You might remember me as one of the students that could have gotten an A in your class, but instead ditched class to smoke in the auditorium. These facts are true, but they don’t contain all of the truths within our story. Just so the facts are on the table, let’s remember the order of events that led to my failing your class.
Our economics class started Junior Achievement, which you changed to Senior Achievement so that us seniors wouldn’t feel juvenile. As part of the curriculum, we were to create a product, market it, and sell it. We also elected class members to act as a board for the business. We elected a president, a vice president, a treasurer, and a secretary. My skills in math were exceptional, so I ran for treasurer. During my speech to get elected it was painfully aparent that I should have run for president, but it was too late to change my decision. That’s fine, I understand.
When it came time to sell the mugs that we had decided on there were monies that needed to be counted, kept track of, etc. As I was in a car pool and worked after school, I needed to perform these tasks during school at some point, whether it was nutrition or lunch, it didn’t matter to me. This time was my break time as much as it was yours. My tasks wouldn’t have even taken the entirety of these breaks. Even so, you replaced me as treasurer because I was unable to meet my responsibilities. What with the time frames involved never being mentioned when we were choosing positions to run for, and the fact that you wouldn’t bend for me in any regard, I started ditching your class, only to show up occasionally to ace a test or deliver a speech or project that I would also ace.
I failed your class. I failed government the next semester, too, as my feelings for you hadn’t changed.
As a student in your classes, and a friend to many other people that were in your class, allow me to let you in on a little secret… your students don’t like you. You are pompous, arrogant, and an insufferable prick. “Those that can’t do, teach.” comes to mind when I think of you. There are those that teach because they are good at teaching. You are not one of these, but rather the prior.
One could argue that I am bitter because you failed me. The fact is that I had to take summer school classes every year of high school, and saturday school my senior year in order to graduate in August, but I don’t hold a grudge against my other teachers. My beef with you was as a person, not a teacher.
You are now failing a friend of my brother, who seems to have the same gripes as my classmates did. Do him and the future generations a favor by retiring. God knows you are old enough for it.
And, no, we don’t care how long you’ve been teaching.