With outrage

You make your way to the front of the assembled teachers ignoring the mutterings that come from all sides. Pulling the booklet with Code of Conduct written in bold red letters across the front cover from the breast pocket of your jacket you show it to the twenty or so faces that were watching you with undivided attention.

"I'm sure most of you have seen this book before." You see most of the women nod carefully although you see puzzled looks from at least some of the new members. "This is the information that is sent to the students and their parents each year as part of the Welcome Packet, most of it is pretty standard as you know, but I was surprised to read the section of corporal punishment." You wonder if news of your decision has leaked out because, while many of the faculty look bewildered, there are several teachers that lean forwards in anticipation.

"After a good amount of consideration, I have decided that lacking any other clearly defined guidelines that I will enforce the Code of Conduct as it is written." The silence that had filled the room when you first started speaking is instantly gone as over five different heated conversations start at once.

The various alliances that you suspected by the way they had first arranged themselves coalesced sharply into clear groups of contentious factions. As far as you could tell there are four distinct initial reactions. A group of older women fronted by the outspoken Miss Swanson were against anything you might propose just because of your gender. A second group, among whom you recognize the shy librarian seen to be opposed to the decision for reasons similar to Ms. Naylor's protests.

A surprising number, Monica, Ms. Considine, the large black woman who had mocked Miss Swanson earlier and two or three others who you do not recognize applaud in approval. The rest of the teachers, including the three men, either had no idea what was going on or hid their feelings pretty well, to your surprise Ms. Naylor was part of that group. It is hardly a ringing endorsement of your decision, but considering how bitterly she had opposed your plan you feel a warm glow of hope - perhaps she was not going to make this any worse than she had to.

"Ms. Naylor!" As you suspected Miss Swanson is the first to vocalize her objections. "You simply cannot allow a man to mistreat our refined young ladies like that! It's an outrage!"

"Miss Swanson," you counter her objection calmly, "if the students at the Academy are as refined as you say then this is a moot point. Paddling is only mandated for serious offenses: cheating, drinking, sexual misconduct, bullying and repeated lesser offenses including insolence and dress code violations." Every eye is on you as you tick off the misdemeanors, some seem surprised that you know their rules book better than they do. "These hardly sound like the things refined young ladies would do."

"I thought you wanted to see these girls learn respect, Miss Swanson." Ms. Considine feigns confusion, "Aren't you the one always talking about how much better our students behaved when Mrs. Marshal was here to show them their place?" There are muted chuckles from every corner of the room, apparently this is an oft-heard lament from the spluttering woman, and one that the teachers in the room were sick of hearing.

"But we can't let him paddle the student's like Mrs. Marshal did." A dark-haired bespectacled woman in a Clinton style pant-suit interjects. "I mean the parents won't put up with it, especially after what happened last year..." Her question tails off into an awkward silence and everywhere you look you see the once stridently opinionated faculty pretending that nothing unseemly had happened.

"Actually, Ms. Lawson." Diana steps in to fill the void, "I spent a good amount of time on the phone yesterday speaking with a selection of both parents and alumna, I found a surprising amount of support for the idea." She smiles in a way that makes you remember why you find her so damn attractive. "Of course, that's before it's their daughter whose ass is being tanned."

There is a sprinkling of laughter from several of the assembled teachers, and the unease that you had noticed when Ms. Lawson had spoken seems to dissipate. You decide to try to put some of the unspoken doubts to rest.

"The book specifically calls for all paddling to be witnessed by at least one other adult," you remind them. "It's not like I'm going to take them alone into my office to **** them." That is as much for your own protection as the students, there might well be times that having another teacher in the room with you is what keeps you from taking liberties that you would later regret.