Stacie took a deep breath before she welcomed the Cobbs into her classroom.

"Welcome Mr. and Mrs. Cobb. Please have a seat." she said, extending her hand towards the empty seats in front of her desk. Their son Samuel sat between them. James Cobb was smiling with anticipation of the good report he was about to hear on his son.

"Alright Mrs. Monroe, let's hear the good word on Samuel. I'm ready for it."

"I'm sorry Mr. Cobb but there isn't any good information."

"What do you mean, no good information?"

"I'm sorry to say Mr. Cobb but Sammy won't be graduating this spring with his class."

"What?!" His mother exclaimed. "That's a lie! A big lie! Just what are you trying to pull?" Stacie tried quickly to get this parent-teacher conference under control.

"Mrs. Cobb, I'm not trying to pull anything. Sammy simply doesn't have the grades to graduate."

"I don't understand son." his father said. "What's going on?"

"I check his homework every night. How could this happen?"

"Well, whatever he's doing at home never makes it here. I don't see it." Julia Cobb shook her head.

"What do you mean?" Stacie opened her grade book to Sammy's class and slid her two pieces of papers to reveal his grades. His parents' eyes widened when they saw the low grades and the zeros.

"Samuel...."

"Why are there so many zeros?" his mother asked. All Sammy could do was sit there in silence. "You don't have an answer son?" Stacie, not being able to handle the silence anymore, spoke up.

"I can't put a grade in for an assignment I don't have. Not even the third sixth weeks project; and that was half of the grade for that six weeks."

"Samuel!" Julia explained. "I proofread that paper. We both did."

"He may have written it, but it definitely didn't get turned in. All of the other players turned theirs in. I can even show you." Stacie slid her two pieces of paper up and down to show the grades of two players in his class, then showed them a few from other classes.

"Look at that, Samuel; Rodrick turned in his project and he worked on it at our house! How could you NOT turn it in? How could you not. turn. it. in?"

"Son, you need to tell me something. What is going on?"

"I don't know dad, I just didn't."

"You just didn't? What kind of answer is that??!"

"Samuel do you even want to go to college?" Stacie asked. "Because you'll never get in with grades like these. What about your scholarship?" All the young man could do was shrug his shoulders.

"Mrs. Monroe I just wanna play football."

"You do know that you can't play college ball without getting into the school first, right? You have to apply and your grades have to be accepted."

"I guess."

"You guess?" his mom asked. "I don't believe you're my son. This is pure nonsense."

"What about summer school? Can he do that?" James asked. "He could still graduate then. Right?" Stacie shook her head.

"I wish he could Mr. Cobb. He can only take two classes during summer school and according to his progress report his needs five classes." The Cobbs were really perplexed now.

"Five? All the progress reports I've seen said Sammy was doing fine. That's why none of this makes sense."

"I haven't been able to give him a passing grade since the second sixth weeks." James couldn't understand. Stacie opened her grade book to a folder where she kept all the athletes progress reports. The Cobbs could definitely see that that from the beginning of the school year Sammy had been having problems. He was clearly failing his senior year and had been lying to them about it.

"How has his been able to play ball?" his father asked. "I thought the policy is no pass no play."

"It is, and I have recommended that he not play because of his grades. I'm not the only teacher that has recommended it. But the coach keeps overriding us. And it's not fair to Sammy or the other players. He shouldn't have been playing."

"But the reports..." Julia said. "Every single one had As and Bs. Every single one." Stacie sighed; this hole was getting bigger and deeper.

"He must have had fake progress reports. Someone in the school must be making them. I can even show you on the school server if you don't believe me." She pulled up the information on her computer then turned the screen so they could see.

"Well, since things were so bad why weren't we notified? We could have done something months ago."

"I've sent emails, left voice mails, even letters and received no response. We've all set up appointments and after we had no response the school board sent letters. And still nothing after that." More shock from the Cobbs.

"I check my email everyday, several times a day. I've never seen one from you or anyone else regarding Sammy." Julia said.

"And I haven't seen any letters in the mail. Maybe we need to check the address you have for us." Stacie showed them the information she had and they confirmed that it was correct. "Sammy did you take the mail? Did you erase the calls? Why are you being so deceitful?" He just sat there. "We're still waiting to hear an answer from you. How could you not turn in your assignments? And what are you doing when you take your tests? I see you study all the time. We're at a loss son."

"Sammy, I really can't stress this enough. If you don't graduate you don't play ball." Stacie said.

"They said not to worry about it. So I didn't." he finally replied.

"They? Who are they?" Stacie asked.

"The coach and I think his name was Mr. Galloway."

"What coach? And who is Mr. Galloway?" James asked.

"Coach Stovall."

"From the College of Missouri Coach Stovall?" Stacie asked as she wrote down information.

"Yes ma'am."

"And who is Mr. Galloway?"

"I don't know. He always comes with the coach."

"Oh my god Sammy you don't know who he is?" Julia asked.

"He's the one telling me not to worry about my grades. He said everything would be okay." All of the adults shook their heads in disbelief. Sammy looked at them and began to panic. "He even helped me with my ACT. That was ok wasn't it?"

"Your ACT? What do you mean? Did he help you study or something?" Julia asked. "I took you over there both times to take it. I didn't see any funny business." Sammy looked at the floor. Stacie stopped writing.

"You did take the test, right?" Stacie asked.

"No ma'am I didn't."

"Oh my God Sammy, no! That was a huge mistake!" Stacie exclaimed.

"What?"

"You may have just made yourself ineligible to play and maybe to even get into school. Any school."

"What?! How?"

"You have to show identification in order to take the test and if someone took your test illegally, with a false id, it's a false test. And fraud. The test can not be used."

"Nobody has to know." Sammy said.

"I know and now I have to report it. And everyone involved."

"What what does that mean?" James asked.

"Mr. Galloway sounds like a booster. And if he and Coach Stovall told you this and had someone take your test it's a direct violation of NCAA rules. And state secondary education rules. All schools involved could be fined and sanctioned, and he could fined and fired. Not to mention there could be jail time."

"They didn't say anything about that."

"Of course they wouldn't son," his dad said. "They don't want to get in trouble."

"But nobody has to know."

"I already told you Sammy, I have to report it. I need a copy of every single email and text message you received from anyone in the College's athletic organization."

"But-"

"But nothing Sammy," Stacie replied as she made sure her classroom printer had plenty of paper. "You need to log in to every single account you have and print it out. Right now." She stepped from behind her desk to allow Sammy to sit there. James began to rub his forehead.

"So now what?"

"I'll call the principal up here because he'll have to report our athletic department to the school board and we go from there."

"What about his future?" Julia asked.

"I wish I knew." Stacie replied as she pressed the intercom button to contact the main office of the school.

Stacie was sitting on the patio of her condo balcony, barefoot in the chilly January air. And smoking. She promised herself that she would stop both, especially when it was cold. She almost didn't feel the chill. She was already numb from the day's events; the cold air couldn't possibly make it worse.

As she took a long drag on her cigarette, Stacie contemplated all the reasons why she was going to stop smoking- cancer, lung/heart disease, COPD, expensive, the smell on her clothes and her hair. And she had done it before. This time she had been smoke-free for a six whole months; the longest time yet. Then there were days like today that made her stop at the store and purchase a pack.

When she left for school that morning, she had no idea it would end with some of her students, and school administrators in an athletic fraud scheme with one of the state's most popular colleges. It was unbelievable. The thought that she might have to be on administrative leave herself pissed her off even more. Stacie was so involved in her own thoughts that she didn't even hear her husband come in.

"Stacie? Stacie? Where are you babe?" Leon looked in their living room then headed to the kitchen. He had brought dinner because he thought she was going be late at school. "I brought dinner." To his surprise, dinner was already done, warming gently on the stove, but no sight of his wife. "Stacie?" Leon walked back around to the hallway and saw that the door to the patio was open. He stepped outside to see his wife sitting in the chair, knees under her chin, cigarette in her hand. "Must have been a bad day if you're smoking one of those. Thought you gave them up?"

"I did. Couldn't resist it today."

"Also, I thought you were gonna stop sitting out here in the cold without socks, shoes and sleeves." Stacie looked down at her clothes- sweat pants and a short sleeved t-shirt.

"Better than being naked."

"True." he replied. "I brought dinner because I thought you'd be staying late for the game." His wife sighed.

"Yeah, I was supposed to be. But after the day I've had I just wanted to get away from that school. And I'm not sure I wanna go back." Leon was shocked at her words.

"Wanna talk about it? I stopped by Asian Dragon. We've solved many a problem over their fried rice." Stacie took one last puff of her cigarette before putting it out in the ashtray. Leon greeted her with a kiss when she got to the door and she smiled. "Now that's more like it." While Stacie washed her hands in the kitchen Leon brought her a sweater and socks that she usually left in a basket next to the couch.

"What shall we do with all this food?" she asked.

"You know I don't mind taking some for lunch. Makes the fellas jealous every single time. Beats those cold sandwiches on that food cart any day." Stacie pulled her sweater on while Leon set the table. She poured them each a glass of sweet tea then they held hands and said the blessing over the food. Leon tore into the egg rolls; they were his favorite part of a Chinese dinner.

"So how was your day?" Stacie asked.

"Same old thing. I think the company is about the add ten new routes outside of St. Louis."

"New truck drivers?"

"Maybe. Not sure yet. Might just extend a few drivers' routes just to see what it's like first."

"Are you glad you stopped driving?"

"Absolutely!" he replied. Leon started working for the shipping company as a driver (with limited hours) to help pay for school. He eventually worked his way up the ladder to a Regional Manager position, managing nearly one hundred truck drivers and inventory personnel. "Who would give up the chance to use their degree? I wouldn't."

"I might."

"What? You give up teaching? Why?" Stacie took a sip of her tea.

"Of all my years of teaching, I think this year has to be the worst. Definitely the most challenging. I'm so disgusted with...with everything! The students, the teachers, the clueless parents. The school board, everything."

"What happened?"

"What didn't happen? Let's see...first of all, today was parent-teacher conference day. I can't believe how many parents don't check their children's progress. They don't check the homework assignments, don't do the homework with them, ignore progress reports. They don't do anything! The kids do homework but don't turn it in, half study for tests and the parents expect these kids to pass. The curriculum has been horrible to teach this year. I actually hate it. I'm not happy with anything I've had to teach this school year. I have no input on the lessons, the projects or the books. And, on top of all that, I might be on administrative leave." Leon almost choked on a crab wonton.

"Administrative leave?! For what?" Stacie took a cleansing breath.

"Today during a parent-teacher conference, the parents found out that their son- a senior football player- is failing his senior year and won't graduate with his class. Upon further discussion we found out the college that he's thinking about playing for had someone take his ACT for him, twice. AND they are willing to let him play ball with-OUT him even qualifying to become a student. So I, along with other teachers, our principals, our athletic department and the one from College of Missouri are under investigation."

"What. In. The. World?" The look of confusion on his face was expected. It would be the same on anyone else's face upon hearing that information. "How are they investigating you? You made the recommendation for him not to play and you were in the right."

"I documented every single thing, followed every single rule and procedure. And they're hitting me with administrative leave pending results of the investigation. I tell you I'm fed up with the whole system babe! It's just not fair. Today was the first day since student teaching that I wanted to give up. Just quit without explanation." Leon reached for her hands and held them.

"Baby I'm sorry. I had no idea."

"I try so hard because so many students need it. But the system is broken. I'm ready to give up and do something else."

"Well," her husband thought and then asked "what would you do?"

"That's the crazy part...I don't even know! I almost don't even care. I do know I don't want to teach anymore. After this school year I'm done. No one listens to us, we're not respected and no one cares. It's not worth it."

Leon could feel his wife's frustrations. For years her school had been falling behind in state test scores and when she requested a transfer, she was denied. And she knew there was space for her in other schools where her skills would be far more appreciated. When a school did request her, that school's request was denied. She asked for assistance with the required reading materials for those students who couldn't afford the books. The libraries (high school and the ones run by the city) only had so many and with all the school reading the same books at the same time, books ran out as soon as the unit came up for teaching. She had even found used books, bought books in bulk to loan to her students. She and Leon had friends who donated books and computers with printers for the students to type their papers. As a teacher, she (and many others) felt that she had gone over and beyond the normal call of duty. What else could she do?

"You know, maybe the classroom isn't the best place for you to make a difference anymore." Her husband suggested. Stacie wasn't sure what he meant.

"I don't get it baby."

"Maybe you need to step out of the classroom and onto the school board."

"The school board? That's for people who want to be politicians and run things, have their names mentioned in every breath anyone could breathe. They're over paid, out of touch and most have never stepped foot in a classroom beside a photo opp for re-election. That's not me Leon."

"I know you're not them and that's why you should do it. You can change things. You know what it's like to be in the trenches, you know the problems more than anyone else."

"But how can I change things? How can I convince people that I want things to change without being a politician?"

"But that's the point baby. The school board has too many politicians! It's time for something new. You are the something new. We can start a campaign."

"We don't have that kind of money Leon."

"That's what fundraisers are for Stacie. And we might not need it. A grassroots campaign can work. We have social media. Pete can make signs and he might even donate them. We can do this." Stacie shook her head.

"I don't know. Are you sure we can pull this off?"

"Sure we can do it. You probably have no idea how many people in this city want change. I believe in you. If you want to do it, we can do it."

"I just..."

"School board elections are next spring right? Almost a year from now?" She nodded.

"I think so."

"That's plenty of time. We have the rest of this school year, all summer. Primaries are this fall. We have our class reunion this summer. I'm sure our classmates would love to help in some way. And don't forget our families and our church members. We got this baby. We just need to pray for direction."

That night Stacie prayed for clarity in the next step on her life's journey.