The Nowhere Girls(76)



The reporter returns. “Some are calling it an adolescent war of the sexes. Some say it’s a result of hormones gone awry. And some are saying the Nowhere Girls have legitimate concerns stemming from the events of last year that threw Prescott High School, indeed the whole town of Prescott, into chaos, after one girl accused three male students of a brutal sexual assault. The charges were quickly dropped, but the unfortunate event sent ripples through the community that seem to have inspired the recent disruptions at Prescott High.”

“We asked Prescott residents what they think of the so-called ‘feminist uprising’ at the high school, and here are some of their responses.”

The screen cuts to an old woman standing outside the grocery store. “I think it’s disgusting,” she says between thin lips. “What these girls are up to. Our boys don’t do things like that.”

A middle-aged man in front of his truck: “They’re just a bunch of girls who want attention. Just like that girl last year.”

A dreadlocked, scruffy-bearded man of indeterminate age and questionable sobriety: “Yeah, girls. Fight the power.” He pumps his fist in the air.

“That’s who they chose to speak for the other side?” Grace says. “Objective reporting, my ass.”

Mom raises her eyebrow. “Sorry,” Grace says.

Cut back to the reporter, chuckling. “One thing’s for sure, Prescott is full of opinions. We also spoke with Dr. Regina Slatterly, principal of Prescott High School, who is at the epicenter of the current difficulties and is struggling to keep her students safe and focused on their education.”

Principal Slatterly sits behind her desk, hands folded in front of her. She is wearing more makeup than usual. “You know,” she says, “we live in such a culture of entitlement and blame and playing the victim card when we feel we don’t get the kind of treatment we deserve. I think the girls involved in this need to stop for a moment and ask themselves what their part is in their dissatisfaction. Maybe then they will stop blaming boys for all their problems and stop using them as a scapegoat. Don’t get me wrong; I do believe most of the girls involved are probably good girls at heart. But they’re young and full of emotions they don’t understand, and they’ve found the wrong outlet for it. Girls this age are na?ve and impressionable, and I have reason to believe that there is a mastermind at the center of this who is responsible for leading them astray and putting all these ideas in their heads. But I want to make one thing clear: This is not your usual run-of-the-mill case of peer pressure. This is serious. The escalating disruption at Prescott High has created a hostile environment that is not conducive to learning and is, quite frankly, not safe for the students. And I am determined, with full support from the Prescott police force, to find the person or persons behind this and bring them to justice. I will get my school back.”

There is so much Grace wants to say, none of which would be appropriate in front of her mother. More than anything, she wants to throw the remote control at the TV screen, straight at Principal Slatterly’s smug face.

“Many of the people we spoke to echoed Principal Slatterly’s sentiments, but there is one response that stands out, from a relatively new member of the Prescott community—Dr. Robin Salter, new head pastor at Prescott Congregational.”

“Mom, you’re on TV!” Grace says.

“Oh, my forehead looks so shiny,” Mom says.

“Shhh!” Grace says. “I want to hear you.”

“I wasn’t here last spring,” Mom says in front of the church’s big rainbow mural. “So I don’t know firsthand what this community went through. And I don’t think anyone knows what really happened between the young woman and the three young men except those involved. Whatever the truth is about that night, it sounds like the young women of this community have thoughts and feelings that need to be heard, and whether or not we agree with their tactics, I think we can all agree that we care about these girls and we want to hear them.”

Grace’s Mom is replaced by a fat white man standing at the front of a large modern church, the stained glass of a suffering Jesus on the cross towering behind him. The camera shoots from below so he looks more powerful, kinglike. The reporter’s voice is dubbed over: “But Pastor Robert Skinner of Prescott Foursquare, Fir County’s largest congregation, has a different take on the matter.”

“They cut out all the good parts of my interview,” Mom says.

“Of course they did,” Grace grumbles.

The pastor speaks: “I have to tell you, something like this would never have happened ten years ago, when the people of Prescott really cared about family values. But people from outside the community, with different values and priorities, are moving here and changing the culture, changing the way we do things, creating conflict and problems where there have never been any. You know, I sympathize with these girls, I do. I know how hard it is being a teenager, what with all their hormones and pressures from school, and disappointments from dating, and the mixed messages they get from the media. I can see how that would lead to some destructive feelings, and then you add the mob mentality of this thing, and it’s just getting out of control. I think what these girls need to do is take a deep breath, go home to their families, and pray.”

“That guy is such a blowhard,” Mom says.

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