(I am a sophomore in college taking theology. My professor is very intent on embarrassing the students in class that aren’t paying attention, so when she asks a question she will almost always call on the ones that look uninterested in what she’s teaching. If a student does happen to know the answer to the question, she tries to rush them through their answer by making it blatantly obvious that she has lost interest in what they’re saying. I am a good student. I always pay attention, but I usually come to class really tired. The professor is convinced that I never listen and has been out to get me since the beginning of the semester.)

Professor: “Why don’t you guys give me some examples of religious intolerance/tolerance?”

(The entire class is silent and no one raises their hands. The professor gets a smug look on her face. I’m slightly offended by what happens next, but not shocked.)

Professor: “Well [My Name], since you haven’t been paying attention at all today, why don’t you tell us what you know about religious tolerance and intolerance.”

Me: “Well, since I HAVE been paying attention this whole time I can tell you quite a few things.”

(I begin to list off a bunch of things mentioned in class that day.)

Me: “But if that’s not enough for you I can tell you this from my own personal experience. My best friend since I was five is Atheist. Another friend of mine is Jewish. I also have a friend who is Pagan, a friend who’s Wiccan, a friend who’s Muslim, my boyfriend ‘doesn’t give a s***,’ and last but not least, my boyfriend’s roommate has been quoted saying that he once had an imaginary friend and that friend’s name was Jesus. I’m Presbyterian.”

(The professor never tried calling me out for not paying attention ever again after that.)

(I’m a student on a school trip in Germany. There are around 30 students packed into one coach, from about 13 to 17 years old, and since it’s a very long drive the teachers are letting us plug our music players into the coach’s speakers. A song comes on that everyone knows, and as we are all music students, we all sing along.)

Everyone: “I knew you were trouble when you walked in, and now I’m lying on the cold hard ground!”

(On cue, all the students scream as loud as they can, making the teachers all jump and the coach driver actually swerve in surprise. Someone unplugs the music before we can get to the next chorus and a teacher comes to the second floor of the coach, where the students sit.)

Teacher: “I think that’s enough singing for now.”

(I substitute in a local elementary school. So far, most third grade tests have been connect-the-dots, fill-in-the-blanks, etc. But now, there are also questions that need written answers. One particular insecure boy shies away from questions like that and generally leaves them blank.)

Me: *to all students* “Now, remember to answer ALL the questions. Even if you are not sure of your answer, write something anyway. If you leave it blank it is definitely considered ‘wrong’ and you won’t get any points. So, anything you write is better than nothing.”

(The insecure boy stands up to hand me his finished test. I don’t take the paper away from him yet, to make sure he has a chance to answer everything.)

Me: “Did you answer all the questions?”

Student: “Yes.”

Me: “Are you sure you did? Do you want to look it over one more time just to make sure?”

Student: *still holding his test paper* “Yes. I answered all the questions. Except the one on the back. I didn’t see that one.”

(It’s St. Patrick’s day. I overhear two junior girls while walking down the hall.)

Girl #1: “I hate St. Patrick’s Day. It’s pointless and shouldn’t be celebrated.”

Girl #2: “Why wouldn’t you want to celebrate the day America was created?!”

(The entire hall stopped dead in their tracks.)

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(I had just taken a test on the summer reading that we were supposed to do, and one of my answers is marked wrong. I get up and go to the teacher.)

Me: “Teacher, this question that I got wrong…”

Teacher: “Yes, what about it? You put ‘I don’t know’ in the blank. Of course you would get it wrong if you don’t know!”

Me: “But… the question asks what the main character is told to say when asked about his past. In the book, he is told to say ‘I don’t know,’ so that’s what I put.”

Teacher: “…”

Me: “Did you even read the book?”

Teacher: “O-of course I did! Let me see the test.”

(She pretended to deliberate, then marked my answer right eventually.)