CarolinaPaddler:
Now that some time has passed and many have had the chance to read this serial, I am interested in the direction the next part will play out in the serial. Among the ideas I'm considering is a new teacher who gets in trouble for wanting to fit in with her students.
Your idea to "fit in" with students has merit. Something like she's caught with them smoking behind the bleachers and watches the principal paddle the students. (Or caught drinking with them in the parking lot after a football game.)
In any event, she requests to be treated the same as the students rather than fined or suspended.