1 00:00:16,550 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 1: Hello and welcome to My Favorite Murder, the back-to-school minisode. 2 00:00:22,410 --> 00:00:27,060 Speaker 2: The back-to-school, very special episode of the minisode. We're going 3 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:29,740 Speaker 2: to do just teacher-adjacent stories, right? 4 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:32,260 Speaker 1: School stories, teacher stories. Yes. 5 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:36,059 Speaker 2: But because we're doing this, we're also going to have 6 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 2: a little fun with it. 7 00:00:37,260 --> 00:00:40,560 Speaker 1: Last year, we reposted a bunch of teachers' wish lists 8 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:43,470 Speaker 1: so that other people could help and clear them. And 9 00:00:43,630 --> 00:00:47,010 Speaker 1: everybody responded. Of course, it's the murderino community. So they 10 00:00:47,050 --> 00:00:49,190 Speaker 1: showed up and they showed out and they cleared a 11 00:00:49,229 --> 00:00:50,030 Speaker 1: ton of wish lists. 12 00:00:50,350 --> 00:00:53,430 Speaker 2: So this year, we are going to join in and, like, 13 00:00:53,530 --> 00:00:56,010 Speaker 2: double down on that. We're going to clear as many 14 00:00:56,070 --> 00:00:57,990 Speaker 2: wish lists as possible by donating $ 10, 000 to Kids in 15 00:00:58,010 --> 00:01:04,930 Speaker 2: Need Foundation. in the name of all our teacher murderinos, teacherinos. 16 00:01:05,130 --> 00:01:07,310 Speaker 1: And Kids in Need Foundation is really great because it 17 00:01:07,510 --> 00:01:11,750 Speaker 1: actually focuses on under-resourced classrooms. So that feels even better. 18 00:01:11,950 --> 00:01:14,370 Speaker 2: Totally. So if you'd like to help and give a 19 00:01:14,390 --> 00:01:16,410 Speaker 2: little as well and clear a teacher's wish list, we're 20 00:01:16,430 --> 00:01:20,810 Speaker 2: going to be reposting them on Instagram, teacher's wish lists. Right. 21 00:01:20,930 --> 00:01:23,310 Speaker 1: And so you can jump in. Our donation is like 22 00:01:23,420 --> 00:01:26,160 Speaker 1: covering it so that we're not picking a favorite school. 23 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:26,539 Speaker 2: Right. 24 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:28,740 Speaker 1: And so you can join in. If you're a teacher, 25 00:01:28,780 --> 00:01:31,750 Speaker 1: you can retweet your wish list and then murderinos who 26 00:01:31,790 --> 00:01:34,230 Speaker 1: did it last year have an opportunity to help out. 27 00:01:34,270 --> 00:01:37,370 Speaker 2: Totally. So teachers, post your Instagram story with a link 28 00:01:37,410 --> 00:01:40,209 Speaker 2: to your wish list and then tag us at My 29 00:01:40,270 --> 00:01:45,480 Speaker 2: Favorite Murder and let's have some fun with this. And 30 00:01:45,500 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 2: we can help out and do something good in this 31 00:01:48,060 --> 00:01:48,700 Speaker 2: fucked up world. 32 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 1: Think of the children. 33 00:01:49,700 --> 00:01:52,320 Speaker 2: Think of the children. All right. Okay, let's get to. 34 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:55,710 Speaker 1: Okay, the subject line of this one is most unqualified 35 00:01:55,850 --> 00:02:00,520 Speaker 1: substitute teacher ever. Yes. Hello, you wonderful ladies. Sometime back, 36 00:02:00,580 --> 00:02:03,900 Speaker 1: you asked for hometowns about inappropriate jobs for children. Mine 37 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:06,660 Speaker 1: dates back to the early 70s, a feral time of 38 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:12,120 Speaker 1: massive discrimination, unchecked pollution, and corporate disregard of safety, and 39 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:13,870 Speaker 1: absolutely amazing music. 40 00:02:14,970 --> 00:02:16,430 Speaker 2: That's basically it in a nutshell. 41 00:02:16,450 --> 00:02:18,929 Speaker 1: There's real bad lows, and then there's a couple highs. 42 00:02:19,690 --> 00:02:21,510 Speaker 1: I grew up in a very small West Texas town 43 00:02:21,550 --> 00:02:25,389 Speaker 1: of 5,000 people, and then in parentheses, do not recommend. 44 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:29,020 Speaker 1: Which at the time had two elementary schools. My father 45 00:02:29,060 --> 00:02:31,380 Speaker 1: was the principal of one, and the other principal was 46 00:02:31,419 --> 00:02:34,600 Speaker 1: a man I'll call Mr. Taylor because that was his name, 47 00:02:34,780 --> 00:02:36,919 Speaker 1: and I'm done protecting incompetent men. 48 00:02:36,980 --> 00:02:38,060 Speaker 2: Yeah. 49 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:40,680 Speaker 1: All of a sudden, the email's blowing up. 50 00:02:40,740 --> 00:02:41,090 Speaker 2: Love it. 51 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:43,859 Speaker 1: One morning, Mr. Taylor, claiming he could not find a 52 00:02:43,919 --> 00:02:47,040 Speaker 1: substitute teacher, called my high school office and asked them 53 00:02:47,100 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 1: to send me over to his elementary school for the 54 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 1: day to fill in. Without asking any questions, the high 55 00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:55,700 Speaker 1: school principal pulled me out of class— And told me 56 00:02:55,740 --> 00:02:58,840 Speaker 1: to go to the elementary school. Important point here. I 57 00:02:58,880 --> 00:02:59,930 Speaker 1: was 16 years old. 58 00:03:00,590 --> 00:03:00,790 Speaker 2: Wow. 59 00:03:01,290 --> 00:03:04,150 Speaker 1: Also important point. I did not ask any questions because 60 00:03:04,290 --> 00:03:06,670 Speaker 1: I had it drilled into me from birth that I 61 00:03:06,710 --> 00:03:08,750 Speaker 1: was to do whatever an adult. 62 00:03:08,470 --> 00:03:09,970 Speaker 2: Told me to do. Totally. Totally. 63 00:03:10,070 --> 00:03:10,790 Speaker 1: Very dark times. 64 00:03:10,910 --> 00:03:11,430 Speaker 2: Nonsense. 65 00:03:12,110 --> 00:03:13,710 Speaker 1: The internet children don't understand. 66 00:03:13,770 --> 00:03:13,930 Speaker 2: No. 67 00:03:14,770 --> 00:03:17,250 Speaker 1: Dutifully, I showed up at Mr. Taylor's office and he 68 00:03:17,290 --> 00:03:19,450 Speaker 1: took me to a third grade classroom. 69 00:03:19,490 --> 00:03:21,370 Speaker 2: This is so against the law. How old are third graders? 70 00:03:21,410 --> 00:03:21,930 Speaker 2: Like nine? 71 00:03:21,950 --> 00:03:26,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, the oldest, I think. Oh, my God. they're still 72 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 1: pretty young, told me the real teachers in other rooms 73 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:33,300 Speaker 1: would check on me throughout the day and left. The 74 00:03:33,340 --> 00:03:36,060 Speaker 1: real teachers did not, in fact, check on me not 75 00:03:36,100 --> 00:03:39,000 Speaker 1: even once. I never saw another adult all day except 76 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:42,770 Speaker 1: for lunch when one of them casually asked, how's it going? Jesus. 77 00:03:43,270 --> 00:03:46,490 Speaker 1: And walked away without waiting for me to answer. Those 78 00:03:46,550 --> 00:03:49,190 Speaker 1: third graders were treated to a day of coloring, a 79 00:03:49,230 --> 00:03:51,670 Speaker 1: few math problems, and me reading aloud to them from 80 00:03:51,730 --> 00:03:54,300 Speaker 1: whatever books I could find in the room. Luckily, I 81 00:03:54,340 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 1: didn't lose any children and there was no bloodshed, so 82 00:03:57,090 --> 00:03:59,750 Speaker 1: I considered the day a success. When I got home 83 00:03:59,790 --> 00:04:02,630 Speaker 1: that afternoon, I discovered neither of my parents had known 84 00:04:02,870 --> 00:04:05,850 Speaker 1: where I was or what I was doing and responded 85 00:04:05,890 --> 00:04:08,650 Speaker 1: to my telling them that their 16-year-old daughter had spent 86 00:04:08,670 --> 00:04:11,180 Speaker 1: the day as a substitute teacher of small children with, 87 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:11,920 Speaker 1: that's nice. 88 00:04:12,420 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 2: Wow. 89 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:14,980 Speaker 1: So maybe there's an aroma of trash parents in this 90 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:18,909 Speaker 1: story also. Yeah. There was never any mention of paying 91 00:04:18,950 --> 00:04:21,470 Speaker 1: me for a day's work. I suspect Mr. Taylor could 92 00:04:21,529 --> 00:04:24,330 Speaker 1: see that submitting a pay voucher for a minor who 93 00:04:24,390 --> 00:04:27,510 Speaker 1: wasn't on the approved substitute teacher list and didn't have 94 00:04:27,550 --> 00:04:31,800 Speaker 1: a social security number might raise some questions. Apparently, none 95 00:04:31,820 --> 00:04:34,460 Speaker 1: of the third graders' parents raised any objections to whatever 96 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:37,380 Speaker 1: their children told them about their teenage substitute. 97 00:04:37,420 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 2: Jesus. 98 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:40,419 Speaker 1: But here's the thing. When you're in third grade or 99 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:43,460 Speaker 1: like eight years old— That's an adult. It's completely an adult. Totally. 100 00:04:43,500 --> 00:04:44,660 Speaker 1: You'd be like, you run the bank. 101 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:44,820 Speaker 2: Yeah. 102 00:04:44,839 --> 00:04:47,820 Speaker 1: Oh, but you're here today. Yeah. Because, dear listeners, this 103 00:04:47,860 --> 00:04:51,260 Speaker 1: happened at least twice more during my high school years. 104 00:04:51,620 --> 00:04:55,150 Speaker 2: It's like he thinks he's hiring a babysitter, not a teacher. 105 00:04:55,589 --> 00:04:58,190 Speaker 1: And that's the problem. And that's the problem right there. 106 00:04:58,670 --> 00:05:00,750 Speaker 1: Thank you for all you do in the world and 107 00:05:00,770 --> 00:05:03,610 Speaker 1: the joy you bring to this cat-loving old broad. Stay 108 00:05:03,650 --> 00:05:06,300 Speaker 1: sexy and maybe make a couple more phone calls before 109 00:05:06,330 --> 00:05:10,599 Speaker 1: hiring a 16-year-old as a substitute teacher. janna because even. 110 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:12,870 Speaker 2: A babysitter would get paid for like 30 kids or 111 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:14,670 Speaker 2: whatever that's a lot of fucking money you'd get paid 112 00:05:14,870 --> 00:05:16,029 Speaker 2: for babysitting. 113 00:05:15,570 --> 00:05:19,210 Speaker 1: You would get if you got 20 to babysit a 114 00:05:19,250 --> 00:05:22,070 Speaker 1: kid for the night do the math times that up 115 00:05:22,190 --> 00:05:25,570 Speaker 1: and pay janna retroactively you can't do everything for you 116 00:05:25,710 --> 00:05:27,070 Speaker 1: state of texas. 117 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 2: Okay i'm gonna this is a montessori pen pal story 118 00:05:32,740 --> 00:05:34,839 Speaker 2: oh Best wishes, warm regards. 119 00:05:35,500 --> 00:05:36,779 Speaker 1: It starts. Nice. 120 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:40,020 Speaker 2: My home of Danville, Iowa. Why did I point to you? 121 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:41,180 Speaker 2: There's a Danville on the north. 122 00:05:41,500 --> 00:05:42,820 Speaker 1: There's Danville in the East Bay, yeah. 123 00:05:42,900 --> 00:05:46,580 Speaker 2: Okay, that's not this one. Danville, Iowa is surrounded by cornfields, 124 00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:50,180 Speaker 2: has students who regularly drive tractors to school during homecoming, 125 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:52,480 Speaker 2: and has about 900 citizens. 126 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:54,560 Speaker 1: Did that stop you cold because you're from Orange County? 127 00:05:54,580 --> 00:05:55,140 Speaker 2: I don't get it. 128 00:05:55,140 --> 00:05:57,540 Speaker 1: Yeah, you get on your dad's tractor and you drive 129 00:05:57,560 --> 00:05:59,520 Speaker 1: to homecoming, and you're in your dress and he's in 130 00:05:59,540 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 1: his tuxedo. 131 00:05:59,820 --> 00:06:00,740 Speaker 2: Oh, it's like your special. 132 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:01,860 Speaker 1: It's like a little parade. 133 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:02,460 Speaker 2: Okay, got it. 134 00:06:03,420 --> 00:06:03,810 Speaker 1: Got it. 135 00:06:05,900 --> 00:06:08,300 Speaker 2: I always win the my town is smaller than your 136 00:06:08,339 --> 00:06:11,250 Speaker 2: town game, but we do have an incredible story. Back 137 00:06:11,310 --> 00:06:14,490 Speaker 2: in 1940, there was a teacher named Bertie Matthews who 138 00:06:14,510 --> 00:06:17,070 Speaker 2: was known for being pretty strict, but she genuinely cared 139 00:06:17,110 --> 00:06:19,050 Speaker 2: about her students and wanted to ensure they had the 140 00:06:19,150 --> 00:06:22,590 Speaker 2: best education a small farming community could provide. She would 141 00:06:22,670 --> 00:06:24,810 Speaker 2: even loan country kids her car so they could get 142 00:06:24,850 --> 00:06:27,419 Speaker 2: to school on time. Loan them your tractor. 143 00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:29,780 Speaker 1: Yeah, jump on it. It's just that they go three 144 00:06:29,820 --> 00:06:30,340 Speaker 1: miles an hour. 145 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:33,300 Speaker 2: Right. Being ahead of her time, she traveled to Europe 146 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:36,580 Speaker 2: and attended a convention about new methods of learning. While there, 147 00:06:36,620 --> 00:06:39,039 Speaker 2: she connected with a Dutch Montessori teacher, and the two 148 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:41,820 Speaker 2: developed a pen pal program, which was a very new 149 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:44,640 Speaker 2: idea back then. She came back to Danville with a 150 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:47,260 Speaker 2: list of Montessori students for her own students to pick 151 00:06:47,310 --> 00:06:51,490 Speaker 2: from and write letters back and forth. Two sisters, Juanita 152 00:06:51,570 --> 00:06:54,570 Speaker 2: and Betty Wagner, wanted to write another set of sisters 153 00:06:54,710 --> 00:06:58,870 Speaker 2: and found a pair listed, Anne and Margot. The Wagner 154 00:06:58,900 --> 00:07:01,150 Speaker 2: girls excitedly spoke of living on a farm and what 155 00:07:01,190 --> 00:07:03,330 Speaker 2: life was like in a small community compared to the 156 00:07:03,350 --> 00:07:10,980 Speaker 2: other sisters' city experience. Hashtag? Quote. Holy shit, I gotta 157 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:11,540 Speaker 2: stop scrolling. 158 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:13,100 Speaker 1: Come with me. 159 00:07:13,140 --> 00:07:17,960 Speaker 2: Come with me. Quote. I almost did it again. It 160 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 2: was just friendly talk to write to somebody overseas was 161 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:23,930 Speaker 2: a great experience, end quote. Betty later said. Ann and 162 00:07:23,970 --> 00:07:27,130 Speaker 2: Margo wrote back in English, translated by their father, Otto, quote, 163 00:07:27,340 --> 00:07:30,560 Speaker 2: with photos and postcards of Amsterdam. Do you know where 164 00:07:30,580 --> 00:07:34,500 Speaker 2: I'm going? Juanita and Betty wrote back immediately, but never 165 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:37,800 Speaker 2: heard from the girls again. The Netherlands had been invaded 166 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:40,740 Speaker 2: by the Germans two weeks later, and any letters going 167 00:07:40,820 --> 00:07:42,980 Speaker 2: out to America would have been impossible. 168 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:44,700 Speaker 1: That is not where I thought you were going. I 169 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 1: forgot that it was the 40s. 170 00:07:47,260 --> 00:07:48,220 Speaker 2: I didn't want to say it. I didn't want to 171 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:51,440 Speaker 2: spoil it. But the sisters, Juanita and Betty Wagner, in Iowa, 172 00:07:51,490 --> 00:07:57,890 Speaker 2: wrote to Anne and Margot Frank. And their father, Otto... Translated. 173 00:07:58,190 --> 00:07:59,150 Speaker 1: Oh, my God. 174 00:07:59,190 --> 00:08:02,130 Speaker 2: I know. When the war ended, Betty decided to write 175 00:08:02,170 --> 00:08:04,210 Speaker 2: to the Franks' old address in hopes that Anne and 176 00:08:04,250 --> 00:08:08,000 Speaker 2: Margot were still there. She was answered months later by 177 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:11,440 Speaker 2: Otto Frank, the only survivor, who then told Betty and 178 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:16,420 Speaker 2: Juanita the entire story of his family's experience in hiding, 179 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:20,630 Speaker 2: being caught, and the deaths of his daughters. In 1956, 180 00:08:20,630 --> 00:08:23,010 Speaker 2: Betty heard of a new play called The Diary of 181 00:08:23,130 --> 00:08:25,710 Speaker 2: Anne Frank being opened and hoping it was her old 182 00:08:25,770 --> 00:08:28,500 Speaker 2: pen pal bought the book. The girls were shocked that 183 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 2: their old friends were now faces of the Holocaust. Thankfully, 184 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:35,640 Speaker 2: Juanita and Betty had kept their letters from Ann and Margo. 185 00:08:36,740 --> 00:08:40,500 Speaker 2: Ann and Margo's letters are currently in the Simon Wiesenthal Center, 186 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 2: kept safely in a vault. 187 00:08:43,110 --> 00:08:43,730 Speaker 1: Oh, my God. 188 00:08:43,750 --> 00:08:45,710 Speaker 2: You're just doing a little pen pal program that this 189 00:08:45,770 --> 00:08:46,850 Speaker 2: incredible teacher. 190 00:08:46,870 --> 00:08:48,870 Speaker 1: Why have we never heard of this before? 191 00:08:48,910 --> 00:08:50,410 Speaker 2: I don't know. It's incredible. 192 00:08:50,429 --> 00:08:52,790 Speaker 1: Just like, yeah, normal life. 193 00:08:53,010 --> 00:08:56,540 Speaker 2: Yeah. The tiny Danville Anne Frank Museum is the only 194 00:08:56,600 --> 00:09:00,640 Speaker 2: place granted permission to showcase digital copies. Wow. So because 195 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 2: of this, Danville opened Anne Frank Museum. 196 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:05,940 Speaker 1: Because of these sisters. 197 00:09:05,980 --> 00:09:09,839 Speaker 2: Yeah. Since 2012, Danville eighth graders collect postcards like the 198 00:09:09,940 --> 00:09:12,280 Speaker 2: ones Anne and Margo sent to their pen pals, hoping 199 00:09:12,300 --> 00:09:16,620 Speaker 2: to get 1.5 million to represent the 1.5 million children 200 00:09:17,020 --> 00:09:21,340 Speaker 2: killed in the Holocaust. Juanita died in 2001. and Betty 201 00:09:21,380 --> 00:09:24,020 Speaker 2: died in 2012. I try to pass along the story 202 00:09:24,120 --> 00:09:27,120 Speaker 2: as much as I can. It is an ultimately devastating story, 203 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:29,500 Speaker 2: but it is amazing how two farm girls in the 204 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:31,679 Speaker 2: middle of nowhere were able to pass along a bit 205 00:09:31,700 --> 00:09:35,300 Speaker 2: of history about two girls they didn't consider major figures. 206 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:38,860 Speaker 2: They didn't know the mark Anne's diary would make on 207 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:42,180 Speaker 2: the world. They were just children excited to make new friends. 208 00:09:42,660 --> 00:09:45,790 Speaker 2: If only everyone can have that outlook. Stay safe and 209 00:09:45,850 --> 00:09:48,850 Speaker 2: pass along amazing stories, Morgan, she, her. 210 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:51,100 Speaker 1: I'm just blown away. 211 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:51,620 Speaker 2: I know. 212 00:09:52,900 --> 00:09:54,330 Speaker 1: Why doesn't everyone know that story? 213 00:09:54,350 --> 00:09:55,530 Speaker 2: I don't know. It's crazy. 214 00:09:56,010 --> 00:09:56,390 Speaker 1: I know. 215 00:09:56,410 --> 00:09:58,709 Speaker 2: I want to read those letters. I know. But they're 216 00:09:58,750 --> 00:10:00,600 Speaker 2: just like... they're just. 217 00:10:00,679 --> 00:10:01,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, I went out and played. 218 00:10:01,860 --> 00:10:02,760 Speaker 2: This is what my life is like. 219 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:08,120 Speaker 1: Normal life. And tell. Amazing. Wow. Well, thank you so 220 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:09,179 Speaker 1: much for writing that in. 221 00:10:09,210 --> 00:10:09,990 Speaker 2: Yeah, Morgan. 222 00:10:10,150 --> 00:10:11,469 Speaker 1: That's incredible. 223 00:10:14,150 --> 00:10:14,449 Speaker 2: Okay. 224 00:10:14,850 --> 00:10:17,410 Speaker 1: So the subject line of this email is teacher typo. 225 00:10:18,410 --> 00:10:18,809 Speaker 2: Hello, Al. 226 00:10:19,340 --> 00:10:21,020 Speaker 1: I am a high school English teacher, and I have 227 00:10:21,059 --> 00:10:24,620 Speaker 1: taught middle school in the past. That's like saying I've 228 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:28,120 Speaker 1: been to war. This story is from my middle school days. 229 00:10:28,330 --> 00:10:30,309 Speaker 1: At the time, we were not as into the digital 230 00:10:30,510 --> 00:10:32,670 Speaker 1: age with all of the online classrooms like we are 231 00:10:32,710 --> 00:10:35,890 Speaker 1: today in the post-COVID world, but I was posting weekly 232 00:10:35,929 --> 00:10:39,010 Speaker 1: lesson plans onto my section of the school website so 233 00:10:39,030 --> 00:10:41,610 Speaker 1: parents could see what we were doing in class for 234 00:10:41,670 --> 00:10:49,390 Speaker 1: the week. Oh, God. One unit in particular was about Dr. 235 00:10:49,410 --> 00:10:52,190 Speaker 1: Martin Luther King Jr. 's speech, Sharing the American Dream, 236 00:10:52,390 --> 00:10:54,850 Speaker 1: which is a great speech and made for an equally 237 00:10:54,890 --> 00:10:57,510 Speaker 1: great lesson. Of course, I posted the name of that 238 00:10:57,550 --> 00:11:00,730 Speaker 1: lesson on the website with my weekly plans. Fast forward 239 00:11:00,750 --> 00:11:02,590 Speaker 1: a bit, and we got a new teacher who was 240 00:11:02,630 --> 00:11:05,150 Speaker 1: going to teach the same classes as me, so I 241 00:11:05,190 --> 00:11:08,250 Speaker 1: shared my lesson plan calendars with her. A day or 242 00:11:08,290 --> 00:11:10,349 Speaker 1: so later, I got a text from her with a 243 00:11:10,410 --> 00:11:13,099 Speaker 1: picture of my lesson plan for that unit with a 244 00:11:13,150 --> 00:11:15,900 Speaker 1: message that said something along the lines of, I am 245 00:11:15,940 --> 00:11:18,980 Speaker 1: laughing so hard I'm crying. It took me a minute 246 00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:22,900 Speaker 1: to see it, but when I did, I almost died. Apparently, 247 00:11:22,940 --> 00:11:25,000 Speaker 1: when I first typed that lesson plan, I had not 248 00:11:25,059 --> 00:11:28,780 Speaker 1: proofread what I had written, and I had inadvertently added 249 00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:31,950 Speaker 1: a T to the title of the speech. That's right. 250 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:34,140 Speaker 1: It said sharting the American dream. 251 00:11:34,380 --> 00:11:40,670 Speaker 2: Oh, no. Oh, no. Right there. Like, that's not a 252 00:11:40,710 --> 00:11:44,220 Speaker 2: word that has to be caught. by the computer. 253 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:46,600 Speaker 1: Can we get one copy editor somewhere? 254 00:11:46,620 --> 00:11:48,140 Speaker 2: Like if I can't write ducking? 255 00:11:48,679 --> 00:11:52,260 Speaker 1: You're telling me there's no, yeah, there's no red line under, yeah. 256 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:55,380 Speaker 1: And it went up and no one said a word. 257 00:11:56,720 --> 00:11:57,780 Speaker 2: Holy shart. 258 00:11:57,970 --> 00:12:02,390 Speaker 1: Do you fear more a horrifying, humiliating mistake like this 259 00:12:02,470 --> 00:12:05,330 Speaker 1: that no one ever says a word about or immediately 260 00:12:05,350 --> 00:12:06,989 Speaker 1: you get the text and the phone calls of take 261 00:12:07,030 --> 00:12:11,209 Speaker 1: that down? Which one's better or which one's worse? Because 262 00:12:11,309 --> 00:12:16,170 Speaker 1: I feel like the slow burn is Almost, like, more horrifying. Yeah. Like, 263 00:12:16,230 --> 00:12:17,390 Speaker 1: people are like, oh, no. 264 00:12:17,410 --> 00:12:20,250 Speaker 2: Look away. Both sound just so bad. Both are making me, like, 265 00:12:20,290 --> 00:12:21,109 Speaker 2: break out in sweat. 266 00:12:21,330 --> 00:12:23,030 Speaker 1: Do we have to pick one, I guess, is the 267 00:12:23,050 --> 00:12:23,540 Speaker 1: real question. 268 00:12:23,559 --> 00:12:24,819 Speaker 2: Can we just do neither? Okay. 269 00:12:25,080 --> 00:12:28,300 Speaker 1: Sit in it. Sit in the shame. This had been 270 00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:30,959 Speaker 1: up on the school website for parents to see for 271 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:32,240 Speaker 1: at least a whole year. 272 00:12:32,300 --> 00:12:35,180 Speaker 2: Not one parent. Like, that's a year. Okay. 273 00:12:36,760 --> 00:12:39,130 Speaker 1: Anyway, I am not sure any parents ever read the 274 00:12:39,170 --> 00:12:41,989 Speaker 1: plans or they just didn't see it. because I never 275 00:12:42,050 --> 00:12:46,790 Speaker 1: received any type of email about it. I was tempted 276 00:12:46,830 --> 00:12:48,770 Speaker 1: to leave it because I work with kids all day, 277 00:12:48,809 --> 00:12:50,929 Speaker 1: and that has become my sense of humor. But in 278 00:12:50,970 --> 00:12:54,329 Speaker 1: the name of professionalism, I did change it, and I 279 00:12:54,410 --> 00:12:59,120 Speaker 1: sincerely apologize to Dr. King for disgracing his speech in 280 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:02,679 Speaker 1: that way. Thank you for being my car companions during 281 00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:06,100 Speaker 1: my 45-minute commute to work each day. These past few 282 00:13:06,140 --> 00:13:08,280 Speaker 1: years have been pretty rough in the world of education 283 00:13:08,900 --> 00:13:11,170 Speaker 1: and in the world in general. And your podcast has 284 00:13:11,190 --> 00:13:13,650 Speaker 1: been an excellent way to decompress after the hard days. 285 00:13:13,970 --> 00:13:16,290 Speaker 1: Thanks for reading and shout out to Laura for fighting 286 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:19,100 Speaker 1: the good fight. Stay sexy and always check your work, 287 00:13:19,559 --> 00:13:23,840 Speaker 1: even if you're an English teacher. That's the worst part. 288 00:13:24,420 --> 00:13:27,220 Speaker 2: Oh, my God. It's so bad. Mortifying. 289 00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:28,280 Speaker 1: It's so bad. 290 00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:29,660 Speaker 2: But it is true. 291 00:13:29,780 --> 00:13:31,180 Speaker 1: People don't read stuff like that. 292 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:33,600 Speaker 2: I wonder if anyone had even ever seen it, except 293 00:13:33,620 --> 00:13:35,440 Speaker 2: for the other, like the new English teacher, of course, 294 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:35,840 Speaker 2: caught it. 295 00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:38,100 Speaker 1: And if they did get it, it was a full 296 00:13:38,120 --> 00:13:40,699 Speaker 1: year of risk. And here comes the second English teacher 297 00:13:40,740 --> 00:13:42,300 Speaker 1: to save the first one's ass. 298 00:13:42,380 --> 00:13:43,069 Speaker 2: Holy shit. 299 00:13:43,570 --> 00:13:44,230 Speaker 1: America. 300 00:13:44,250 --> 00:13:47,130 Speaker 2: Okay. My next one. I'm not going to read you 301 00:13:47,150 --> 00:13:51,470 Speaker 2: the subject line. Hello, dear friends. I am woefully behind 302 00:13:51,570 --> 00:13:54,510 Speaker 2: and listening to Minnesota 392 where Kelsey wrote in about 303 00:13:54,550 --> 00:13:57,390 Speaker 2: her dad getting all kinds of good shit, including a bike. 304 00:13:57,800 --> 00:14:01,220 Speaker 2: From Pepsi points he fraudulently sent in. Love that story. 305 00:14:01,340 --> 00:14:03,620 Speaker 2: This reminded me of a Polaroid I have of myself 306 00:14:03,740 --> 00:14:07,020 Speaker 2: on the first day of kindergarten, which Vince says as kindergarten. 307 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:08,040 Speaker 1: Kindergarten. 308 00:14:08,059 --> 00:14:09,480 Speaker 2: I wonder if that's like a Midwest thing. 309 00:14:09,520 --> 00:14:09,980 Speaker 1: It might be. 310 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:10,390 Speaker 2: I love it. 311 00:14:10,460 --> 00:14:11,060 Speaker 1: Kindergarten. 312 00:14:11,580 --> 00:14:15,900 Speaker 2: Wearing a questionable outfit. I know my mom, Maxine, would 313 00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:17,820 Speaker 2: be pissed if she knew I was about to share 314 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:20,420 Speaker 2: her parents' names with a lot of strangers, but too bad. 315 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:24,260 Speaker 2: Her parents, Stan and Rose, owned a grocery store and 316 00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:27,780 Speaker 2: would get all kinds of merch from alcohol, food, soda. 317 00:14:28,100 --> 00:14:30,480 Speaker 2: Shout out to the R2-D2 Pepsi cooler we had when 318 00:14:30,540 --> 00:14:32,600 Speaker 2: Star Wars Episode I came out. 319 00:14:32,740 --> 00:14:36,980 Speaker 1: I remember those on the top. It slid up like that. Remember? 320 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:38,120 Speaker 2: Like an R2-D2 thing? 321 00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:39,300 Speaker 1: I'm pretty sure, yeah. 322 00:14:39,580 --> 00:14:43,030 Speaker 2: How much are those worth? and especially cigarette brands. So yeah, 323 00:14:43,150 --> 00:14:45,050 Speaker 2: there's a picture of me from the first day of 324 00:14:45,090 --> 00:14:51,940 Speaker 2: school wearing a giant Newport cigarettes t-shirt. That is beautiful. 325 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:52,740 Speaker 1: I want one right now. 326 00:14:52,780 --> 00:14:56,360 Speaker 2: Trash parenting win. I still have some of the bags, sunglasses, mugs, 327 00:14:56,440 --> 00:14:59,500 Speaker 2: and a cool brand with a K, of course, shirt, 328 00:14:59,560 --> 00:15:02,900 Speaker 2: but not that one. Sad. Stay sexy and probably don't 329 00:15:02,920 --> 00:15:05,480 Speaker 2: let your five-year-old promote tobacco products at school. 330 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:06,480 Speaker 1: Pam. 331 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:12,560 Speaker 2: And then Pam attached a photo. Oh, Pam. Newport. What 332 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:15,160 Speaker 2: was the saying for Newport? Something, the something. 333 00:15:15,870 --> 00:15:16,470 Speaker 1: I don't remember. 334 00:15:16,490 --> 00:15:17,790 Speaker 2: Feel the breeze or some shit. 335 00:15:17,830 --> 00:15:18,530 Speaker 1: Feel the breeze. 336 00:15:18,570 --> 00:15:19,790 Speaker 2: That is amazing. 337 00:15:19,810 --> 00:15:21,650 Speaker 1: And with Newport. Pam. 338 00:15:22,690 --> 00:15:23,170 Speaker 2: A plus. 339 00:15:23,370 --> 00:15:26,650 Speaker 1: It's so epic. So epic. I love that so much. Oh, God. 340 00:15:26,810 --> 00:15:27,170 Speaker 2: It's so good. 341 00:15:27,390 --> 00:15:30,390 Speaker 1: And people are just like, pretend it's the town. Pretend 342 00:15:30,430 --> 00:15:31,030 Speaker 1: it's the town. 343 00:15:31,070 --> 00:15:33,590 Speaker 2: Right. So good. Amazing. 344 00:15:34,270 --> 00:15:36,720 Speaker 1: Georgia, it looks like the saying is alive with pleasure. 345 00:15:36,780 --> 00:15:39,510 Speaker 2: Alive with pleasure. Something with something. 346 00:15:39,550 --> 00:15:41,970 Speaker 1: Yeah, you knew it. Alive with pleasure. 347 00:15:42,370 --> 00:15:45,670 Speaker 2: That's the best because you're going to die in pain 348 00:15:45,970 --> 00:15:47,790 Speaker 2: if you smoke the alive with pleasure. 349 00:15:48,010 --> 00:15:52,090 Speaker 1: Big time advertising. Totally. Just like you're not dying at all. 350 00:15:52,130 --> 00:15:54,570 Speaker 2: Like someone in a boardroom on so much coke thought 351 00:15:54,610 --> 00:15:55,650 Speaker 2: of that saying. 352 00:15:55,790 --> 00:15:58,670 Speaker 1: You know what? This is killing them. Let's say alive 353 00:15:58,690 --> 00:15:59,130 Speaker 1: with pleasure. 354 00:15:59,190 --> 00:16:00,470 Speaker 2: It's the opposite. 355 00:16:00,550 --> 00:16:03,110 Speaker 1: Like it's it's worth it now. You're living now. So 356 00:16:03,150 --> 00:16:04,950 Speaker 1: it's worth it because you get pleasure. Right. 357 00:16:05,350 --> 00:16:07,170 Speaker 2: So like you're alive with it now because you're gonna 358 00:16:07,190 --> 00:16:08,330 Speaker 2: be fucking dead from it. 359 00:16:08,770 --> 00:16:11,290 Speaker 1: Because you're smoking menthol cigarettes. 360 00:16:11,410 --> 00:16:13,340 Speaker 2: Like fiberglass menthol. 361 00:16:14,140 --> 00:16:18,060 Speaker 1: The cool logo, though, was one of my favorite fonts 362 00:16:18,100 --> 00:16:21,480 Speaker 1: of all time. So good. Because there's a K in it. Oh, sure. 363 00:16:21,500 --> 00:16:23,880 Speaker 1: I mean, it's really all about narcissism at the end 364 00:16:23,900 --> 00:16:24,479 Speaker 1: of the day. Absolutely. 365 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:26,710 Speaker 2: I use the Georgia font in every fucking thing I do. 366 00:16:27,590 --> 00:16:28,550 Speaker 2: I'm here with you. 367 00:16:31,430 --> 00:16:34,890 Speaker 1: So my last email is, the subject line says, it's 368 00:16:34,930 --> 00:16:38,390 Speaker 1: a Catholic school nun story. And then I'm not going 369 00:16:38,410 --> 00:16:40,130 Speaker 1: to read you the rest. That was just the first half. 370 00:16:40,770 --> 00:16:42,910 Speaker 1: It says, it just gets into it. When my family 371 00:16:42,950 --> 00:16:46,840 Speaker 1: moved to northern New Jersey in 1980, I started attending 372 00:16:47,200 --> 00:16:48,840 Speaker 1: Queen of Peace Catholic School. 373 00:16:48,860 --> 00:16:49,120 Speaker 2: Oh, dear. 374 00:16:50,060 --> 00:16:52,420 Speaker 1: You just have to get into it. Sixth grade started 375 00:16:52,480 --> 00:16:56,020 Speaker 1: out great, largely because our teacher was a 157-year-old nun 376 00:16:56,330 --> 00:16:59,770 Speaker 1: who only taught us two subjects, spelling and saying the rosary. 377 00:17:00,170 --> 00:17:01,230 Speaker 2: Oh, my God. 378 00:17:01,370 --> 00:17:03,550 Speaker 1: This is what Catholic school was like. It was really 379 00:17:03,730 --> 00:17:06,590 Speaker 1: up to whoever the tallest person in the room was, 380 00:17:07,050 --> 00:17:12,600 Speaker 1: what was going on. Felt very unregulated. I don't think 381 00:17:12,630 --> 00:17:15,459 Speaker 1: she ever taught math, history, geography, or anything else for 382 00:17:15,500 --> 00:17:18,290 Speaker 1: that matter. I did not complain. I started to imagine 383 00:17:18,310 --> 00:17:21,410 Speaker 1: that perhaps I, too, would become a nun. No math, 384 00:17:21,510 --> 00:17:24,929 Speaker 1: just a bunch of praying, not a bad life. This 385 00:17:24,990 --> 00:17:27,550 Speaker 1: is my favorite email. One day I was working in 386 00:17:27,570 --> 00:17:29,750 Speaker 1: my spelling book when Tommy Decker hit me over the 387 00:17:29,770 --> 00:17:32,850 Speaker 1: head with his spelling book. I had not been taught 388 00:17:32,950 --> 00:17:35,129 Speaker 1: how to tell someone to go to hell, so instead 389 00:17:35,170 --> 00:17:37,910 Speaker 1: I did the only thing a sixth-grade Catholic schoolgirl could do. 390 00:17:37,930 --> 00:17:38,910 Speaker 2: I tattled. 391 00:17:39,390 --> 00:17:41,540 Speaker 1: Sister Anne, Tommy Decker hit me on the head with 392 00:17:41,580 --> 00:17:45,520 Speaker 1: his spelling book. Sister Anne did not tolerate defiling spelling. 393 00:17:45,980 --> 00:17:47,480 Speaker 1: Tell him to stop it and let me know if 394 00:17:47,520 --> 00:17:49,780 Speaker 1: he does it again. I trotted back to my seat. 395 00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:52,810 Speaker 1: I started working on my spelling again, and he did 396 00:17:52,850 --> 00:17:54,909 Speaker 1: it again. Sister Anne, Tommy Decker hit me on the 397 00:17:54,930 --> 00:17:58,670 Speaker 1: head again. Sister Anne marched her plump, habited form over 398 00:17:58,710 --> 00:18:01,510 Speaker 1: to Tommy Decker, grabbed him by the hair, and dragged 399 00:18:01,530 --> 00:18:04,720 Speaker 1: him to the front of the class. Then she called 400 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:07,300 Speaker 1: me to the front of the class as well. This 401 00:18:07,380 --> 00:18:10,340 Speaker 1: made me nervous because clearly Sister Anne was deviating from 402 00:18:10,380 --> 00:18:13,520 Speaker 1: the script. Tommy Decker should have been sent to our principal, 403 00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:17,330 Speaker 1: Sister Michael. The principal's name is Sister Michael, like in 404 00:18:17,369 --> 00:18:18,020 Speaker 1: Derry Girls. 405 00:18:18,150 --> 00:18:19,199 Speaker 2: Oh, my God. 406 00:18:19,340 --> 00:18:21,300 Speaker 1: Where he would have been yelled at and given detention. 407 00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:24,869 Speaker 1: Sister Anne let go of Tommy Decker's hair and turned 408 00:18:24,910 --> 00:18:27,930 Speaker 1: to me. Hit him back, she demanded. 409 00:18:28,030 --> 00:18:31,399 Speaker 2: I knew it. I love it. Hit him back in 410 00:18:31,460 --> 00:18:32,480 Speaker 2: front of the class. 411 00:18:32,900 --> 00:18:34,899 Speaker 1: Should I defy the bride of Christ and go to 412 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:38,520 Speaker 1: hell or slap Tommy Decker, who had done nothing but 413 00:18:38,619 --> 00:18:41,359 Speaker 1: bother me for weeks? Clearly, I had to follow the 414 00:18:41,380 --> 00:18:42,780 Speaker 1: path upon which I had been sent. 415 00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:44,960 Speaker 2: Oh, God. I want to do it myself. Why do 416 00:18:44,980 --> 00:18:45,959 Speaker 2: I want to hit a kid so bad? 417 00:18:46,109 --> 00:18:49,630 Speaker 1: Well, you know Tommy Decker. I'd pulled my arm back, 418 00:18:49,730 --> 00:18:52,990 Speaker 1: extended my hand, and slapped his face with all my might. 419 00:18:53,010 --> 00:18:53,970 Speaker 2: Holy shit. 420 00:18:54,190 --> 00:18:56,930 Speaker 1: I don't remember a single detail more about this incident 421 00:18:56,990 --> 00:19:00,520 Speaker 1: until the phone call from Sister Michael that night. And 422 00:19:00,600 --> 00:19:04,500 Speaker 1: it starts, you are not in trouble. But can you 423 00:19:04,540 --> 00:19:07,500 Speaker 1: tell me what happened today? I gave her my story. 424 00:19:07,580 --> 00:19:09,800 Speaker 1: She thanked me and hung up. I did my spelling. 425 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:11,780 Speaker 1: I prayed my rosary and went to bed. 426 00:19:11,900 --> 00:19:12,929 Speaker 2: Oh, my God. 427 00:19:13,580 --> 00:19:15,800 Speaker 1: The next day at school, we had a substitute teacher. 428 00:19:15,880 --> 00:19:16,580 Speaker 2: Yeah, who did? 429 00:19:16,780 --> 00:19:20,460 Speaker 1: Word quickly spread. Sister Ann was gone. She had been 430 00:19:20,520 --> 00:19:23,280 Speaker 1: sent away to wherever bad nuns go and was replaced 431 00:19:23,300 --> 00:19:26,619 Speaker 1: by a nice, stable lay teacher with dishpan hands who 432 00:19:26,660 --> 00:19:29,659 Speaker 1: we would call Dishy for the rest of the year. What? 433 00:19:30,710 --> 00:19:35,040 Speaker 1: Stay sexy and offer your suffering up to Jesus, Sarah. P.S. 434 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:38,320 Speaker 1: I teach preschool and whenever a kid's mad about something trivial, 435 00:19:38,540 --> 00:19:42,060 Speaker 1: I do the look, listen, look and listen and look 436 00:19:42,380 --> 00:19:45,090 Speaker 1: and listen until they get annoyed with me and stomp off. 437 00:19:45,410 --> 00:19:49,090 Speaker 1: It works every time. Sarah, you just moved into my 438 00:19:49,130 --> 00:19:53,500 Speaker 1: number one. favorite fucking email. Because I don't, I try 439 00:19:53,540 --> 00:19:56,120 Speaker 1: not to read these. I just skim them for nouns 440 00:19:56,200 --> 00:19:57,520 Speaker 1: so I know what's about to happen. 441 00:19:58,020 --> 00:20:01,590 Speaker 2: But that slapping, slap that kid across the face, right? 442 00:20:01,770 --> 00:20:04,050 Speaker 2: Hit him back. You know that kid's got a fetish now, 443 00:20:04,070 --> 00:20:06,130 Speaker 2: a grown up fetish of being slapped in the face 444 00:20:06,170 --> 00:20:07,490 Speaker 2: by nuns. Right? 445 00:20:07,630 --> 00:20:08,490 Speaker 1: There's got to be a nun. 446 00:20:08,510 --> 00:20:09,790 Speaker 2: There's got to be someone watching. 447 00:20:09,810 --> 00:20:11,250 Speaker 1: A girl in a schoolgirl outfit. 448 00:20:11,270 --> 00:20:12,570 Speaker 2: A nun in a schoolgirl outfit. 449 00:20:12,730 --> 00:20:14,810 Speaker 1: And then it's, you're bad, Tommy. You're bad. 450 00:20:14,850 --> 00:20:17,880 Speaker 2: Exactly. Okay, my last one. 451 00:20:18,020 --> 00:20:18,520 Speaker 1: Let him live. 452 00:20:19,480 --> 00:20:23,340 Speaker 2: Hero teacher was a bitchy queen. Oh. Hey, love you. 453 00:20:24,500 --> 00:20:26,419 Speaker 2: I was outed as gay at the beginning of my 454 00:20:26,500 --> 00:20:30,440 Speaker 2: senior year in 1980 at a high school party. Starting 455 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:30,770 Speaker 2: off strong. 456 00:20:30,790 --> 00:20:35,260 Speaker 1: That's, in 1980? Ugh. horrifying. I'm so sorry. 457 00:20:35,580 --> 00:20:38,460 Speaker 2: Although I didn't reap the whirlwind of abuse I'd expected 458 00:20:38,500 --> 00:20:41,080 Speaker 2: from my Southern small town classmates, it sent me into 459 00:20:41,119 --> 00:20:45,000 Speaker 2: a downward spiral of fear and deep, deep depression. Understandably, 460 00:20:45,040 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 2: I stopped doing any of the things I loved, including studying. 461 00:20:47,820 --> 00:20:51,440 Speaker 2: I know, nerd. So my straight A's became C's and D's. 462 00:20:51,980 --> 00:20:54,100 Speaker 2: My teachers noticed, of course, but none asked me what 463 00:20:54,119 --> 00:20:56,880 Speaker 2: was going on or if I needed help. One told 464 00:20:56,920 --> 00:21:00,530 Speaker 2: me my brain probably wasn't mature enough for calculus. Another 465 00:21:00,570 --> 00:21:03,660 Speaker 2: pulled me aside and actually said, It's okay. Some people 466 00:21:03,740 --> 00:21:08,930 Speaker 2: peak early. But my AP American history teacher, let's call 467 00:21:08,950 --> 00:21:12,050 Speaker 2: him Mr. Patterson, never said a thing to me all semester. 468 00:21:12,210 --> 00:21:15,270 Speaker 2: That wasn't unusual. He was a big, loud Southern queen, 469 00:21:15,690 --> 00:21:21,220 Speaker 2: like a cross between a football coach and Truman Capote. Brilliant. 470 00:21:21,320 --> 00:21:25,250 Speaker 1: That's... What's his name on Modern— it' s Cam on Modern Family. 471 00:21:25,270 --> 00:21:26,149 Speaker 2: Totally Cam. 472 00:21:26,170 --> 00:21:27,090 Speaker 1: That's incredible. 473 00:21:27,470 --> 00:21:31,199 Speaker 2: Bitchy, intimidating, and mean. His vibe was always wanting to 474 00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:33,619 Speaker 2: watch the school burn down while sipping a G & D. 475 00:21:34,600 --> 00:21:36,959 Speaker 2: Hell yeah. One of his hallmarks was handing back our 476 00:21:36,980 --> 00:21:39,700 Speaker 2: tests and papers one by one, walking up the rows 477 00:21:39,740 --> 00:21:44,260 Speaker 2: of desks, telling us what a useless, talentless, decadent generation 478 00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:47,530 Speaker 2: we were in in a booming lisp. It was funny, 479 00:21:47,650 --> 00:21:50,630 Speaker 2: but he wasn't joking. At the beginning of the second semester, 480 00:21:50,670 --> 00:21:52,929 Speaker 2: when I was at my absolute lowest, he was handing 481 00:21:52,970 --> 00:21:55,230 Speaker 2: back the term papers we were supposed to have written 482 00:21:55,369 --> 00:21:58,389 Speaker 2: over the break. As he slammed each paper down on 483 00:21:58,430 --> 00:22:01,169 Speaker 2: a desk, he saved a little hidden insult for that 484 00:22:01,230 --> 00:22:06,300 Speaker 2: particular student. Quote, they wouldn't hold your hand in college, slam, 485 00:22:06,580 --> 00:22:09,679 Speaker 2: if you even get to college, slam, which is unlikely 486 00:22:09,900 --> 00:22:13,419 Speaker 2: when you cannot spell or string two words together coherently, slam, slam. 487 00:22:14,609 --> 00:22:17,030 Speaker 2: When he got to me, I braced, but knew it 488 00:22:17,070 --> 00:22:19,910 Speaker 2: didn't matter. My depression had numbed me to almost anything. 489 00:22:20,410 --> 00:22:23,330 Speaker 2: He stood next to my desk and said, quote, but 490 00:22:23,840 --> 00:22:27,400 Speaker 2: maybe your generation isn't a total loss. Some of you 491 00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:29,139 Speaker 2: can write better than the textbook. 492 00:22:29,420 --> 00:22:29,840 Speaker 1: Yeah. 493 00:22:30,040 --> 00:22:30,680 Speaker 2: Slam. 494 00:22:30,820 --> 00:22:31,859 Speaker 1: That's right. 495 00:22:32,280 --> 00:22:35,440 Speaker 2: I peeked at my grade A plus with the note, 496 00:22:35,780 --> 00:22:39,310 Speaker 2: you write like an angel. If you're thinking that solved 497 00:22:39,350 --> 00:22:42,310 Speaker 2: everything or that he became my mentor, no. He never 498 00:22:42,369 --> 00:22:45,129 Speaker 2: said another thing to me until just before spring break. 499 00:22:45,650 --> 00:22:47,530 Speaker 2: I was not only after class because I didn't like 500 00:22:47,590 --> 00:22:50,540 Speaker 2: to linger in the crowded corridors. He looked up from 501 00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:52,700 Speaker 2: the papers he was grading and said with a little 502 00:22:52,780 --> 00:22:57,140 Speaker 2: wave at the noisy hallway, Mr. S., these people are turkeys. 503 00:22:57,500 --> 00:23:01,300 Speaker 2: Don't become a turkey. I mostly pulled myself out of 504 00:23:01,320 --> 00:23:03,460 Speaker 2: my depression that spring, at least enough to get away 505 00:23:03,500 --> 00:23:05,820 Speaker 2: from high school. I spent the next 40 years as 506 00:23:05,880 --> 00:23:09,580 Speaker 2: a writer, editor— I'm now married, semi-retired, and working on 507 00:23:09,600 --> 00:23:13,230 Speaker 2: my first novel. Mr. Patterson was never in the front 508 00:23:13,270 --> 00:23:15,869 Speaker 2: of my mind over the years. Other than those few interactions, 509 00:23:15,910 --> 00:23:18,730 Speaker 2: there wasn't much to remember. But in hindsight, that man 510 00:23:18,750 --> 00:23:22,629 Speaker 2: probably saved my life by simply reminding me I wasn't worthless. 511 00:23:23,230 --> 00:23:26,340 Speaker 2: He knew, then as now, we bitchy queens have got 512 00:23:26,359 --> 00:23:29,880 Speaker 2: to take care of each other. SSTGM and don't be 513 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:31,760 Speaker 2: a turkey. Mr. S. 514 00:23:32,300 --> 00:23:35,560 Speaker 1: Oh, Mr. S. Congratulations. 515 00:23:35,660 --> 00:23:38,419 Speaker 2: I had a teacher that saved my life in the 516 00:23:38,460 --> 00:23:39,320 Speaker 2: same way. 517 00:23:39,340 --> 00:23:39,679 Speaker 1: Yeah. 518 00:23:40,080 --> 00:23:43,379 Speaker 2: Like Mrs. Mercer was her name. And I wouldn't be 519 00:23:43,420 --> 00:23:45,010 Speaker 2: where I am. I've written about her in our book. 520 00:23:45,070 --> 00:23:46,929 Speaker 2: I would not be where I am today without her. 521 00:23:46,970 --> 00:23:49,030 Speaker 1: Because she took an interest. Yeah. She saw you. 522 00:23:49,109 --> 00:23:49,910 Speaker 2: Yeah, totally. 523 00:23:50,150 --> 00:23:53,510 Speaker 1: It's huge. Yeah. I mean, especially that age where you 524 00:23:53,570 --> 00:23:57,500 Speaker 1: do Like, unless you're a cheerleader or a football star, 525 00:23:58,160 --> 00:24:01,530 Speaker 1: you go invisible. And then you're kind of grappling with that. 526 00:24:02,109 --> 00:24:04,890 Speaker 1: And the irony of someone being outed at a time where— 527 00:24:05,550 --> 00:24:06,889 Speaker 1: It was only a punchline. 528 00:24:06,930 --> 00:24:07,130 Speaker 2: Yeah. 529 00:24:07,430 --> 00:24:10,450 Speaker 1: And the risk, there was like real physical risk. Yes. Crazy. 530 00:24:10,770 --> 00:24:13,060 Speaker 2: Yeah, it definitely was like everyone else around you is 531 00:24:13,080 --> 00:24:15,020 Speaker 2: having the time of their life. Everyone's telling you it's 532 00:24:15,060 --> 00:24:16,919 Speaker 2: the best years of your life and you're fucking depressed 533 00:24:16,960 --> 00:24:19,040 Speaker 2: and miserable and you think something's wrong with you. 534 00:24:19,160 --> 00:24:21,280 Speaker 1: Or you believe that you don't belong, you don't get 535 00:24:21,300 --> 00:24:22,820 Speaker 1: to have that or something. 536 00:24:22,859 --> 00:24:23,040 Speaker 2: Yeah. 537 00:24:23,359 --> 00:24:25,420 Speaker 1: What I really love too is like that idea, he 538 00:24:25,700 --> 00:24:29,140 Speaker 1: wasn't his mentor. Nothing else. Because he was actually being 539 00:24:29,160 --> 00:24:31,780 Speaker 1: a great teacher. He's just like, get your fucking head 540 00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:35,159 Speaker 1: on straight and focus on what you need to be doing. 541 00:24:35,600 --> 00:24:37,230 Speaker 2: This shit is not worth it. 542 00:24:37,480 --> 00:24:38,780 Speaker 1: Right. Don't worry about these people. 543 00:24:38,800 --> 00:24:39,240 Speaker 2: Bye. 544 00:24:39,420 --> 00:24:41,609 Speaker 1: And then there's no like, please come and tell me 545 00:24:41,650 --> 00:24:43,370 Speaker 1: how to do it. It's nothing. It's just like, go 546 00:24:43,470 --> 00:24:44,169 Speaker 1: actually do it. 547 00:24:44,190 --> 00:24:47,970 Speaker 2: Yeah. I love it. Let's repeat it. So you guys remember, 548 00:24:48,090 --> 00:24:50,629 Speaker 2: Kids in Need Foundation is where we're donating to. And 549 00:24:50,810 --> 00:24:53,669 Speaker 2: to post your Instagram story with a link to your 550 00:24:53,710 --> 00:24:56,650 Speaker 2: wish list, teachers, and tag us at My Favorite Murderer. 551 00:24:56,710 --> 00:24:58,270 Speaker 2: Let's get some wish lists cleared. 552 00:24:58,369 --> 00:25:00,510 Speaker 1: I was going to tell a story because this is 553 00:25:00,570 --> 00:25:02,250 Speaker 1: my sister's last year of teaching. 554 00:25:02,270 --> 00:25:03,750 Speaker 2: It is? Yeah. Oh, my God. 555 00:25:03,850 --> 00:25:07,270 Speaker 1: And she has, I think it's 30 years, if not 32. 556 00:25:07,270 --> 00:25:10,510 Speaker 1: Holy shit, Laura. She has been a grammar school teacher. 557 00:25:11,030 --> 00:25:13,490 Speaker 1: And she's taught every grade and she's done, I mean, 558 00:25:13,510 --> 00:25:16,290 Speaker 1: she's done every single thing. But the last like five 559 00:25:16,330 --> 00:25:20,970 Speaker 1: years she's been focusing on kindergarten because she loves getting 560 00:25:21,010 --> 00:25:23,649 Speaker 1: little kids and basically teaching them how to learn. 561 00:25:23,670 --> 00:25:24,070 Speaker 2: Totally. 562 00:25:24,130 --> 00:25:27,399 Speaker 1: That's like her favorite thing. And I just wanted to, 563 00:25:27,800 --> 00:25:29,780 Speaker 1: she doesn't listen to the show and she doesn't like 564 00:25:29,820 --> 00:25:33,020 Speaker 1: this show, but we all know her. And to be 565 00:25:33,060 --> 00:25:35,720 Speaker 1: a teacher for that long and to be dedicated the 566 00:25:35,760 --> 00:25:38,969 Speaker 1: way she's been, it's just like, these are the people 567 00:25:39,130 --> 00:25:41,730 Speaker 1: who make it possible. And we all learned this lesson 568 00:25:42,010 --> 00:25:45,209 Speaker 1: in COVID. These people make it possible for everybody else 569 00:25:45,250 --> 00:25:46,990 Speaker 1: to live their lives when they have families. 570 00:25:47,260 --> 00:25:48,020 Speaker 2: Absolutely. 571 00:25:48,140 --> 00:25:52,100 Speaker 1: And they get paid absolute shit because it's a female-dominated job. 572 00:25:52,359 --> 00:25:56,280 Speaker 1: And all of those things hopefully will change sooner rather 573 00:25:56,340 --> 00:25:58,379 Speaker 1: than later. But in the meantime, there's people who are 574 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:03,219 Speaker 1: really keeping it together in the most egregious circumstances. So 575 00:26:03,280 --> 00:26:06,090 Speaker 1: if you have anything extra and you can give it 576 00:26:07,050 --> 00:26:11,090 Speaker 1: In any way you can, clear one item on one list. 577 00:26:11,350 --> 00:26:13,929 Speaker 1: There's a lot of teachers out there that are doing it, 578 00:26:14,220 --> 00:26:17,500 Speaker 1: and they never get any applause. They never get anything. 579 00:26:17,520 --> 00:26:20,220 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's amazing. Wow. 580 00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:21,480 Speaker 1: Yeah. Incredible. 581 00:26:21,500 --> 00:26:24,800 Speaker 2: I wish Laura had been my teacher. She's so sweet. 582 00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:28,050 Speaker 1: She is a really good teacher. I was her first student, 583 00:26:28,240 --> 00:26:29,869 Speaker 1: and she was a very good teacher. 584 00:26:29,890 --> 00:26:30,530 Speaker 2: Look at you now. 585 00:26:30,650 --> 00:26:34,090 Speaker 1: And look. She taught me how to get my own 586 00:26:34,190 --> 00:26:35,129 Speaker 1: podcast studio. 587 00:26:35,230 --> 00:26:37,859 Speaker 2: All her bullying worked. She took it all out on 588 00:26:37,900 --> 00:26:39,980 Speaker 2: you so she could be a teacher that's calm and clear. 589 00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:40,400 Speaker 2: That's right. 590 00:26:40,560 --> 00:26:43,240 Speaker 1: They all think she's really nice. I've tried to sue 591 00:26:43,280 --> 00:26:47,139 Speaker 1: her through the state many times, and they won't let me. 592 00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:48,530 Speaker 2: Well, thanks for listening, you guys. 593 00:26:48,850 --> 00:26:50,050 Speaker 1: Happy back to school. 594 00:26:50,070 --> 00:26:50,139 Speaker 2: Yay. 595 00:26:50,470 --> 00:26:52,889 Speaker 1: I feel bad for you, but, you know, enjoy. 596 00:26:52,910 --> 00:26:53,850 Speaker 2: Totally. 597 00:26:53,890 --> 00:26:54,429 Speaker 1: Stay sexy. 598 00:26:54,530 --> 00:26:58,450 Speaker 2: And don't get murdered. Goodbye. Elvis, do you want a cookie? 599 00:27:06,450 --> 00:27:08,270 Speaker 1: This has been an Exactly Right production. 600 00:27:08,450 --> 00:27:10,169 Speaker 2: Our managing producer is Molly Smith. 601 00:27:10,390 --> 00:27:12,330 Speaker 1: Our consulting producer is Kate Schellenbach. 602 00:27:12,450 --> 00:27:14,170 Speaker 2: Our creative lead is Allison Agosti. 603 00:27:14,470 --> 00:27:17,230 Speaker 1: Our associate producer is Tessa Hughes, and our editor is 604 00:27:17,350 --> 00:27:18,530 Speaker 1: Aristotle Acevedo. 605 00:27:18,730 --> 00:27:20,850 Speaker 2: This episode was mixed by Liana Squalacci. 606 00:27:21,109 --> 00:27:24,649 Speaker 1: Email your hometowns to myfavoritemurder at gmail.com and follow the 607 00:27:24,690 --> 00:27:26,850 Speaker 1: show on Instagram at My Favorite Murder. 608 00:27:27,030 --> 00:27:30,230 Speaker 2: Listen to My Favorite Murder on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 609 00:27:30,310 --> 00:27:31,810 Speaker 2: or wherever you get your podcasts. 610 00:27:32,109 --> 00:27:35,520 Speaker 1: Or watch new episodes every week on Netflix. Search for 611 00:27:35,560 --> 00:27:38,100 Speaker 1: My Favorite Murder, Add us to your list and hit 612 00:27:38,119 --> 00:27:39,350 Speaker 1: the double thumbs up button. 613 00:27:40,010 --> 00:27:40,680 Speaker 2: Goodbye.