Page 117 of The Rest is History

Deliah, however, gives me a tentative smile, which I don’t return. And Gerald, who’s sitting next to her, tries to catch my eye several times. I ignore him like I would an annoying stomach bug.

Everyone takes their seats, a yellow file in front of them, as do I. Susan, who just entered the room, turns on the screen on the left wall. It lights up with the heading: In the matter between LINKSFIELD HIGH SCHOOL and ASHER CAMERON.

Susan announces that the session is now being recorded. Introductions are made. Chairperson Ferdi Castil will be presiding. Mr. Castil is a respected member of the greater Linksfield community, who has presided over tens of similar disciplinary proceedings in schools and corporate environments alike. He has a law degree and currently holds a position at InvestX, one of the country’s most prestigious private wealth banks.

I make a mental note that if Ferdi is conservative in his personal and political views, I’m basically fucked already.

Deliah and Gerald are introduced as witnesses for the district and Genevieve Flock, who gives me several disdainful looks, is introduced as the community speaker.

Ferdi begins.

“We’re here today in the matter between Asher Cameron and Linksfield High School and the Iowa school district. The purpose of this meeting is to unpack the outcome of the investigation of moral indiscretions allegedly committed by Mr. Cameron, which has brought Linksfield High School’s reputation under scrutiny. And for such breach, refer to Addendum one, section seven of Linksfield High School’s Code of Conduct. Any questions?”

He looks around the table. There’s a murmur of no’s, including mine.

“Mr. Cameron, we’ll go in the following order: I’ll explain the process that was followed up until this point. This is to place on record that due process has been followed. This will be followed by Principal Watson, who will state for the record the steps taken by the school. Morris Beckhart will follow, and Genevieve Flock will then read a statement on behalf of the community. Lastly, there will be statements given by Deliah Smith and Gerald Duncan, representing Linksfield High School. Do you have any witnesses or representation, Mr. Cameron?”

“I do not.”

“Okay. Stating for the record that Mr. Cameron has chosen to represent himself in this matter. Any questions?”

Another round of no’s.

“Right, let’s kick off.” He shuffles through his stack of documents as if they are not all already in order. I open my file.

“Mr. Cameron, as you are aware, Superintendent Morris Beckhart, on September twenty-first, received an email stating a possible breach of Linksfield’s Code of Conduct, stating that you have entered into a personal relationship with a man, while you remain married to someone else. That your legal partner is aware of this relationship and is also a participant in it. This complaint was referred to Principal Watson, who provided you with the details of the complaint. Combined with statements supporting such a charge, we are now here to hear your response to the complaint and gather information in order to determine an appropriate outcome. Do you have any questions?”

“I do not.”

“Right. Principal Watson, we’ll start with you.”

Watson doesn’t look at me as he pages through his documents. “Uh. Well. Yes,” he starts. “I, uh, received the complaint from the school district's office stating such as Mr. Castil has just explained. I checked the school’s Code of Conduct and found that the complaint refers to section seven, which states that if a teacher is found to have conducted himself in a way that may be construed as morally abhorrent or has committed moral indiscretions, then he is in breach of the morality clause of section seven and is subject to disciplinary action.”

Principal Watson takes a deep breath and wipes his hair – which appears to be damp – and continues. “I informed Ca—I mean, Mr. Cameron of the charges, issued the necessary paperwork and placed him on administrative leave.”

“Did Mr. Cameron deny the charge, Principal Watson?” Genevieve asks.

“Uh, no, he did not.”

“Okay, any other questions?” Ferdi asks.

No all-round.

Next is Morris Beckhart. He's a serious-looking man with a bald spot at the back of his head, and when he speaks it makes me think of an old-school preacher. In other words, not someone who’s likely to take pity on me.

“Yes,” he says. “We received the complaint from the father of one of the participants in this relationship, who expressed his concern about the moral and ethical implications of a teacher’s conduct of his personal life, especially when the teacher is held in high regard by impressionable students.”

I wish I could tell these assholes that my ability to sleep with two men at the same time is none of their business, and that the children don’t care about it, one way or another.

“In light of the current climate in our country, as we deal with the issue of immorality as an epidemic, we felt it necessary to request that an investigation be conducted. As required by the governing bodies, we followed the necessary protocols. Thank you.”

Genevieve goes next, and it is her statement that is going to hurt the most. She speaks for the people.

“We, the people of Iowa, and citizens of the United States of America,” she says, “take pride in calling this land our home, and this community our extended family. We are a nation founded on the principles and laws given to us by God himself. And it is our honorable duty as citizens to never stand back and watch the despicable behaviors of those who choose to live their lives outside of these principles and laws.”

Something stings inside my chest, and I realize it’s the fucking audacity of that statement.

She continues. “The nuclear family is all this nation has left. The natural family structure. We have to preserve it at all costs. Our country has already made several compromises to accommodate those who believe they were not created in the image of God, those who insist that they are not what they were created to be.”

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