Bringing out the big guns

So, after reviewing numbers of students in classes, the administration proposed the idea that we merge two of the Spanish 2 teacher's classes so he can teach one section of Spanish One (let's call him... Faraz).  Currently I have 244 students and he has 180.  This would even things up.

Faraz and I used to get along extremely well, although our teaching methods vary greatly (he's the teacher who passed "Julius" in Spanish 2 when Julius could not even spell 'hola' with me in Spanish 1... no exaggeration). He's 27, really smart (speaks Farsi), and gets along well with students (probably because he passes them no matter what... but I digress).  My first year he was really great to me, whenever I had problems with student behavior or anything he would take that kid into his room for however long I needed (one kid stayed for weeks).  We would sit next to each other at staff meetings and pass notes about how redundant and awful everything was.  Life was great.

One day last year, Faraz and I both went down to Austin on the same weekend with separate groups of friends.  We danced and had a few drinks with the group and went home separately (of course!  what kind of girl do you think I am?).

After that, I started getting text messages from him that were along the lines of "Stop playing games" and "Why are you such a tease".  I told him I thought we were just friends and had no idea that he considered it more than that.

Big mistake.  He fired back that he would "just stop trying then."  Since then, my hallway greetings go unreturned, and in department meetings he refers to me in the 3rd person even if I'm right there.  Cool.  He did, however, when asked by our department chair, trade my tables for his desks, allowing more students to fit into my room.  "Maybe things are turning around!" I thought, stupidly.

Today I checked my "alternate" facebook, the one with my real name that students can "discover" and think they have all my info and pictures (the spring break pics, by design, will never be found by students ;)  Well lo and behold, there is a message from one of my former Spanish 1 students who is now in Spanish 2 with Faraz.  She writes:

Dear Ms. MyName,
We would really enjoy if we could keep our first period class with Mr Faraz. We found enough desks around the school to accommodate your large classes. We will even offer our slightly bigger classroom for your students. We offer to move for you, and we will even paint if you want! Can't we just compromise?? Please.
From, Mr. F's first period class.

Obviously, when I read this, I had a good chat with my inner self.  "Self,"  I began, "Maybe this young student is right.  Maybe I should stop being a maniacal despot holding dominion over the class sizes from my ivory tower.  Maybe I should go into my secret scheduling database vault and tinker with things until Mr. Faraz's 1st period class can stay the close-knit family that they have become. I mean, he only has 60 less students than me.  That's only 2 full classes, self!  Can't you find it in your heart to leave them alone?  Just because YOU suffer an ungodly amount, must they all-"


Then my brain ran out of sarcasm and I issued the following statement to my two cats:

"Is he kidding?  He NEEDS to grow a pair, that passive aggressive JERK!  I cannot believe he would go to his students with this, as if the scheduling is my decision."

And now I'm writing this because my cats did not give me enough sympathy and I still need to vent.

That is all.

1 comments:

Alyssa said...

you need to discuss this with him AND the department chair. personal feelings should NEVER interfere with how you treat your students!! douchebag

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