Do You See the Word Stupid Written On My Forehead? I Thought Not!

Ok...this is a venting post.  I got so frustrated yesterday with my last class of the day and it robbed me of my joy....mainly because I let it.....but I have got to sound off somewhere.  My blood pressure definitely elevated yesterday......and by the time I left school I was seeing red.  You know....I have taught for over 20 years.....and I have to be honest with you, today's teenagers have changed a lot from the ones I had even ten years ago....or is it that I have changed?  Two weeks ago I gave my students a Portfolio assignment where they had to gather notes they had taken and been told to keep, vocabulary, some assignments I had not collected, etc.  I actually allowed to work on them in class for two full days.  The portfolio was due on Friday, October 7th. This should be an easy grade and it is worth a lot of points and can help some strugglers get their grades up.   Most of my students had theirs when they came into the room...and the ones who didn't had parents bringing them later in the day.  Well...in my last block class I had a large chunk of the student population absent....no problem.....they would turn theirs in on Monday I thought to myself and graded all the portfolios I had because our term ends on Friday.  Monday during class the kids who were absent turn in their portfolios when they got to class and I graded them while they worked on their Columbus Day project.  This little process worked beautifully until fifth block.  I followed the same steps I had for the other three blocks,  giving back the already graded ones.  I have to pause here and tell you that I am a trusting soul.....until you mess with me....then it takes an act of Congress to earn my trust again.  From where I was sitting grading make-up tests, taking up make-up work, etc.....I can see down one of my rows completely.  While I was sitting there I happened to look up and see one of the boys I had already returned a portfolio to....take papers out of his portfolio and hand them to another boy.  By now I have graded all but one....and that was the one being worked on in the back of my room.....they were due Friday.....today is Monday.  The last boy brought his up....and I opened it to grade it.  I actually chided myself for being so untrusting.  The second page of the portfolio told the story.  Boy #1 writes really light and small.  His handwriting is very neat.  Boys # 2-3 write dark (hard), large, and messy.   The second page of the dark, large, messy writing boys paper....was soft and small.    HUMMMMM.....so I called boy #1 back up and asked for his portfolio again.  I also called for boy #2's and guess what?  Boy #1's portfolio had shrunk in size....half of his was missing.  Boy #2 had some pages of soft and small in it too.  So...now I have to do something I hate doing....call parents.  I took the papers across the hall and left them in Mrs. Vest's room....so the janitor would not let the boys in the room to get something.  I came home so angry....good thing I have an hour ride.  I called all three homes last night....but only got Boy #1's mom.  I hate calling parents.  I hate being put in a position of having to call them.  I only got one momma....no one answered the other two phones and I did not want to leave a message.  I am talking with my boss about it today....will probably try and get the other two parents today.  It is a good thing we are off next week.  Boys, Do you see the word STUPID on my forehead?  I mean come on....I was born at night....but it was not last night.