Children Aren't The Only Bullies At School...

I've had my share of winners when it comes to teachers. With all of the turmoil at home, I was a very sensitive child (now I'm an overly sensitive adult; go figure). I already had one authority figure I was absolutely terrified of that I had to live with. I understand that teachers are only human and that they have a lot to deal with, but losing their tempers and abusing the students is inexcusable. You wouldn't believe the things a child can carry with them to their adult lives, and I'm naming names.

One of my homeroom teachers in grade school was Mr. Moroconi. We used to have some sort of classroom agenda form that was supposed to be filled out each week. My family had been on vacation, so mine was not completed. He slammed his hands down on my desk and with his face mere inches from mine screamed obscenities at me until I wet my pants. I was quaking with terror, so much so that my desk rattled. The next class I had was Science with Mrs. Revis. I walked in through the door, right up to the wall and leaned my forehead against it. My legs gave out; I collapsed, sliding down into a quivering, sobbing heap.

She helped me up and guided me towards the Nurse's Office. Mr. Moroconi was coming down the hall. I hid behind Mrs. Revis, burying my face against her back. "What in the hell did you do to this child?" she asked him. "I yelled at her because she didn't have her work done" he said. The nurse let me call my dad, who for some reason was at home that day. I somehow managed to choke out what had happened. Dad came down to the school. He rolled up his shirt sleeves and stormed into the classroom to confront the teacher. After a heated discussion, Dad came to the Nurse's Office to talk to me.

He did not comfort me. He did not ask me if I was alright. He didn't want to take me home, but I was too terrified to stay. On the way home in the car, he yelled at me for not having my work done and told me I should have stayed in school. I was devastated. For one split second, I thought he really cared about me. The heated discussion with my teacher was just for show. It did not matter that this man inappropriately cussed me out and scared me so badly that I wet myself. That's when I truly realized that I would always be on my own in situations such as these. I could not depend on him to back me up...ever.

That school had some real winners on it's staff. Mrs. Jones, the English teacher who accused me of tracing the Mallard duck I had drawn freehand. Mrs. Dixon, the Math teacher who said to me "Forget it, it's hopeless...you can't be taught! I give up! Go and do some puzzles or something...". People are only human. Under huge amounts of pressure, they will crack sometimes. But teachers should never take out their own frustrations, jealousies, or god knows what else on their students. They need to seriously think about the effect it can have...and if that's really how they want to be remembered years down the line.