Second-Class Citizen: The Rise and Fall of Todd Canton

Richard Todd Canton would not have believed you if you told him at the beginning of 2012 what the new year would bring. For thirteen years, he'd worked as a teacher's assistant without incident. Even though he was told every day that he was not a teacher, it seemed he was quite often a hell of a lot more. He was the one who spent the bulk of his time with volatile, angry, and emotionally challenged students-taking everything that was thrown his way and then some. He was always happy to do his job the best he could, but when a student accused him of improper behavior, he was fired, arrested, and forced to live a nightmare that lasted two years. If Canton had been a principal or teacher, his ordeal would have been much different, but as a teacher's assistant, he was treated like a second-class citizen by his administration and even his union. Fortunately, he discovered affection and loyalty from some unexpected people and in unforeseen places.