(I’m in my first year of high school. My four-year-old sister is in class with me because kindergarten was cancelled for the day. My sister is allowed in class because she is well behaved and quiet. She is also smart and likes reading books. My class is learning about World War 2.)

Teacher: “Can anyone tell me what caused World War 2?”

(One of my classmates puts up her hand.)

Student #1: “It’s because of the slaves, right?”

(My sister lets out a quiet giggle, knowing this is wrong.)

Teacher: “No. Anyone else?”

Student #2: “Wasn’t it because of America?”

(My sister laughs loud enough for the teacher to hear.)

Teacher: “[My Name], why is your sister laughing?”

Sister: “It’s ’cause they’re wrong. World War 2 started in 1939, ’cause France and Britain wanted to fight with the Germans ’cause they invaded ‘Polish!'”

(My sister then goes on to explain the more complex reasons for the war, at the end of her rant, the class is surprised and looks at me.)

Me: “This is a prime example of what you’re able to do when you read and have a great-grandpa who fought in World War 2.”

This story is part of the Black History Month roundup. This is the last story in the roundup, but we have plenty of others you might find interesting.

19 Terrifying True Stories That Show Racism Is Still Everywhere In Society

Read the next Black History Month roundup.

Read the Black History Month roundup.

(We are in eighth grade home economics class learning about baking.)

Teacher: “All right, class, we already discussed how to use a tooth pick to test if your cake is done. Can anyone else tell me another way to test it?”

Student: *completely confidently and seriously* “Yeah! You throw it against the wall and if it sticks it’s no good!”

(The professor has just asked us to describe to our class partners what happens to the Russian number ‘one’ when you use it in the accusative case.)

Me: *to partner* “You see, the number one, it’s a little bit different. It’s a number, but it knows in its heart that it’s an adjective, and it acts like an adjective, but it just hasn’t had the surgery yet…”

(I am 12 years old, in an advanced English class. We’re chatting while writing some notes. Classmate #1 is really into history.)

Classmate #1: *going on about the historical inaccuracies in a movie* “And that wasn’t what the Spartans looked like!”

Me: *baiting her* “How do you know? Were you there?”

Classmate #2: “Yeah, did they have cameras in Sparta?”

Me: *deadpan* “Yes.”

Classmate #2: “Really?!“

(I’m making up some missed days in life fitness, along with three other kids, two of which have fewer days to make up. It is at almost the end of class.)

Teacher: “Okay, [Student #1] and [Student #2], you’re done. Follow me so we can get you marked down. [Student #3] and [My Name], stay here.”

(The teacher and two students leave and we sit there and wait. Eventually the bell rings but we stay a little longer, until we go to find our teacher.)

Teacher: “Did you guys decide to stay to work out some more?”

Me: “No, you told us to stay there.”

Teacher: “No, I didn’t. I told you to come with me!”

(On a side note, in the next class I decided to draw pictures of his head exploding.)