I'm the reason students hate school.

4th term has finally arrived.  This means standardized testing for every student in the school, and all of the computers in the school are being used for testing.  As a result, I have to make adjustments to the assignments I give and how they are completed.  Typically in my classes, we are able to go to the writing lab and type and turn in book reports on the same day.  However, with testing, I can't do that.  There are 2600 students in the school who need to complete the tests, so my book reports have to be done a different way.

I decided to make this one a little easier than I have in the past.  I had my 10th grade HONORS classes create a brochure about the book they read.  The due date has been on my board for over a month, and I handed out the requirements on Monday, so they could turn them in today (Wednesday).  I am actually embarrassed that I gave such an easy assignment to an honors class.  The brochure simply had to include the title, author, and a picture, a summary for the beginning, middle, and end of the book, a brief description of the characters and setting, and a rating with an explanation of why they gave the rating that they did.  When my students saw it, they laughed at how easy it was.  I didn't mind because it's 4th term, and we are testing, so why not give them something fast and easy to accomplish?

Apparently, I was asking too much.  This morning, I checked my emails first thing, and I found a request for an extension on the book report.  The request was not sent until 8:30 PM last night.  The excuse was sports practice and work.  I get it, but the majority of my students are involved in sports and work.  In addition, the honors and AP policy is that we don't accept late work.  So, I told this student I would take the report late for half-credit (even though my disclosure document states NO Late work will be accepted in honors).

Then, the dad calls. He starts with how the student has had a goal of getting straight As since kindergarten, and now, due to his health issues, the student has had to get a job to help support the family.  I get it; my dad had to retire from his job when I was in elementary school due to his health.  I had to eat free lunch or go hungry because we didn't have the money to buy lunch from the school.  When I wanted to take dance lessons and my parents couldn't pay, I cleaned the dance teacher's house in exchange for the lessons.  When I went to Prom my senior year and all of my other friends were wearing dresses that cost $300-$400 or more, I was lucky to wear one that I paid for myself for $50.  Not once during that time did I go in to my teachers and ask for an extension because my family was poor and I had to go to work. Not once did my dad call my teachers to ask them to please let me turn in work late because I had to support the family.  And, last of all, he never called my teachers and said, "You're the reason why students hate school."

So, when this dad calls me, and he tells me, "Mrs. Billings, you're the reason why students hate school," and "You don't understand. You've never had to work because your parents couldn't support you," I couldn't help but start to cry and say, "You're wrong!"  It didn't matter to this dad that I was in tears on the phone, and he would not let me get a word in edgewise.  It didn't matter to him that I worked two full-time jobs and took a full 12 credits each semester so I could put myself through college. It didn't matter to him that I have never taken time off to get my son with disabilities the help that he needs.  It didn't matter to him that I bring work home even on vacations, and I drive my husband nuts with the stories of my students and how much they make me smile.  All that mattered to him was that his daughter should be the only one to get an exception, and I'm the reason students hate school.

Well, to this dad I have to say, You DON'T KNOW ME! You don't know what struggles I have gone through or am currently going through.  You don't know how I have had to decide what priorities should be, and you don't understand how I have often made my career and your student my first priority.  So, parents in the future, please don't ever say to a teacher, "You don't understand," and especially never tell them they are the reason students hate school.