The first day at the WSA had had its ups and downs, and Eliza found herself pressed into services she'd never handed before, that of a Super Intendant. Many called her principal and few had worked with her back when she was just starting out as a teacher before retiring to Lyre, only to join Eliza in coming back to help Animalia. Even with that, though, Eliza was still getting used to it and for the moment, the Animalia School District was under the administrative control of the Animalian City Council, at least until an independent "school board" could be established, though THAT would likely also take time as most of the Animalians who saw value in schooling were those who had been human and like Eliza, they generally lived IN Lyre. But that would be sorted in time.
The biggest conundrum soon came with the aftermath to Heather's attack and the voiced concerns and debates between Animalia and Lyre erupted. Heather's attack on Sophie and Roland had been an embarrassment in terms of how Animalians carried themselves and sold themselves to the public. People in Lyre and the state of Nevada generally figured that Heather's actions were a lone madwoman rather than something that indicated that no Animalian had control over themselves, but that didn't mean that wasn't a backlash. Much of that came down on the issues raised by the Lyre School District and from Sophie, that WSA was cutting into the progress made in the previous year by essentially segregating Animalian students from Lyre.
Eliza understood that point and knew that it hinged on the developing point that WSA had been established with an "open enrollment" policy, to allow Animalians living in Lyre to transfer to WSA. Eliza pointed that with that clause, that would legally also allow humans to transfer to WSA if they wished to and denying them could count as racial discrimination and segregation. In this, Eliza felt privately lucky that no one in Lyre sued. It came as a further shock that with the fact that so many humans became Animalians the previous year that Lyre High was essentially closing because of its lack of students and thus funds. It had been facing this threat for years, apparently, and before Animalia, Abby, Sarah, Jessica, and Sophie's class was expected to be the last class to graduate from Lyre, while the students after them were bussed forty miles to a larger county school that had more people and more funds to teach. But with so many that had joined Animalia and thus were transferred over to WSA, Lyre High was expected to close its doors at the end of the school year. The ideas for "visitation" days between the high schools would then fail by its second year, because the students in Lyre would have to be bussed forty miles to go to school. That point soon became a private conversation between Eliza and Clara, that the schools would need to be reintegrated if all the students were to be kept "local."
And in the end, that decision was made. Animalia would put more money to build additional buildings for WSA and allow for it to reintegrate with the Lyre School District and let humans and Animalians go to classes together in an atmosphere would benefit both. However, that was expected to take a year to get things built and arranged. Until then, it was agreed that the visitation days and until the new buildings were built that smaller Animalians could go back to Lyre High once vaccinated would be about all that could be for the time being. It would take time and on many levels, Eliza did feel that they ultimately did get things back on track with regard to the big picture, but it DID still reflect many of the issues that Eliza found herself having to work with as an administrator rather than as a simple teacher.
Her next meeting was another one of those meetings. She sat quietly behind her desk and waited for the young Doberman to come in. She looked fine and actually smiled to Eliza as she entered.
"You wanted to see me, Lizzie?" Beth asked with a small smile as she came in and sat down in the chair opposite Eliza.
The chair was rather soft, with four strong wooden legs and soft cotton coverings over the cushions. Beth liked the feel of it and looked around Eliza's office. Eliza's desk was arranged so that her seat arranged so that it was seated in the sunlight coming in from the windows behind her. She could also see some of Eliza's diplomas, including her teaching certificate, hanging on the wall. The biggest thing though, was the shot of them together at the IAC. It brought something of a smile to Beth's face.
"Yes... I'm sorry to interrupt your free hour, but there are some things that we need to handle and be clear on while you're still in school," Eliza spoke carefully, "Ideally... I would have handled this on the first day... but things were rather hectic..."
"That attack and all that," Beth gave a low groan, "I know came off as a tough character at times last year... but outright trying to kill and eat someone... that's..."
"That's sickening," Eliza nodded, "though... in a way not without its own push for progress. It'll take some time, but we'll ultimately have a unified district with Lyre again next year... It's a shame that it took an attack to do it, but... it is what it is..."
"Reunified..." Beth said slowly.
"As in Humans and Animalians in the same school under the same roof and the same policies," Eliza nodded, "but that's going to take time to get them organized."
"That doesn't mean that..." Beth began.
"The locker room and shower situations and the arrangements to provide comfort for Animalians at WSA won't be compromised," Eliza answered, "It may ultimately mean that humans in Lyre will have to be used to the fact that our sexuality is stronger and more open... but in many ways, that's also something that many parents have a hard time learning regardless. Back before Animalia... when I went through school... just about everyone knew that the school's Football captain was having sex with just about every member of the cheerleading squad... and there were a few girls that ended up pregnant and couldn't finish High School. And once I started teaching the first time around... about once a year some student ended up pregnant. So, it isn't as though Animalia isn't doing things that Humans don't do themselves."
Beth nodded in agreement there.
"The best we can do is provide education on safe sex and provide means to make sure that the couples fully understand things," Eliza finished, "and within Lyre, we've done okay in that regard. So there, we may not even have a problem... once the schools are reintegrated next year."
Beth sort of twiddled her thumbs for a bit, half listening to her claws click together as she moved each digit. She was fairly sure that Eliza didn't call her to the office to discuss the overall position Animalia was in after Heather Wilcox's attack on Sophie and Roland at Lyre High, but she couldn't quite figure what exactly it was. Was Eliza looking for a little loving during the day? WSA had had its schedules arranged so that every student, regardless of their grade, would have one hour free, and it was during that free hour that things like "sex in the locker room" would be tolerated. That had proved to be a bit of an adventure in its own right as Eliza had to go over who was mated to who and make sure their schedules aligned for that, as while there was a lot that was going to be done to make Animalians comfortable with school, there were certain things they could not change. While they might allow for greater student to student contact, which would surely win them the most "progressive" district in many ways, they couldn't just let students decide to cut class to enjoy each other's company. Bonded mates, be they dealing with heat or not, could only go to the locker rooms for sex IF it was their free hour. They couldn't just leave a class because they happened to be horny. And at present it was Beth's free period, but Eliza wasn't acting like she was in the mood, which served to only raise questions.
"However, that isn't why I called you here," Eliza said slowly.
"Why did you call for me, Lizzie? Are you okay? Paperwork getting to you?" Beth wondered.
"I'm doing fine," Eliza answered, "It's different from what I did in the past as a teacher, but I can manage. The thing that I called you in on... is us."
"Us?" Beth asked, sounding confused.
"Our relationship and how we are to handle it until you graduate," Eliza spoke, "by rule, romantic relationships between staff and students is forbidden. Largely as a professional matter to make sure that A) teachers don't abuse students and B) students don't get special favors."
"You're not dumping me..." Beth began sounding borderline angry, but it dropped to sounding more fearful at the end, "Are you?"
"Good heavens, NO," Eliza answered, "You've been the best to happen to me since I became an Animalian. And if I had to choose between you and being principal here, I'd choose you every time. However, WSA and the Animalian City Council aren't making me make that choice and the State Department of Education has offered extenuating circumstances in that we were involved as physical equals BEFORE I came out of retirement and could be in a position of authority here at WSA."
"That's a good thing, right?" Beth lowered one ear in confusion.
"Personally, yes," Eliza smiled, "but it will mean that while we're on school grounds, you and I CANNOT share the locker room and that should there ever be a situation in which you are accused of something I CANNOT protect you. With you, the Vice Principal will handle all discipline issues and I must defer in those situations."
"I'll be good, Lizzie," Beth answered, "So long as we can be together AFTER school. My parents don't mind... and think you've been a great influence on me."
Eliza smiled. Beth didn't know it, but her mother had been working on a pair of wedding dresses for them, and had shown her progress to Eliza on her last visit to Beth's family's home.
"I'd like to hope I am," Eliza nodded, "but with this... it will also mean that while we're at school or any school function, should WSA ever be allowed to compete athletically with other schools, you'll need to address me by my full name to retain professionalism on school grounds. It may be tough, but its the rules that even I have to follow and that even WSA will have to follow."
"I can do that ma'am," Beth answered, "so long as things remain fun between us in private."
Eliza smiled and nodded to that.