Exceptions (Continued), (Ezzy's Education: Part 20), by Garrett Murch
Most people in the audience nodded, but fewer than during earlier rounds of nodding. Echo tried not to move, her chest barely expanding when she inhaled.
Professor Barron told everyone some ways she was advancing Justice at Agenda, then she returned to more local, immediate concerns that were the stated purpose of the symposium.
“Since we’ve now had a thorough discussion of safe injection sites,” Professor Barron said, “we will move on to an even more pressing matter, and that is the race to fill the seat being vacated by the last remaining Patriot on the Ebbing school board, retiring Howard Bull. With us tonight is a marvelous candidate who would like to replace Bull and give the Justice Party unanimous control of the board. Her name is Echo Bello. Will you all please join me in welcoming Echo, our latest ally for Justice?”
Enthusiastic applause ensued as Echo stood and Professor Barron smiled for the first time that evening. When the applause ended, Echo spoke. “Hi there. My name is Echo Bello and I want to be your next advocate for justice on the Ebbing school board.” Another, lighter applause. “You see, I have lived in Ebbing my entire life. I attended this very high school. I’ll probably date myself here, but I was class of 1992. A couple of you here know that already, as we attended high school together.” Her former classmates applauded.
“After high school I attended Agenda College right here in Ebbing. And right after graduating in 1996, I accepted a job with the college. Today I am still there, currently as an admissions officer.” Professor Barron clapped, sparking the loudest applause of the night so far. “While I have not traveled much, having spent a quarter century at Agenda College, I feel as though I’ve seen the world.” More clapping initiated by Professor Barron.
“I am running for school board because I love this town and I love my daughter, Ezzy. She is a senior at Ebbing like Professor Barron’s daughter, Lucinda. Ezzy is Latinx, she is very well respected at Ebbing High School, and she will be a great ally of Lucinda’s there.”
The applause this time seems less enthusiastic. Professor Barron isn’t clapping. Echo felt a knot in her stomach. What would Ezzy think if she heard me?
Echo decided to move straight to the agenda the school board would enact once Lucinda was serving as student body president and chief student liaison to the school board—even before the school board election in November. “We have three main policy changes we will impose,” she said. “First, we will ban all red meat from the Ebbing High School premises. This will help us combat global warming because, you know, cows, methane, while it also might reduce testosterone-driven toxic masculinity.”
“Huh?” said Mr. Anderson, an algebra teacher in his sixties and a devoted teachers union member.
“I’ll take that question,” Professor Barron said. “There will be exceptions for teachers, Mr.
Anderson. You’ll still be allowed to bring red meat into the teachers’ room for lunch.”
“Oh, okay,” Mr. Anderson said. “I just wanted to make sure.”
“Great,” Echo said. Phew. Bullet dodged. I didn’t know there was an exception. “Now the second change we will make for progress and Justice is banning the idling of automobiles at Ebbing High School. By doing this, we will again show our concern about climate change.”
Professor Barron jumped in again. “And before you ask, Mr. Anderson, this new policy will only apply to the student parking lot. Well, and to parents—ugh, parents—picking students up at the end of the day. This change will not apply to teachers and administrators in their parking lot.”
Mr. Anderson smiled at Professor Barron and gave a thumbs up. “Good, ‘cause my old car needs to warm up in the cold. It’ll hurt the engine to start driving right away.” He winked at Echo.
Huh?
“And third,” Echo said. Shoot. I forgot this one. Embarrassed, she reached into her purse and pulled out a piece of paper. She read from the paper. “We will eliminate the daily police officer presence at Ebbing High School and replace it with student code enforcement officers. Student code enforcement officers will be selected by the school board from a list created by the Ebbing student body president.” Echo looked up and said, “So the list will be made by Lucinda Barron.”
Professor Barron smiled again and slapped her hands together, her arms motioning wide as if she was imitating a moth. Everyone clapped and cheered. Many of the claps, imitating Professor Barron, were like moth wings. Some flying hands knocked into each other, resulting in some confusion and laughter.
“So is Officer Holmes going to lose his job?” asked an older man who Echo knew, George Pruett.
Wanting to field a question on her own this time, Echo quickly replied, “Well, Officer Holmes chose to join a group, the police, that is unjust.”
“But he’s Officer Marcus Holmes,” George Pruett said. “Everyone loves him. He keeps the school safe.”
“He also used to play toxically masculine football,” Echo said.
”What Echo wants you to know,” Professor Barron said, “is the budget savings from reducing the police presence at school is part of the school board’s effort to raise teacher salaries by 5 to 10 percent, and school administrator salaries by up to 50 percent, in just two years.” Every person in the cafeteria clapped, including Echo, who felt awkward applauding herself.
Echo had not been aware of these exceptions and caveats to the new school policies she was campaigning to implement. Odd I was never told about any of them.
“Of course,” Professor Barron said, “when you go out and volunteer for Echo’s campaign, you will not mention these policy agenda items to voters, who may be misinformed and wary of them.”
Heads in the audience, like a single organic body, nodded short, fast nods—up and down, short and fast like bobbleheads.
“When you talk to voters,” Professor Barron said, “it is best to stick to talking about how justice, democracy, and freedom are under siege by the Patriots, how Patriots threaten our children, you know. Try not to talk about the problem of resistant parents, since you may find you are talking to one. It’s unavoidable and I apologize in advance. But for the sake of winning, please keep the policy agenda to yourself until after election day.”
More short, fast nods.
Professor Barron held up a stack of papers. “We have strict talking points for you to use right here. Do not stray from them. They are typed on the sheets of paper being handed out to each of you right now.” A young man picked up a stack of papers next to Professor Barron and walked toward the crowd.
Echo had wrapped up her shtick. I want to say something funny. She decided to go with something she’d thought of earlier that day. “You know,” she said, “we thought briefly about adding an agenda item regarding the high school curriculum, particularly for history and English classes, but Justice has got those pretty under control already, huh?” The crowd roared with laughter.
I thought they’d like that. I’ve got a little mojo!
A crowd member Echo did not recognize asked, “Why don’t you just go ahead and get rid of football? We all hate it.”
“Yes!” another yelled. “Let’s ban toxic masculinity!”
Professor Barron jumped out of her seat and said, “No one—I mean no one—is talking about banning football at Ebbing High School before a student body president is elected. Got it?” The nods this time lacked energy and were accompanied by submissive smiles.
For the first time in her campaign, Echo wondered if she was really going to win. My opponent really isn’t that bad.
“We have a real race on our hands here,” Echo said. “My opponent is not that b—I mean, my opponent seeks to undermine decades of progress and return us to the dark ages. His brand of Patriot fascism poses a threat to democracy.” I’m forgetting the other lines here. I hate it when that happens. “So yes,” Echo said. “That. I’m happy to stick around now and talk with any of you as long as you would like. Onward Justice!” That feels a little better.
Echo did stick around and she spoke with attendees for another half hour or so after the symposium concluded—lots of chatter, laughter, smiles. Yet despite her outward enthusiasm, she somehow did not feel the same passion she felt when she entered the cafeteria earlier that evening. It was as though that spirit she felt had left with Lorena. Echo thought of Ezzy and of her husband, Mateo, and how his relationship with Ezzy was stronger than hers lately. I’m doing everything I’m supposed to but it’s not working.