Some things really piss me off

Today, one of those things smacked me in the face.

I rarely blog about school, especially since there are current students who read here, but I don't mind expressing my feelings about this where they can read it, especially since I expressed myself some in class today.

Each year, our school holds an awards assembly for the students who achieved great things - and even for some of our students who achieved mediocre things, but are great things for them. For two years, when I first arrived at my school, I took it over and ran the assembly. It was dignified, organized, and all about the students. We held it at night when all important events are held, and when parents were free to attend. Last year, the teachers who ran it before I came took it back, as I was unable to run it. They fucked it up royally. It was held during the day when many parents couldn't attend, the certificates they handed out were amateur (as were the invitations), and they went for the shortest possible ceremony - wham, bam, good job, kid. After that experience, I went to our new Principal, expressed my displeasure, and asked to take it back this year. He expressed that the assembly was not all that he wished and agreed.

Fast forward to this year - those same people took it again. I don't know how, or if the Principal agreed to it, but they fucked it up again this year. They shortened it even further and separated Seventh and Eighth grade into separate assemblies. Students who weren't being given an award were not allowed to attend. There was no pomp, no ceremony, and precious little bloody recognition. This ridiculous assembly did not honor our students, but was an assembly-line paper distribution.

I don't know about the rest of the teachers at my school, but as my Eighth graders can attest, I demand a lot of my students. In return, I try to live up to those same expectations. Granted, I'm not the quickest at returning papers (I hate grading things - sue me), but I really feel that I do a good job. I don't feel like the teachers running this assembly gave our students the same respect and dedication that they demand from these students day in and day out.

Some things, like returning one hundred percent of your students' papers on time, you can half-ass and get away with it. Other things, like showing students who have worked hard all year and learned a ton that their efforts are valued and important? Not even a little bit.

I love my students (ok, I love most of them - there's one class I can mostly do without). They deserve better.