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at the back are finished with their discussion,” he said.
    I turned around, craned my neck and rose slightly in my seat to see who he was talking about. The last few rows were filled with potential candidates. It could have been any of twenty guys occupying those seats.
    Every school has a core group of people—usually guys—who cause all the trouble. I was actually surprised that ours were even here at the assembly. Usually they used assemblies as an excuse to go out and have a smoke.
    â€œI’ll continue,” he said. “I know that there have been some issues with your school.”
    He made it sound like we were a problem school. Sure, the last couple of years there had been talk about how we didn’t have enough discipline at this school and how badly we behaved at football games and dances and things like that. And then there’d been a couple of incidents of vandalism and a bunch of laptop computers were stolen and...Well, maybe we did have issues.
    â€œBut I believe that this school has the potential to be the
very
best in the district if we’re all prepared to work together to make it happen. What I need from each and every one of you is to make a commitment to—”
    He stopped talking again, walked to the front of the stage, jumped off and started up the aisle. Every eye followed him. He stopped at the last row.
    â€œI am so
sorry
that I keep disturbing you two boys and interrupting your conversation,” he said. “But you just keep on talking. I’ll wait. I’m an incrediblypatient man. No, that’s a lie. I have never been patient with rude. You two, stand up,
now
!” he yelled.
    Two boys stumbled to their feet. I knew them. Everybody knew them. They were making high school a seven-year project— assuming they ever did graduate.
    â€œThese two boys,” Mr. Roberts said as he turned and faced the auditorium, “do
not
run the school. They have no
right
to disrespect
me
or anybody
else
in this school. They will show respect for
everybody
in this school, or they will not be
in
this school.”
    He turned to face the two boys and moved so close that he was practically on top of them. He was such a big man that he towered over them. He didn’t need that baseball bat to be scary.
    â€œYou boys have a problem with what I’m saying?”
    They both shook their heads and mumbled answers that I couldn’t hear.
    â€œSit down,” Mr. Roberts ordered, and they dropped down like they’d been shot.
    I was really starting to like this guy. Ashe walked back toward the stage, there was a rumble of reaction.
    â€œMan, this guy doesn’t take prisoners,” I whispered to Oswald.
    â€œIf he does, it’s just to execute them. Remind me not to get him mad at me.”
    As he walked past us, he looked in our direction. “Ian, Oswald, good to see you,” he said quietly.
    Before we could respond, he bounded up onto the stage.
    â€œI told you we knew him,” Oswald said to Julia.
    â€œNow, as I was saying before I was interrupted, I expect every person in this school to be respected by every other person. Respect is one of the few things that is
given
, but that has to be
earned
. It’s one of the few things that if you want to
receive
it, you have to
give
it.”
    He paused and looked around the room. There wasn’t a sound.
    â€œEverybody in this school is going to be working toward the same goal. And anybody who isn’t—students,” he said,gesturing to the audience, “or staff”—he said as he looked at the teachers assembled on the stage—“will quickly find they will not be part of this school.”
    I looked at the expressions of some of the teachers. Some seemed to be surprised by his comment, others angry, and more than a few looked afraid. A couple nodded in agreement, including Mr. Phillips. He was the guy who had me suspended last year. He was also the