“Attention all students and teachers.” The speaker on the wall beside me blared making most of the class nearly deaf. “There shall be no littering, or destroying school property. As the 8th amendment has been” There was sudden pause, all we could hear was the principal's breathing while he thought of the right word. “overpowered. You will be turned in to the police if you disobey…..have a great day.”

The whole class stared at the speaker wondering what that meant. “What's the 8th amendment again?” Cyndi, the girl who doesn't say a word in class, except to comment on how the teacher’s clothes are “so last century” asked while blowing a bubble with her gum, her legs up on the desk as she relaxes back so perfectly in her chair.
Alex jumped up “The 8th amendment states that no one will be fined with large amounts, or punished cruelly.” He smiled, his braces showed little bits of his very yellow teeth. He’s the kid that I always ask when I’m confused during class. The only one that seems to learn anything in this poor school. Very few teachers, and the lunch food…..deadly. 

Mrs. Smith stood up, “Enough class, you know how Mr. Johnson can be. Just don’t do anything stupid and you’ll be fine.” She pointed a ruler at the chalkboard, “Now, what is the atomic mass of this atom?”