by Peter Martin
Barbara smiled at her elder daughter, 16-year-old Emma, as she walked in to the classroom for the Parent Observation afternoon where parents sit at the back of the classroom and watch as their sons or daughters are taught one lesson. The purpose of the Parent Observation afternoon is to give the parent an understanding of their child's attitude towards learning.
Barbara was 37-years-old and wore a sleeveless floral dress, her legs bare as it was summer. Two of the other mums were similarly dressed including Barbara's close friend, Angela, also 37-years old, who was there to observe her 16-year-old daughter, Lauren.
Emma smiled back at her mum. She, like Lauren, was in her summer school uniform of a green and white gingham short-sleeved dress with short white socks.
If the truth be known, few mums actually wanted to attend the observation sessions as they thought responsibility for ensuring their sons and daughters concentration span was a matter for the teacher rather than them, and most wanted to be doing their own thing, especially those with jobs, who would far rather go to work than attend the sessions. Barbara and Angela were amongst those who didn't want to be at the school observing their children.
The school was aware of many parents' reluctance and had experienced differing levels of disruption ranging from chattering mums to mums playing games on their tablets to mums taking phone calls (even though they held their hands over their mouths to dull the noise it was always unsuccessful.) The school already had in place a Parent Discipline Regime where parents would get the same punishment as their sons or daughters if they were repetitive rule breakers. So, as a new rule started this year, it was stated that on observation days 'School Rules' applied to everyone in the classroom, so equally applicable to the mums as well as the pupils. The new rule had been tried out the previous week and two mums had been sent to the Headmistress and were caned.
To be fair, though, it wasn't the thought of being disciplined that put the parents off wanting to come, as discipline was something that was taken for granted and it was generally accepted that a strong discipline regime led to better school results as well as a more relaxed home life. Instead, the parents just didn't see the relevance of them spending an hour watching their children at school when they saw enough of them at home. However, as it was mandatory, all parents came to the school when requested to do so, as they didn't wish to risk the wrath of the Headmistress.
Today though, it was known the Headmistress wasn't at the school and although nothing had been said officially, the mums assumed it was back to the old rules today where they would not be subject to disciplinary action, and that made them more relaxed.
As usual, the pupils tended to chatter whilst all the mums settled down in their chairs at the back of the classroom. Once they had, the teacher, Miss Tudor, called the pupils to order and silence reigned.
Miss Tudor had taught at the school for three years after graduating from Teacher Training and was 29-years-old. She wore a white short-sleeved blouse with a dark blue skirt and stockings. Her hair was dark brown and tied back in a ponytail and she had a fringe.
Miss Tudor had a teacher's assistant, Miss Malloy, who was just 22-years-old. She wore a white vest top with a white gym skirt and had bare legs. She usually helped in the gym but today was helping Miss Tudor during the observation session, though she wore her usual gym-teacher clothes.
Miss Tudor was the maths teacher and as this was the start of year 11 they were well in to the GCSE syllabus and were focusing today on algebra. She soon had several equations on the blackboard and was explaining how they might be used in one's work life.
Barbara and Angela were soon bored as they were lost by what Miss Tudor was explaining and they were chatting, initially in whispers, but occasionally so that they were heard by Miss Tudor.
"Please be quiet at the back," Miss Tudor said loudly, directing her gaze at Barbara and Angela, who saw the glare and both blushed and stopped talking immediately. However, they soon started again and their tones got louder and louder until Miss Tudor said sternly, "Please, ladies - that is now the second time I have asked you to be quiet and listen." Again the two mums blushed and stopped talking.
It was still only halfway through the lesson when Angela's mobile vibrated and she took it out and saw it was her office. She knew she shouldn't have answered it, but did so, and holding her hand over her mouth she spoke very softly for about thirty seconds, eyeing Miss Tudor to make sure she wasn't aware of what she was doing. The call got serious though and when Barbara was told something that really shocked her she forgot to whisper and almost shouted out, "No way."
She realised immediately what she had done and saw a very cross Miss Tudor glaring at her, so she said hopefully, "Sorry, Miss Tudor."
Miss Tudor was less than impressed and ordered, "End the call right now, please."
Barbara said a quick "Got to go" into the phone but the other person made another point and Barbara said more urgently, "I have to go and will call you ... yes, yes ... okay, bye," and ended the call.
Miss Tudor was still very unhappy and glaring at Barbara said sternly, "That is not good enough as I had to tell you three times to be quiet." She then looked at Miss Malloy and said, "Please take Mrs Lewis to Room Seven and give her 203."
Barbara gasped as she knew what it meant and heard most of the pupils gasp and turn and look at her as they also knew what it meant.
Miss Malloy walked over to Barbara and ordered, "Please come with me, Mrs Lewis."
Barbara was blushing as she got up and caught Emma's eye and could see the concern her daughter showed, but followed Miss Malloy out of the classroom. Once outside Barbara looked at the teaching assistant and said as though reminding her, "The Headmistress isn't here you know, so should I just go home?" She knew she was using a sarcastic tone of voice.
Miss Malloy glared at Barbara and said, "We will discuss this in Room Seven, Mrs Lewis," and pointed along the corridor, beckoning Barbara to keep walking.
Barbara shrugged her shoulders thinking what a young authoritarian whippersnapper Miss Malloy was, but walked with her anyway and saw the number seven on a door just a few metres away.
Miss Malloy stopped at the door and spun the sign around so instead of 'Vacant' it read 'In Use', before opening the door and making it clear that Barbara should walk inside.
Barbara made a face and shrugged her shoulders as if to say, 'If I must', as she walked past Miss Malloy. Once inside she turned and put her bands on her hips and demanded, "Why are we here? I told you the Headmistress isn't in school today."
Miss Malloy ignored what Barbara said and demanded, "Please address me as, 'Miss' or 'Miss Malloy' and show me some respect. I will be dealing with your rudeness and misbehaviour."
Barbara shrugged her shoulders and aggressively asked, "Says who?"
Miss Malloy took out a sheet of paper and handed it to Barbara saying in an equally demanding voice, "Says the Headmistress, and I have told you to address me with respect."
Barbara took the piece of paper to speed read, but as she did so she calmed down quickly as concern spread across her face. She saw that the Headmistress had delegated her disciplinary rights to any of the staff. After getting to the end she looked up at Miss Malloy feeling and looking contrite and said an apologetic, "Oh, erm, sorry, um, Miss."
Miss Malloy saw that Barbara now understood her position and said in a wearisome voice, "I really don't understand why you parents don't bother to read the information we send you, but then that is your problem and not mine, I suppose."
Barbara felt ready to cry as she really did understand the position she was now in and did indeed regret not reading the letters the school sent home for the parents to read. She was also only too aware what the 203 meant, which was 200 spanks on her bare bottom and three strokes of the cane. At least it wasn't four strokes, she told herself, as that would mean a punishment letter home which she would have needed her mum to sign.
Miss Malloy went to a high-backed chair close to one wall and sat down, looked up at Barbara, and ordered, "Remove your knickers and raise your dress above your waist and then bend across my lap."
Barbara scrunched up her face at the expected instruction and she obediently lifted her dress up so she could get her thumbs inside the elastic of her knickers, which she then pushed down towards the floor stepping out of them and putting them on the table. She blushed at the humiliation of having to remove her knickers. She stood up and walked across the room and stood by Miss Malloy momentarily looking down at her bare thighs and well-toned bare arms before pulling the hem of her dress well up and above her waist and easing herself down across the teaching assistant's lap.
As Barbara lowered her full weight across Miss Malloy's lap she thought about the age difference which she felt unfair but decided it was best not to argue and risk the fourth cane stroke. It was certainly humiliating to be going across the lap of a woman just a few years older than her own daughter, but Miss Malloy was the one in authority right now and so had the upper hand, no matter how humiliating it was and no matter how relatively young she was.
Miss Malloy was still annoyed with Barbara's initial confrontational attitude and as she put her palm on the bare bottom across her lap she looked at the back of Barbara's head and told her emphatically, "I have increased your tariff to four strokes of the cane because of your rudeness. Understood?"
Barbara groaned but supposed she had expected some level of retribution for her initial poor behaviour and reluctantly accepted that she would have to go and see her mum later today to get her letter signed and be given the spanking she knew her mum would give her with some relish.
Barbara looked at the floor as she replied obediently, "Yes, Miss." She didn't look up but did look at the backs of Miss Malloy's legs and knew she would be seeing the same upside-down view of her mum's legs later on.
Miss Malloy knew exactly what she was doing when upping the caning to four strokes but really was annoyed with Barbara's attitude almost from the time she entered the classroom, and felt the punishment letter in her pocket would prevent any repetition when they got back to the classroom.
Indeed, as Barbara felt Miss Malloy's hand rubbing her bottom in circles she too thought about the letter she supposed she would get, maintaining the forlorn hope that if she behaved for the rest of the punishment that she wouldn't be given one. Even as the first spank landed and she gasped, she decided she would try and be as submissive as any of the pupils would be, in the hope that no letter would be given.
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