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January 27, 2005
Some weeks at school
There is a very good reason why we get long vacations as school teachers.
Let's just summarize this week:
Monday, with half of the teachers absent, which meant I had to hold two classes in one room for the ENTIRE DAY.
The death threat from the gang member J, saying his gang is going to ice me. It's a valid threat. The police are involved. And me, the only bald guy at the school. Nothing like being an easy target.
Student A, the spoiled brat who begs the question of the chicken or the egg. After 11 ignored calls from parents and administrators, his mother is finally coming in, because we confiscated his cellphone. He had nude pics of a girl bent over, and was showing it during class. Is he so far behind in his education that he became a little bastard shithead, or is he a little bastard shithead because of his absolute lack of education?
Student R, who keeps yelling "5 DILDOES!" to every math question, plus the paper pistols that he keeps aiming at me and other teachers.
Student K, who concocted a sexual allegation that could have ruined my career, just because I told her she was failing. She coerced one girl into writing a witness statement. I had to waste my time getting other students in the class to write that nothing happened, and that she is just a 'terrorizing bitch', as one of the other girls wrote up.
The five coverages of other classes I've had this week, which eliminates all of my prep time. During the day, I barely have time to gulp my lunch down while writing my lesson plans on the board before the next class, if I have that.
I'm down, I'm tired, I'm depressed. Tonight I had a box of chocolate biscuits, some butter pecan ice cream, and I made bacon burritos. Not exactly healthy, huh?
Sometimes it gets so depressing at my work that I don't want to go face the students. Nothing says love like death or sex threats. Sometimes I sit for hours trying to figure out a way to show algebra to kids who still count on their fingers. Sometimes I think February's vacation can't come soon enough.
Posted by G at January 27, 2005 10:53 PM
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Comments
Mmmmm... bacon
Really, the school should get to cull one child per month, display the herd member at the school's entrance, and show a looped video of the culling on monitors throughout the school.
Or just beat the kids, that might work too.
We just hear about this stuff at work and it drives me nuts.
Posted by: Nathan Hamm at January 28, 2005 12:48 AM
Geez! Sorry to hear you gotta put up with all that shit!
Posted by: Lee at January 28, 2005 04:46 AM
Wow, that sucks. Sorry to hear all of that, but at least it sounds like you've got most of it in hand... and the police should take care of the rest (but keep your head down!). What a mess.
Posted by: Jess at January 28, 2005 07:01 AM
I keep thinking how good I had it when I was teaching, and how much I realize that I had NO idea what most other teachers are up against. I'd send you one of those school posters with the kitten in a tree that says, "Hang in there" if I had one. :)
Posted by: Alan at January 28, 2005 08:17 AM
Wow. Everybody knows teachers have it rough these days. School isn't even close to what I remember it being. The fact that you're still going every day and trying to help these kids learn just reinforces what we already knew about you: that you're a kick-ass teacher and one hell of an amazing person.
Posted by: MAK at January 28, 2005 08:46 AM
You deserve to be nominated for sainthood for what you put up with in trying to educate the next generation. Oh wait, saints are all dead people. Not a good idea.
How about a Congressional Medal of Honor or a nomination for Mr. Gay.com?
Posted by: Hugo at January 28, 2005 11:15 AM
Oh man... I felt so bad for you when I read this. Little bastards, all of them. I fear for the future of our world when I think how these kids will grow up and head out into the world at large.
They don't pay teachers enough for this crap, I say. The corporate world will suck your soul dry, but the stuff like this you have to put up with as a teacher... it's unfathomable to me.
If you ever make it to CHI (or me to NYC), I will buy you many beers of many colors and listen to you rant about it for an evening, if it would help.
And what MAK said. You're a kick-ass teacher for the ones who do make their way to your class to learn something.
Posted by: palochi at January 28, 2005 03:59 PM
I really do admire people like you. It's a tough job, and not everyone can handle it. You've got my props.
Posted by: jase at January 28, 2005 04:23 PM
Gad!
Posted by: Mr. Hells Kitchen at January 28, 2005 05:30 PM
Oh, G, life is so not fair. I didn't have half as much fun as your kids do.
And you said dildoe . . . (he he)
but seriously, you said naked (hawh)
but seriously, you said death threat. Dude, that seriously sucks. Come away quickly, quickly now, and rest your weary head.
Posted by: Ron (Out There) at January 28, 2005 09:11 PM
Good God, I've got soooo much admiration for you! Oprah values teachers and so do I.
I wish there was something more substantial I could do than offer my support, but I'll just try and send good karma your way. I echo the "kitty in the tree" sentiment, and hope that things get better very soon.
Posted by: jeff at January 29, 2005 08:10 AM
Damn. I know some of my teachers got death threats, but I never heard about sex allegations. Hang in there. I echo everyone's sentiments about what an incredible job it is that you do, and how amazing you are, and how important it is that we have positive examples like yourself doing these freaking hard important jobs. I belive in you.
Posted by: MzOuiser at January 29, 2005 04:56 PM