People who work with kids know that you can’t expect them to pick up on nuance or sarcasm before a certain age.
At least, people who work with kids should know that, based on experience.
This poor kid was always on the outs with his teacher and principal.
So, this is me as a 7 year old – much more than 7 years ago. For context, this predates (common use of) mobile phones.
I think about this situation from time to time and just now realized it was probably my first experience with Malicious Compliance, even if it wasn’t strictly speaking malicious.
In the second grade (mostly 7 year olds, for those not in the U.S.), I had one of those teachers who likes to single out a student for whatever inadequacies they are currently wrestling with and I ended up in the principal’s office quite a bit.
He tried to do what they asked in good faith, but they didn’t make it easy.
The most recent occurrence, I was sent for “lying about needing to go to the bathroom”… because the teacher was peeking outside the classroom on my way back, and I drank at the water fountain. Apparently, it was necessary for me to say I needed to ask if I could use the bathroom and get a drink of water.
The principal ordered me to sign a parental form letter saying that I would never again lie to school staff.
Two days later, I forgot my homework at home. I was sent to the office for this.
This time I was given a form saying that I had refused to do my homework.
I drew a line through “refused” and wrote “forgot”.
So, the principal gave me another copy of the form and told me not to say I forgot.
So I wrote a line through “do my homework” and wrote “lie to school staff, because I didn’t refuse to do my homework”.
The poor kid was just following directions.
The principal started yelling at me and I just sat there saying nothing. Then he said “are you going to sign the form with no changes?”
I said “I promised you I wouldn’t lie. I won’t sign a lie.”
He said “if that’s your attitude, you might as well go home.”
So… I did.
I sighed, stood up, went down the stairs and out the door. 20 minutes later… I was home.
His parents (and the police) got involved and eventually, got it sorted.
The principal called the police. The police called my parents.
Nobody thought to check the place I was told to go.
Eventually my mother got to the home with a police officer and I said “I was told to go home, so I did.” Then I explained the situation.
The police officer asked me if I was lying, and I told him about the first note. He looked disgusted, said “well, he’s safe”, and left.
The next day we had a meeting with the teacher, the principal, a truant officer and my parents. I said I’d accept any punishment they gave me, but I wouldn’t lie about anything to any of them.
The principal said (I guess it was his favorite expression) “if that’s your attitude, you might as well go home”. So… I did.
(There was yelling involved, but I left.)
A few days later I was at another school.
Kid stories are the best stories.
He definitely should have known.
Why are there so many bad teachers out there?
At least this one could take criticism.
It makes you really appreciate the good ones.
Too many adults still have lessons to learn.
Kids take things literally.
I figure a principal should know that.
If you thought that was an interesting story, check this one out about a man who created a points system for his inheritance, and a family friend ends up getting almost all of it.