Not So Hot for Teacher

                

Monday

(Kristen C., one of my seniors, told me that she HATES this shirt and that I should warn her the next time I plan to wear it so she can cover her eyes...)

Tuesday

 

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

     After 12 hours at school on Thursday of last week, I found myself at a dinner with an acquaintance who has a knack for making any average dinner conversation suddenly inappropriate.  I'm just minding my business cross-legged on the carpet in a dress (at least the 2-inch rule saved me from any embarrassing crotch shots), simultaneously shoveling down curry and guzzling my bottle of white wine in a desperate, albeit transparent, attempt to avoid eye contact with my stupid former boyfriend who is looming on the couch just across the coffee table and BAM!  Just when I don't think I can feel any more desperately uncomfortable in my own skin, the acquaintance hits me with the winner, "So, slept with any students this year?"  Its one of those silly comments that a young female teacher gets used to hearing at bars when the inevitable chatter of careers comes up, but becoming used to something doesn't always mean you have become comfortable with it.  It offends me.  I don't know why that particular jab gets so deep into my gut.  There is so much of my job that is pure comedy, so much that I will be the first to laugh about, so much to share to make others laugh, but jokes about sleeping with students is a lot like making racist jokes--its acceptable with those who are part of the group, but not when an outsider chimes in.  So, there it is, mid spicy-curry bite, no witty comeback.  "No, I have not."  I could wear stripper heels and pasties to work, and I still don't think that sex would be anywhere near my mind while in the school building (but I wouldn't wear that because its out of dress code...and tacky).  This diatribe has no real purpose other than to say that I hate getting rolled into some juvenile male fantasy.  The ability to reduce educators to a sexual fetish might explain more than I'd like about the state of American education.