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People Describe The Worst Teacher They Ever Had

Some people aren't meant to do certain jobs, whether we like to hear it or not. Having a bad teacher is especially dreadful: A teacher's job is to foster an environment conducive to the learning process. A bad one can discourage a child from pursuing even the subjects in which they display considerable talent.

After Redditor Duo1412 asked the online community, "People of Reddit, who was your worst teacher, and why?" people shared their stories... and we find ourselves feeling infuriated on their behalf.


"Ended up spending the night..."

Had to get a bad test signed by a parent. Came home to my mom having serial seizures. Ended up spending the night in the hospital with her. When I told my 5th grade teacher why I couldn't get it signed, she said it was no excuse and I kept the F. As I turned around while crying, my crush was right there looking at me creeped out.

BigMik0

"The teacher who..."

The teacher who used to touch girls' shoulders and backs all the time, and sat on a girl's lap during our lesson once.

IAmTheAccident

"She also led the cheerleading squad..."

A freshman year English teacher who had us do a pie chart assigning blame for the holocaust after reading Elie Wiesel's "Night." One of the categories was "Jews for not trying to escape," and another was "God." When we asked if we could assign zero to any categories she said no.

She also led the cheerleading squad and harassed girls in her class to join, like going down a line and asking each girl why they hadn't signed up for cheer, but would pointedly skip girls she didn't like in front of the class.

decadrachma

"I wish Hell was a real place..."

My fourth grade teacher got the entire class to say they hated my guts in unison with her 3 times. She similarly publicly humiliated other children as well

During parent teacher interviews she would rant on and on about how we were all "sex perverts" and obsessed with sex. Did I mention we were fourth graders?

She believed that ice cream had automotive antifreeze in it, that the reflective lines on the road were made from condor retinas (WTF) and that meat in the supermarket was coloured red with highly toxic dye. She would smoke in the classrooms during recess and there were rumours that the cigarettes were accompanied by rye whiskey.

In geography she taught us that the continent of Australia was named after a country in Europe (next to Switzerland) and that each state was a separate country with a different language. Tasmanians may be surprised to learn that they should be speaking Portuguese in their little island republic. When kids who had been to or had relatives Down Under corrected her, she became enraged and said no single country would "be allowed" to occupy an entire continent

I wish Hell was a real place so she could spend eternity there. A person like that has no business working with kids.

douchebagfckboi

"If I asked him any questions..."

My 6th grade teacher used to join in with the bullies when they're ere making fun of me, and laugh when I started crying. If I asked him any questions he would repeat the question in a mocking voice and the bullies would laugh.

zuzuofthewolves

"Here's a 50 page paper..."

Here's a 50 page paper of chemistry problems. Finish it by the end of class and don't make a sound unless you're asking me a question I'll berate you for.

PM-Me-Your-Tits-Plz

"This might make it sound..."

Grade 8 HR teacher.

She is basically as two-faced as a person can be. If she liked you, then she spares no effort or expense to make sure that everything is absolutely perfect just for you. If she dislikes you, she spares no effort or expense to make your life absolute hell.

This might make it sound like all you'll need to do is get on her good side, but it's not nearly that simple. She has a very specific set of expectations from the students she likes, and will go out of her way to impose those expectations on those students. Being a favorite of hers is basically surrendering any semblance of autonomy in the class. And if by some sheer force of will a student dares defy her, then that student is automatically placed at the bottom of the classroom hierarchy and loathed for the the rest of the year.

I was one of the students who went from being a favorite to being the bottom, and let me tell you, it very noticeably f***** up my education and set me on a course for failure.

ThymeofDying

"I often wonder how sadistic a person must be..."

My 6th grade teacher.

For some reason, he picked one kid as his whipping boy for the year and made his life miserable. Well, I was the lucky winner. I confirmed this with my brother because he said he did it to another kid when he had him.

I'll admit that I wasn't the best 6th grader. I was having problems at home and he was making things 10x worse. He would make me dance in front of the class if I acted out. He would read my answers to essay questions to the class if he thought they were stupid. One time he even showed the class my awful handwriting and asked if he should give me a zero because he had a hard time reading it. Of course the class agreed and he gave me a zero. The sounds of the entire class laughing at me cut me deep. Plus, the class thinks they have carte blanche to pick on you on the playground if the teacher gets to pick on you. Sixth grade was not fun for me.

I often wonder how sadistic a person must be to pick on little kids. How could they possibly enjoy it?

casino_night

"She gave students no space to develop..."

Mine was an old lady that led one of the first projects last schoolyear. I study Art Communication and Design and obviously every teacher has their own idea about what art or design is supposed to be, but this lady enforced her own views like facts. She gave students no space to develop their own concept and failed everyone who tried to stick to themselves. In addition to that she was also extremely rude to anyone who questioned or challenged her views. Luckily I never got on her bad side but I'm happy she retired.

mrtjvnck

"I have a certain disability..."

There was this one lady who was very picky about how our folders looked. I have a certain disability that influences my handwriting a lot and doesn't make it look as neat as the other girls. She regularly used the things I wrote, my folder, etc as a negative example even though I followed all of her criteria. It just happened to look crooked. I was being bullied a lot during that time and lost a lot of trust in my teachers because of her.

KittyMeowstika

"As of now..."

Our Italian teacher in elementary school. She scared us so much that now, in middle school, we're scared to answer questions because we might be wrong.

She would yell at us and sometimes belittle us if we got an answer wrong.. so people got scared of answering.. that also gave me a lot of anxiety when i needed to answer a question or do a test, i was a good student but i was hella scared that i would get one thing wrong and get yelled at, i hate being yelled at and it scared me a lot more back then...

We tried to tell our parents but they dismissed it as her being strict and us being too dramatic. Just now i realize we were not and that was definitely mental abuse..

As of now I'm trying to get more courage and answer questions, even if I'm not 110% they're right, but I'm scared that the first teacher that we have like that will make me scared again and i will lose all the progress i made this year... We have way better teachers in middle school now!

Coco_xo

"Last I heard..."

A middle school substitute teacher who constantly made kids cry and allegedly threw a stapler at a student's older sister once. Last I heard, she was somehow still subbing.

_KaseyRae

"He may not have been dramatically bad..."

An art professor at Hofstra University when i was there for one year. He was assigned to me as my teacher as part of a "package curriculum" for first year so I couldn't switch teachers or drop the class.

His class was meant as just teaching about different art styles and doing art projects that wouldn't be judged but would be encouraged to find the deeper meaning. However despite being required to have a neutral take, he was definitely a modern art snob who was pompous and a know-it-all and did judge others' art as bad or not.

He may not have been dramatically bad but I can confidently say my experience with him was the least fruitful.

Redeemer206

"Later that year..."

I had a teacher who was prone to anger attacks in the middle of class. He would scream at the class often, and on one occasion he even smashed a student's computer.

Later that year he was arrested for a case of animal abuse and was removed from teaching.

DankMemes420Gats

"I would often complain about..."

Mine was Señor Toro, my high school algebra teacher. I would often complain about how he taught class, in which he often contradicted himself or was plain wrong on a lot of concepts. My mother, who is a math major, still tells me to this day that he was a moron.

He also stank of coffee, which he drank constantly.

IcyNapalm

"It's tough to say which teacher was the worst one..."

It's tough to say which teacher was the worst one, because I've had so many lousy teachers.

When I was a senior in high school, my government teacher told another senior to ensure that he (the senior) didn't place his penis in the pencil sharpener. My teacher used to frequently say weird sexual comments. I told a guidance counselor about it, and then it stopped.

When I was a sophomore in high school, I took Algebra 2 and my teacher didn't know how to teach. She would do example problems and then give us worksheets - every day. She never explained the theory behind the math problems she was doing. She never looked up from the projector when she was writing notes. Frequently, my classmates would walk around the class, talk, and build stuff out of cardboard boxes in the class.

When I was in college, one of my professors called my dad once. That was bizarre, since it was illegal (due to FERPA) and most college professors have 0 desire to contact students' parents about the student's class performance. I still don't know how my professor got my dad's number. I reported my professor to his supervisor, but I don't know if he ever got disciplined.

Fleur498

"His name still lingers around the school..."

I had a religious studies teacher who was fairly strange. He would show up to class at least 10 minutes late and when he did he would always stare at the girls in my class. There were girls he would talk to in particular who he would always joke with and play around.

He was actually a very good teacher and we all got high grades in his class. One day during class he was no where to be seen so we all did our own thing because we had free time. A few days later we didn't see him still so we started to get worried until it was announced. The principal assembled us all into the cafeteria before lunch and announced why he was fired.

X_Chicken_Nuggets_X

"He told me and some of my friends..."

My 6th grade teacher. He told me and some of my friends that we would grow up to be homeless bums living on the street, thereby completely killing my self-confidence and motivation to succeed in school.

jacob_stephenson01

"So everyone who laughed..."

In 9th grade I had a miserable English teacher. She would always yell at me for doing nothing in particular. I never did anything wrong to her. One day she was leaning on the desk while teaching and it started creaking. She kept teaching then boom. The table leg bent in a way that made the whole table collapse with her on it.

Every one started laughing. Sure I smiled but I didn't start mocking her like the rest of the kids. Before she left the room I started fiddling with my hair because my hair tie broke. She eventually came back crying with the vice principal and started telling about how we almost killed her and how we laughed as if we planned it.

So everyone who laughed got suspended. I didn't laugh, sweet so I'm not getting suspended... so I thought. The quiet kids and the vice principals favorite students didn't get suspended but then she called my name. I was called to the office to be suspended. When I asked why, it was for "teasing the teacher with your hair." I failed to mention the English teacher is bald.. by her own choice. So I got suspended because I tried to fix my hair during a class while the teacher wasn't teaching.

X_Chicken_Nuggets_X

"I was doing great..."

I was doing great in chemistry in my first year got an A grade then the teacher left school as he moved to Germany. The next year I got a teacher who was primarily a graphic/textiles but because they studied chemistry at A level it made them qualified to teach it at GCSE. Did my mock paper for exams and got an F. She just wasn't great at explaining and rather chat with the popular girls. Ended up learning the textbook 2 weeks before the final exam and came out with a B grade.

nessac93

"Our Italian teacher..."

Our Italian teacher in elementary school. She scared us so much that now, in middle school, we're scared to answer questions because we might be wrong.

She would yell at us and sometimes belittle us if we got an answer wrong.. so people got scared of answering.. that also gave me a lot of anxiety when I needed to answer a question or do a test, I was a good student but I was hella scared that I would get one thing wrong and get yelled at, I hate being yelled at and it scared me a lot more back then...

We tried to tell our parents but they dismissed it as her being strict and us being too dramatic. Just now I realize we were not and that was definitely mental abuse.

As of now, I'm trying to get more courage and answer questions, even if I'm not 110% they're right, but I'm scared that the first teacher that we have like that will make me scared again and I will lose all the progress I made this year... We have way better teachers in middle school now!

Coco_Xo

"She was teaching..."

She was teaching ancient Greek and for some reason she didn't like anyone. She made around 100 children to give exams in summer to pass the class (I was one of them) she gave to everyone 6 out of 20 in grades. I almost needed to repeat the class.

NickFury24

"Of course there are some caveats..."

This is more in college:

I've had several, it all boils down to pushing a political agenda. Right, left, doesn't matter. Do what you're paid to do and teach the materials for the class. I don't care if you don't agree with me, I'm not here to hear you complain about the government, or sing its praises. If it is a discussion outside of class (or in some sort of political class) and the responses are thought out and educated then that would be fine. Teach the class, and that's it. Of course, there are some caveats, but I don't care what side you lean towards. Teach the class, that's it.

floppydoodie

People Explain What They Bought With Their First-Ever Paycheck

Reddit user MisterChiTown92 asked: 'What did you buy with your first ever work paycheck?'

Person fanning out wad of $100 bills
Alexander Mils/Unsplash

Working a first job is an important part of growing up.

Whether it's working a paper route (do kids even do this anymore?) or working at a video rental store (do those even exist anymore?) first-ever part-time jobs establish important life values and lessons to the youth.

Also, there's nothing that validates accomplishment at a young age more than being able to buy something with their hard-earned money.

Curious to hear examples of this, Redditor MisterChiTown92 asked:

"What did you buy with your first ever work paycheck?"

These generous Redditors found value in paying it forward.

Dinner's On Me

"It was 1976, I was making a whopping $2.50/hour at age 16 (20 cents higher than minimum wage, and it was an office job so I wasn't on my feet all day)....my family didn't have a lot of money (which is why I started working while in the 11th grade), so with my first paycheck I took my Mom and brothers out to dinner at Big Boy. I remember being all proud to say 'Get whatever you want, even the combo meal and a milkshake, it's on me."'

– Ouisch

Dinner Miscalculation

"I took my mom out to a fancy French restaurant. I had no idea how much it was going to cost, then plus tip, I didn’t even have enough! So she had to help me pay the rest. My mom still joke about that from time to time when we go out with the family."

"That was almost 25 yrs ago, damn time flew by."

– jonwtc

Gift For Mom

"I bought my mother a beautiful shawl. I never saw her wear it but it was in with her things when she died nearly 50 years later."

– WakingOwl1

These Redditors got to reward themselves with the things they enjoy most.

Creating Memories

"About twenty bucks of my first paper route earnings, for the pizza buffet and soft drinks, and some arcade games, with my best friend."

"While the shape I've been in has varied over the years, I've kept that stamina I built up hauling around damn near my weight in newsprint. For long endurance rides, hikes with a loaded-up pack, and running."

– ArmsForPeace84

Brand New Kicks

"I was 14 and got a job as a bus boy at a local BBQ joint. With my first check, I went and bought myself a pair of blue/brown Airwalk shoes. I remember how cool it felt to be able to buy something for myself and not have to ask my parents."

– johnnybmagic

Scoring Big Time

"A Playstation 2. Excellent buy, kept it for a over decade before buying an Xbox One."

– Birdo-the-Besto

"It was an Xbox 360 for me. Loved that console."

– HabeLinkin

"Still have a modded PS2. Had a hard drive with games on it too. It still turns on last I checked, I wonder if the hard drive still works..."

–DubaU

A Timeless Treasure

"My family owned a construction business, and my father had me on site for as long as I could remember. I don't remember the first thing I ever bought with what he paid me, but I remember the first thing I set out to buy and had to work for weeks to get the money for. It was a Lego castle set. $49. I'm almost 50 now, and I still have it."

– Spodson

Naughty Pleasures

"lol I bought a candy g-string so I could eat it off of my girlfriend while she was wearing it, and a black cowboy hat with spikes on it from Hot Topic hahaha"

dirtydickmf

Some recalled having to prioritize taking care of business over indulgences.

The Necessities

"gasoline and insurance to continue to be able to go to work."

– TurpitudeSnuggery

"I remember getting my first paycheck being so proud of it and my stepfather goes wow you don't have enough for gas. How are you getting to work for the next two weeks? Made me realize I needed to work more."

"I should also put in here that this was my first on the books paycheck. Made it feel a little different."

– truelydorky

Saving Up For Wheels

"Used to mow lawns and do odd jobs for cash when I was a kid. When I got my first 'real' paycheck that I had to cash at a bank, I saved every penny for several months until I bought my first car at age 16."

"Had zero expenses back then, which made it easy to save money. Fun memory."

– YupHio

Building A Wardrobe

"Clothes."

"I had to start working at the age of 12 because my parents could no longer afford to buy clothes for me."

– Opposite-Purpose365

I worked at a video game store in the mall when I was 15.

I was miserable being stuck behind a counter in a tiny corner store with hardly any adequate air circulation. Working with a personality-clashing co-worker didn't help things either.

But when I got my first paycheck, I remember thinking it was a major milestone and reward for enduring the unpleasant work conditions.

I used my first-ever earnings on a denim jacket from the Gap at the mall where I worked. I wore that stone-washed jacket with pride at school for years.

What was your most prized purchase from your first paycheck?

man and woman at wedding with balloons
Álvaro CvG on Unsplash

Weddings are built up to be magical events heralding a happily ever after for the newly minted spouses.

But like any major life event, a lot can go wrong.

Weather, illness, natural disasters, relationship drama, family squabbles... you name it and someone, somewhere has seen it at a wedding.

Keep reading...Show less
assorted items at antique shop
Christelle BOURGEOIS on Unsplash

Growing up we used a can opener, toaster and hand mixer that my Mother received as wedding gifts. She was married in 1966 and those small appliances were still working well into the 1990s.

When Mum sold her house and downsized, she decided to get new small appliances that matched. The old but still functioning ones were avocado green, stainless and harvest gold.

Since then I've gone through countless electric can openers, toasters and hand mixers and none worked as well or as long as those ones from the 1960s.

The ones with moving parts don't have the same power as the old ones and the toasters all lose heating coils in just a few years.

My complaints about small appliances are mirrored by many.

Keep reading...Show less
angry girl in black and white striped shirt
Photo by Julien L on Unsplash

Double standards are an unfortunate part of society.

A double standard is when two or more individuals or sets of people are treated differently when they should be treated the same.

A good example is the difference in the way my brother and I are treated when we cook. I'm big on baking and have a natural talent for it. Whenever I bake anything, even something complicated, like cheesecake, I'm given minimal praise, if any at all. This is because I'm a woman, and in my family culture, women are expected to be able to bake.

My brother isn't as good a baker as me and rarely does it, but when he does, he is praised for subpar brownies because he's a man and it's amazing he can even cook as well as he does.

I'm not the only one who has experience with this.

Redditors have identified many double standards in society and are eager to share.

It all started when Redditor Extreme-Minute-4746 asked:

"What double standards make you angry?"

Civil Service

"As a federal government employee, why do I have to follow all kinds of ethics rules, but politicians and judges don’t?"

– mittychix

"F**k, right? I have to spend six weeks reviewing documentation and hearing out dozens of random companies to award a £100k contract but the minister who runs my department can give his mate's company a multi-million£ contract to run ferries without even getting quotes - DESPITE THAT COMPANY NOT HAVING AND FERRIES AND THE PORT IN QUESTION NOT HAVING CAPACITY FOR THEM."

"I left the civil service after that one."

– Disco_is_Death

"This. Yeah I could get in trouble for accepting a gift over $50 (like I have that much influence anyway) but politicians and judges get lobbied millions..it's infuriating."

– gtbeam3r

"Yes. And they get to keep their jobs for being completely dysfunctional, but if I pulled a fraction that garbage, I’d be fired."

– TrekJaneway

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

"That some people expect you to respect their no, whilst they will most definitely not respect yours."

– IvyBloodroot

"On that note, respecting someone as an authority is often equated to respecting someone as an individual."

"Eg. Teachers who say if you don't respect me (as a superior), I won't respect you (as a person), when they're really not the same thing."

– Paperonia

The Bullied

"School bullying."

"The kid getting picked on has essentially no power. Go to a teacher? Get labeled a snitch and tattle tale. Don't do anything? You're just made an easier target. The moment they fight back, they're the ones who end up dealing with detention, suspension, expulsion, etc. You have more power as a bully in the schools than the victim."

– FriskeCrisps

"It's because bullied people are usually rule followers, and the school wants the problem dealt with as quickly as possible. Best way to do that is to expect the rule follower to follow rules, rather than the rule breaker to suddenly change their ways."

"Fairness ends up on the chopping block."

– darsynia

Services Cliff

"I'm 41 years old and have Cerebral Palsy. If I try to find anything related to the disease - how to deal with it, any kind of ongoing care - it is virtually impossible because all the care is just for children with CP. It's like once you turn 18 the world just doesn't care anymore."

– Zechnophobe

"I’m autistic and in the same boat. “How to deal with a child who…” I'M ASKING FOR ME."

– aroaceautistic

A Two-Way Street

"People who are obsessed with the idea of kids being respectful towards adults, but don't treat kids with respect in turn."

"Edit for example: I went to a very old-fashioned school where the rule was that when an adult entered the room, even in the library and break/lunch, every student in the room had to immediately fall silent - mid sentence, mid word, didn't matter - and stand up until we were given permission to sit back down again. If we didn't, we were chewed out and sometimes even given detentions. The argument was that it trained us into respect, but I was also brought up to believe it's rude to interrupt, and it felt like the teachers were constantly interrupting us."

– MerylSquirrel

"My father in law is like that. He’s “kids should be seen and not heard” type of old school."

"But then he wonders why the children in the family all steer clear of him and why they disregard most things he says."

– Macintosh0211

Doctor, Doctor

"This might be a bit controversial, but I’ve come across a couple of doctors who demand special treatment away from work but preach and practice treating all their patients equally."

– kimchi-pancake

"They charge you a fee or cancel if you’re 5 minutes late but have no problem leaving you waiting for hours. I’ve waited an hour in the lobby and another in the actual examination room."

– SadComfort8692

"Same! i can understand if it’s out of their control but i could hear her, clear as day, giggling with her coworkers about her weekend. i waited 20 in the lobby and 20 in the exam room. i love a good gab but, for f**k’s sake, do it later! if i yapped outside for 20 minutes, it would be a $50 fee and another 4 month long wait to be seen again."

"I suddenly had a $50 i-can-hear-you-nattering-through-the-wall fee. she laughed but it’s been collecting interest ever since…"

– manyfeetball

Alcohol Is Alcohol

"Beer drinkers act like they aren’t alcoholics because they don’t drink hard liquor. Ok sir you just drank 25 beers and then looked at me sideways for drinking a g&t at the family reunion."

– Brainfog_shishkabob

"Same goes for the “sophisticated” wine drinkers..."

"Stop judging me for enjoying a drink on the terrace a few times a year, when you empty 1-2 bottles each evening..."

– 2Madam_Mimmm

"That’s definitely the way it is. I’ve got a snotty alcoholic family member, that THINKS she’s sophisticated, because she drinks high dollar wine, out of very expensive glasses."

"Yeah, pissing yourself and passing out, in front of the mailbox, are definitely the traits of a sophisticated person."

– sweathogbrooklyn

Mr. Mom

"Fathers taking care of their kids."

"I take my kids to doctor appointments, dentist appointments, take them to school, and pick them up. I do all that stuff."

"Every single f**king time, it's, “Dad’s babysitting today?” Or some stupid comment like that. No, I’m not babysitting. I’m being a f**king parent!"

"I hate the double standard that dads can’t do stuff like that with their kids."

"I can’t take my daughter to the park without being questioned or looked at funny either."

"People need to give dads more respect. A lot of us bust our a**es too. I work hard. I take care of my kids, I play with my kids. I clean the house. I do laundry. I don’t stop. I don’t rest, I don’t relax."

– moms-sphaghetti

"Give us changing tables in the men's room!"

– Da1UHideFrom

"Nothing bugs me more than when a place only has changing tables in the women's bathroom."

"It's 2023, I take my son to the aquarium by myself sometimes... Looking at you London SeaLife centre 🤨"

– AstonVanilla

Household Split

"The laundry is always a wierd one. My wife is a much better cook than me. And she hates me cooking when she's in the house. So to compensate I do all the laundry, including ironing before someone mentions it, and all the washing of dishes."

"But even at work, this doesn't seem to be understood as possible. I complained my washing machine had broken and the comment was 'Oh no, what's wife's name going to do?'"

"To which the answer was 'Wonder why I haven't done the washing this week.'"

"But it's infuriating."

– RelativeStranger

Justice Is Bought

"The American justice system. You can afford the best and many more lawyers when you have money."

– TooAfraidToAsk814

"Justice is blind, but the b*tch sure can smell money."

– burgher89

Worship

"I am supposed to respect people's religion, but people aren't supposed to respect my non-religion."

"Particularly when their religion instructs them to not respect my non-religion."

– GeebusNZ

"It kinda makes my head spin that there are people who I get along well with who, per their religion, think I deserve to be tortured in agony for all eternity."

Daztur

Yup, me and my non-religious self have personal experience with that last one!