The principal was deeply uncomfortable and unhappy about the situation surrounding Martha and the $15 payment for her jacket, not because he was upset at Martha for her refusal, but because he understood and sympathized with the profound unfairness she faced. His distress stemmed from the following reasons:
The Unjust Policy Change
- Martha's Earned Achievement: Martha had worked exceptionally hard to earn her jacket. This suggests a system where the jacket was a recognition of merit, attained through effort and dedication under the existing rules.
- Abrupt Policy Shift: A significant policy change was made unexpectedly, introducing a $15 fee for the jacket after Martha had already fulfilled all the previous requirements to earn it. This change retroactively imposed a cost on an achievement that was originally meant to be a reward.
The Principal's Empathy and Understanding
The principal's discomfort and unhappiness arose from his awareness of Martha's efforts and the injustice of the new requirement:
- He knew firsthand how diligently Martha had worked to earn the jacket.
- He recognized that forcing her to pay for something she had already earned, due to a sudden rule change, was inherently unfair. His "upset" was therefore directed at the unjust situation and the policy itself, rather than at Martha's understandable refusal to pay for an item she felt she had already rightfully earned.
In essence, the principal was upset because he witnessed a deserving student being unfairly burdened by a retrospective policy change, which led to her refusal to pay for something she rightfully earned. His reaction reflected empathy for Martha's predicament and a clear understanding of the injustice involved.
