Things Teachers hear, but wish oh so badly we never had:
“All male teachers flirt with the female students, you just only do it to a certain point, so they know it is just for fun”- a male teacher
“She dropped out of school because her dad got her pregnant”- a student
“I need to tell you that in your 3rd hour kids have been giving each other hand jobs under the lab tables when you have subs” -a student
“all public school teachers are bad teachers”- a teacher
“I am going to shut down your school and if for someone reason you save it, I will try to shut you down again next year” – superintendent
“I heard there was a gun at your school today?” “I didn’t know that” “Oh yeah it was on the news” “Oh yeah, they don’t even tell us anymore” -my dad and me
“You know she got suspended for sending naked texts to all the boys at school”- a student
“He only hit her because he was angry” – a mom about her son and his girlfriend
nevercontrary 
I have to agree; un-hear and un-see at times too!
So true, un see can often be the worst.
Scary. Scary. Scary. Hats off to you for being in the trenches, though. Teachers are indeed special people.
I think it is time to call in for reinforcements.
Are y’all safe with all the flooding?
It is so hard to be a teacher!!! I wish American knew how hard it really is.
I do to. They have lost sight of education in the culture wars. Do you even know what jindal did to education here this year? Maybe I will write it up for your blog.
Bonnie,
I would love a write up about how Jindal has helped to destroy education. Would you want to be anonymous, or as a contributor to TSM?
I could be a contributor and just go by never contrary. I will try to write something up this week for you.
Bonnie,
I would love that! Could I write a brief intro for Never Contrary?
Sure thing!
Sure thing! Should I just email it to you?
Emailing it to me would be great. I will write up an intro about how your voice as a strong voice for social justice and civil rights. I will only refer to you as Never Contrary and I will not reveal your gender. I have another friend, to whom I only refer to as Voice of the Trailer. Do you have a particular picture you would like me to use? Obviously, it does not have to be a picture of you, or would you like for me to pick a picture?
Let me think on it.
Absolutely!
So hard to believe and yet not hard to believe at all. Teachers are heroic and undervalued (and I say this not because I taught, but because it’s true)…The enormity of thinking that you can change the perspective of even one child like those quoted above, is absolutely amazing. Take a bow my friend, you have earned that and then some..
Thank you so much. It is quite the undertaking every day.
I’m sure that is just the tip of an iceberg..
Oh my god! I can’t click ‘like’ on this. I hear about this kind of stuff, but never this directly, from a teacher who has heard it. What do you do when you hear those things?
At first it shocks you, then over time, you just add it to the shelf of crazy things that happen. It becomes your normal. Which is sad.
Very sad. But I mean, when teachers know the kids are giving blowjobs under the tables, does the principal, the superintendent, and/or the board ever discuss addressing self-esteem directly in relation to having sex, as well as just the general self-esteem blah-blah?
in Louisiana we are an abstinence only state. There is no discussion of sex in schools. The powers that be do not discuss hippy things like self esteem.
I know that in Texas everything is about self-esteem, but more in the sense of throwing pizza parties for kids who have shown up to school every day of the week, or how good football is for self-esteem and school pride. Texas is also an abstinence only state, though. It’s the stupidest thing.
It is what came to my head first. I am sure the good stories are deeper if I sat and thought about it longer.
Heart-breaking stuff. Yesterday, a child told me, through tears, that he cries when his mom beats him. I work with children from another ethnicity and culture. Corporal punishment is perfectly fine in their world, so not reportable. All I can do is take in his pain and let it sit with the pain I still carry from when my parents beat me.
How terrible. Luckily here if a student told me that, I could report it. The burden you must add to your load everyday is overwhelming at times.
What the F did I just read?
You read a tiny glimpse into what is wrong with education today and not being talked about. You don’t even want to know the stuff I can’t legally talk about that happens.
My hands are on my face and I’m shaking my head.
Really enjoyed this. My Mam is a teacher and this reminds me of all the stuff she retells from when she gets home from work! crazy stuff at times!
Thanks for stopping by. Welcome to the crazy train.