard.

- Cheesecake