A Memory of Another Teacher
My wife probably doesn't want me to tell this story in the least but I shall for a couple of different reasons that will become clear as the story goes on.
My wife and I attended school together the very same year although we did not get hooked up until 14 years later. As such, we shared the same English teacher, Mrs. Nield. Apparently the Evil Genius, my brother-in-law had tormented and teased Mrs. Nield so much when he was in high school that she determined to punish everyone associated with him, including his sweet innocent sister (that would be my wife). Now you may not believe that that would be something a sweet old lady would do, but I offer up this story as evidence that, indeed, she had it out for my wife.
My wife was never an exemplary student but she got A's and B's and was always quite diligent. In fact, she was a voracious reader and always got A's in English, but for some reason, she couldn't get anything but a C in Mrs. Nield's class. She often submitted her papers to other teachers just to make sure she was on the right track and they always said she wrote very well and they couldn't understand the grade.
The wife was certain she was the victim of fraternal discrimination, so she arranged a little experiment. She talked to a boy that consistently wrote wonderful essays and always got straight A's in the class and was a bit of a teacher's pet to Mrs. Nield. She convinced him to switch papers with her to test out the hypothesis. She also did it with the full knowledge of her parents who were skeptical but supportive.
Well the rouse went off without a hitch and the papers were returned graded. The wife got the expected C and the teacher's pet got the A. She had caught the teacher playing favorites. She approached the teacher with the other boy to confront her about the grades. When the truth was revealed, the wife got sent to the principal's office and given an F for cheating, even though she had written the A paper. Her parent's protested to the principal, but the principal and the school board backed the teacher and her punishment stood up.
The wife has never really liked writing since then.
My wife and I attended school together the very same year although we did not get hooked up until 14 years later. As such, we shared the same English teacher, Mrs. Nield. Apparently the Evil Genius, my brother-in-law had tormented and teased Mrs. Nield so much when he was in high school that she determined to punish everyone associated with him, including his sweet innocent sister (that would be my wife). Now you may not believe that that would be something a sweet old lady would do, but I offer up this story as evidence that, indeed, she had it out for my wife.
My wife was never an exemplary student but she got A's and B's and was always quite diligent. In fact, she was a voracious reader and always got A's in English, but for some reason, she couldn't get anything but a C in Mrs. Nield's class. She often submitted her papers to other teachers just to make sure she was on the right track and they always said she wrote very well and they couldn't understand the grade.
The wife was certain she was the victim of fraternal discrimination, so she arranged a little experiment. She talked to a boy that consistently wrote wonderful essays and always got straight A's in the class and was a bit of a teacher's pet to Mrs. Nield. She convinced him to switch papers with her to test out the hypothesis. She also did it with the full knowledge of her parents who were skeptical but supportive.
Well the rouse went off without a hitch and the papers were returned graded. The wife got the expected C and the teacher's pet got the A. She had caught the teacher playing favorites. She approached the teacher with the other boy to confront her about the grades. When the truth was revealed, the wife got sent to the principal's office and given an F for cheating, even though she had written the A paper. Her parent's protested to the principal, but the principal and the school board backed the teacher and her punishment stood up.
The wife has never really liked writing since then.
posted by Cool Dad at Sunday, August 28, 2005
9 Comments:
Hello, Michele sent me. Very interesting post! Figures that the punishment would end up with the wrong person! Isn't life always like that?
Oye, I hated it when teachers played favorites, but it was clever the way she tripped her up.
Michele sent me. :)
I thought you weren't going to blog about me anymore. Why is this an interesting story? Don't try to say it isn't about me, that it is about Mrs. Neild, the old bat. Not that I am still bitter or anything.
This of course leads us to the question...What in the world could the brother-in-law, aka my brother, do that would make this woman hold a grudge for 10 years? That is correct folks he is 10 years older than me. For those of you paying attention earlier when he disclosed my approximate age...add 10!!!
That mean old bat!!! Yeah, what exactly did the brother (in-law) do?
Ugh! Some "educators" should be kicked in the head. It's a shame that your wife doesn't like to write anymore. :(
My gosh, that's awful!! But, very very clever of your wife. I'm not sure I would have thought of that in high school.
To bad this teacher had it out for your wife. Some teachers are just like that. It's a good thing that my son was born last or his sisters might have suffered. Instead he was hailed as "Bonnie's brother" and he never did hold up to that image.
Wow! That story makes me glad that I wasn't born a boy and therefore didn't follow in my 4 older brother's high school footsteps!! My oldest brother paved the way for the other 3, and set a gold standard for trouble making that has been remembered for many years! Elephants, and teachers, never forget! :o)
Hi, Just letting you know that somewhere in the changing of blog templates, I got lost. I think I'm back with you now but I have to fiddle with that gray thing at the bottom of the screen to read your postings.
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