The Anger within...
I just came back a couple of hours ago from the Academic Fair that Evangel Christian School had. I also went to pick up my check that I have been desperately waiting for. Anyhooz, the students are presenting their projects they've been vigorously working on for the past month and a half. I was feeling uneasy because this was going to be the first time that I saw my high schoolers since I was demoted, so they prolly were going to bombard me with questions about why I'm not their teacher anymore.
Sure enough, I was right. They welcomed me soooooo warmly tonight. Many of them gave me hugs, and I welcomed those warmly myself. They were so dumbfounded and intensely sad and surprised as to why I'm not their teacher anymore. Almost all of the students I saw asked me why I wasnt their teacher anymore. Something that bothered me was that many of them thought I quit and left them. What the fuck? Where did they get that idea from? More importantly, who told them that? Fuming internally, I had to hold my anger every time I told them that it wasnt my choice to leave them. I made it clear to them that it wasnt my decision to leave them. I told them that if it were up to me, I would still be their teacher. Decisions out of my power were made, so here I am. They were really vexed that I'm not their teacher. That made me feel good, of course. But the thing that bothered me was why they had the notion that I quit on them and abandoned them. The only answer for that could be that my co-teacher, Mariette, told them that. That bitch.
So I asked some of the students what they were told about why I left. And they said that Mariette told them that "things didnt work out and that I'm still a good person." And guess who's their English teacher now? Mariette. That bitch. She cant even spell to save her life. Who's going to help them with their papers and the Regents practice questions when the time comes? Definitely not Mariette, because she hates English and aint good at it at all. I dislike her for that. One of my students, Elaine, saw me and hugged me so wildly. She's a doll. She said that 11th grade flipped out and started throwing paper when Mariette told them that I wasnt teaching them anymore. She said that the class was so upset. Awww....how sweet. 9th and 10th grade were equally upset, but 11th grade was the most visual about it. Also, another of my 11th graders, Owen, told me something sweet. As I was explaining to him why I wasnt teaching his class any longer, he sighed and said that they've had so many English teachers and that he's tired of the teachers constantly changing. I agreed with him, and then he said, "I was really getting to like u, Ms. Wright." Awwww....I smiled and I had to look away because it was so sad.
I wanted to punch Mariette in her face. I saw her sitting down in an area, and I avoided it, but I later came to that area because I wanted to say hi to the high school secretary, Mrs. Martin, who was sitting near Mariette and who's absolutely fabulous. I approached Mrs. Martin, touched her warmly on the shoulder and left the area without even acknowledging Mariette's presence.
I hope 9th, 10th and 11th grade give her hell for the rest of the year for what she put them through.