September 21, 2023 | Sammy Tran

That One Horrible Teacher


Let’s face it: school can suck. Our time isn’t our own, we have to do ridiculous math tests, and cafeteria food is gross. But one awful teacher can make it go from uncomfortable to a nightmare. Years later, these people still hold a grudge against them.


1. I’m Taking This To The Top

Mr. Pranzo was my notorious gym teacher who had a knack for making my life a living nightmare. I was from a struggling family that was desperately seeking a fresh start in a more affluent school district. 

But my tattered sneakers were a constant reminder of our financial hardships. Mr. Pranzo, that insensitive jerk, took great pleasure in singling me out and mocking me in front of my peers. 

Fed up with the humiliation, I decided to boycott gym altogether. Little did I know, this rebellious act almost got me expelled. Thankfully, I mustered the courage to spill the beans to the principal, resulting in a glorious year-long gym hiatus.

Gym teacher is holding a class at school with students.cottonbro studio, Pexels

2. Do As I Say, Or Pay

During my time in middle school, I made an exhibit consisting of real fossils that my parents had kindly allowed me to borrow. 

My teacher loved it…a little too much. He developed an intense interest in the fossils and he urged me to sell them to him. He wouldn’t take no for an answer, but I was very clear that they were not for sale. 

Unfortunately, this upset him, and he retaliated with a power-trip. I  ended his class with an F.

Sad young kid seating in school bench is looking down.RDNE Stock project, Pexels

3. Little Work Horses

My teacher gave out papers to the class containing our current grades. The contents of mine were shocking—while I had maintained a solid A at my previous school, this particular teacher had slapped me with a big fat F. Confused, I approached her to inquire about the reason behind this harsh evaluation.

Her response was disheartening. She claimed that I had failed to submit an assignment… However, I quickly reminded her that as a recent transfer student, I wasn’t even her student when the assignment was given to the rest of the class. She reluctantly agreed to grant me the weekend to complete it.

The assignment itself involved interviewing a long-time local resident and composing a paper detailing their experiences. These articles were intended to be compiled into a book that the teacher claimed to be working on. 

The craziest part? She used my article in her book…and still failed me.

Teacher is talking with young student at class.Katerina Holmes, Pexels

4. Right Twice

My teacher accused me and my classmate of cheating. When I asked her why she thought we did, and her baseless reasoning made me see red. She said it was solely because we had selected the same answer. Dude. It was a multiple-choice test…We were both right, and we got punished for that.

Girl is doing a homework and taking notes in notebook at school.Katerina Holmes, Pexels

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5. I’m Innocent

My Spanish teacher was the worst. Despite three years of attending her class, my understanding of of the language was limited to asking for directions to the library and restrooms. However, she just LOVED to berate us for our lack of knowledge.

One particular incident stands out in my memory. During class, my pen unexpectedly broke. I approached the teacher to borrow one, but instead of offering me a new one, she transformed the entire 45-minute period into a lecture about how such forgetfulness “would not be tolerated in the real world”.

Also, I was a member of the football team, and due to my record of mischief, I was automatically on her hate-list. And it only got worse after my teammates came up with a risky plan.

The answer book was conveniently placed on the teacher's desk, so some of my football teammates decided to take it. Their intention was to write down all the answers for an upcoming quiz.. This cheat sheet was offered to me, but I said no thanks, knowing I could get into big trouble if I was involved.

Their scheme appeared to work, until the teacher began grading the quizzes towards the end of the class. To their dismay, they discovered that half of the answers were designated as "answers may vary" in Spanish.

Once the teacher identified the football players involved, she promptly sent them all into the hallway and summoned the principal, demanding they be punished.

Meanwhile, I calmly reentered the classroom, gathered my belongings, and headed towards my locker, which was just a few feet away. To my surprise, both the teacher and principal began yelling at me, assuming that I was involved in the cheating scandal.

Without losing my composure, I calmly stated, "You might want to actually check my exam before you continue yelling at me. I'm going to lunch." They never said sorry.

Senior female teacher is looking back with angry face.Ollyy, Shutterstock

6. You’re Bugging Me

Back in 1981, I was really into animals that lived in the ocean. I dreamt of becoming a marine biologist, or at least I thought so. When I reached my junior year of high school, we were assigned a bug collection project.

Excited about this task, I went on a family trip to another state and gathered bugs to prepare for the project. I dedicated a lot of time and effort to it. But when I received my grade, I was shocked and devastated.

Mr. Cope, the biology teacher who was known for being terrible, failed me. He claimed that I couldn't have collected bugs he had never seen before. It literally shattered my confidence and ruined my passion for pursuing any kind of science.

Insect collection with name tags for school project.Kyle Killam. Pexels

7. And Nothing’s Going To Help You Get Kinder

As a child, I suffered from severe eczema on my hands. To hide them and prevent blood from staining my papers, I would keep my hands tucked up in my sleeves. One day, during a test, my teacher called me out and demanded that I remove my hands from my sleeves. She even added, "It's not like that's going to help my grade."

Being a shy kid, I silently cried throughout the rest of the test. It was especially hurtful because I was an excellent student, always earning straight A's. I couldn't understand why she treated me as if I had poor grades. I’m forever traumatized by that incident.

Sad kid is leaving the classroom ,looking down.Mikhail Nilov ,Pexels

8. Art’s In The Eye Of The Beholder

My art teacher refuse to give me a grade higher than a B+ on any of my art pieces. That was annoying, but it’s not even the worst part. Every year, she would ask if she could keep my art as an example to show other classes how to apply a technique correctly. 

If my art was good enough for to be kept, shouldn't it be deserving of an A? It was totally contradictory.

Young girl with long hair and pink shirt is painting a image.Andrea Piacquadio, Pexels

9. What’s Wrong With You?

I was a new student in Grade 3 and feeling quite scared. I needed help from my teacher, but my fear prevented me from asking directly. Instead, I gently tapped her on the arm to get her attention. To my astonishment, she responded by threatening to harm me—an eight-year-old.

I had only been at that school for less than two weeks. It was a significant change for me, transitioning from a small school with 40 students to a much larger one with over 200, so that incident didn’t help me settle in.

Young girl is seating on bench at classroom.RDNE Stock project, Pexels

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10. Not The Motivation Needed

In high school English class, my teacher deducted one full grade from all my assignments. His justification for this action was rather peculiar: "I believe you can do much better.” This left me confused since I was already getting good grades all around. I literally stopped trying after that.

Female teacher is talking with a young student at class.Thirdman, Pexels

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11. Tough Critic

In high school, I enrolled in a class called 3D Design, where we primarily worked with clay to create three-dimensional artwork. On the very first day, my teacher took me aside and mentioned that she had reviewed my schedule, which consisted mostly of honors and advanced-level courses.

Her following statement left me absolutely dumbfounded. She declared that due to my reputation as a diligent student, she would grade me using a significantly stricter criteria. Despite my attempts to explain that academic success doesn't necessarily correlate with artistic abilities, she dismissed my objections.

Unfortunately, the poor grades I received in that class had a negative impact on my overall GPA.

Young woman enjoying learning pottery with her female teacher.Ihor Bulyhin, Shutterstock

12. A Lasting Mark

In third grade, I was frustrated with my teacher's grading. I couldn't believe she was a teacher, especially after receiving back my essay. Her feedback made me furious—she took marks off for spelling the phrase "a lot" as "alot".  Even now, at the age of 36, I hold a grudge. This incident will annoy me for the rest of my life.

Girl is seating in front of a lap top with upset face.Andrea Piacquadio , Pexels

13. You’re The Problem, It’s You

In my physics class, I accidentally left my calculator on my desk and it ended up missing. I had my initials engraved in it though, so I figured it was only a matter of time before it'd turn up.

 Throughout the year, my teacher would frequently ask if I had my calculator, and I would keep telling him that I still hadn't found it.

As the end of the school year approached, a fellow student happened to be rummaging through the teacher's desk and he stumbled upon my long-lost calculator. 

It turns out that it had been there ALL ALONG. I couldn't help but feel frustrated, as that teacher had been penalizing me with a zero for not having my calculator throughout the year.

Young female student is on math class and looking at side.RDNE Stock project, Pexels

14. Cooking Up A Lawsuit

My home economics teacher (let's call her Chef Lily, a.k.a CL) became incredibly upset when she discovered that I didn't have a gas cooker at home. I had an electric one it was more cost-effective—but that meant I didn't know how to immediately use one during our first lesson.

Now, I was only about 10 years old at the time. This woman would shout at me from across the room, and as a sensitive kid, her yelling would reduce me to tears and leave me trembling with fear.

One day, I was behind schedule and CL took my food out of the oven. As I reached to grab something, I accidentally brushed against her arm. The next moment will forever be etched in my memory.

CL let out a piercing scream, grabbed my wrist, and pressed my palm against the baking tray. The tray was burning hot from the oven, and while she didn't hold it there for long, it was enough to leave blisters on my skin.

On another occasion, I couldn't bear the thought of attending her class, so I pretended to be ill. A classmate later told me that during roll call, when they informed CL about my absence due to illness, she laughed and said, "No, she's just scared of me."

I never directly reported her actions, but I did confide in my mother, who insisted that the school take action.

We had a meeting with the principal, but unfortunately, they simply brushed it off, claiming that CL was a good teacher who just had a preference for more outgoing students. No measures were taken to address the situation. 

Senior woman is pointing with finger to a camera on red background.Oksana Kyrychenko, Shutterstock

15. Double Standards

My fourth-grade teacher had a habit of making me redo my printing sheets due to my less-than-neat handwriting. After a while, I mustered up the courage to ask him why he didn't enforce the same rule for the boys in the class, as many of them had equally messy handwriting.

I can still vividly recall the look of astonishment on his face, although at the time, I failed to grasp the depth of his reaction. It was an innocent question, after all. Unfortunately, I don't quite remember his response; all I know is that he didn't provide me with a good answer.

Young teacher is having a conversation with students at class.Max Fischer, Pexels

16. It’s Not Much, But It’s Mine

So, check it out, I was in the computer lab during class and I totally typed up this essay, right? But get this nonsense—when I printed it out and handed it in, I got accused of straight-up plagiarizing it.

 

Like, seriously? I don't even remember the teacher's name because she was just some random substitute, not the regular one. All I can recall is her annoyingly high-pitched voice, all like, "YOU DIDN'T WRITE THIS!" Ugh, whatever, Ms. Whoever-You-Were. 

Young girl is seating in school bench looking at side.Pixabay , Pexels

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17. You Had One Job

So, I was totally killing it in IT for my GCSEs. I was on track to get an A, which would have meant I could take a web design module for my A levels. But then, a month before the deadline, our tutor went and lost everyone's coursework. 

Like, seriously?! I ended up with a U and had to spend my first semester in college doing a level 2 IT course instead of the cool web design stuff. It's been 21 years and I'm still salty about it. 

Young man is seating on his desk with upset face.Antoni Shkraba, Pexels

18. Not In The Job Description

In high school, my psychology teacher thought it was perfectly ethical to "evaluate" me in front of the whole class. As if that wasn't bad enough, she diagnosed me as ”mentally troubled” and "a classic case of ADD". Everyone took her word for it.

she made everyone perceive me as some kind of crazy person throughout high school, causing me to constantly doubt myself. The worst part is, I actually went and got tested for ADD, only to find out that I don't have it at all.

Female teacher is pointing and talking to a student at class.RDNE Stock project, Pexels

19. Spell It Out For Me

When I was around nine years old, our teacher wrote the word "ceremony" on the blackboard in our language. To my surprise, she spelled it with an S, as "seremoni." Doubting her spelling, I confidently raised my hand and questioned if the word should be spelled with a C instead.

 Despite my certainty, she insisted that it was spelled with an S and refused to admit any possibility of error. As a young avid reader, I had encountered the word numerous times in my native language and was positive that it should be spelled with a C. 

Naturally, I decided to look it up after the class, and I was right. Even after two decades, I still vividly remember this incident.

Students with their hands raised is looking at teacher.Tima Miroshnichenko, Pexels

20. On The Scent

I got detention just for chewing gum. And the most frustrating part? I hadn't even stepped foot in the classroom yet when she dropped the bomb on me. Like, seriously? I mean, I just said "good morning" to her and she caught a whiff of the minty freshness coming from my mouth. 

Young girl is playing with bubble gum in her mouth.asierromero, Freepik

21. Stay And Suffer

The teacher didn't allow me to see the school nurse when I had the most severe headache ever. She even had the nerve to ask, "What will they do?" I don't know, maybe help me? It's their responsibility. Unlike her, the nurses were skilled at their work.

Young female student  is having a big headache in class.Andrea Piacquadio, Pexels

22. My Bad

Picture this: I'm standing in front of my entire math class, sweat dripping down my forehead as I solve a problem on the blackboard.

I'm feeling pretty good about my answer, until my teacher checks it. Suddenly, she transforms into a crazed monster, mocking me and giving me a terrible grade. 

But the real kicker? When she tries to show the class how it's done, she ends up doing the exact same thing I did just minutes before. When my classmates call her out on it, she blames them for distracting her. Needless to say, I never spoke to that teacher again.

Young male student is answering on math class.Yan Krukau, Pexels

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23. You Can’t Dance If You Want To

I was just a third-grader, full of excitement and anticipation. The entire school was buzzing with the prospect of a week-long square dance extravaganza, culminating in a grand recital on Friday. 

But then I realized I would be missing out on the recital due to a family vacation. However, I thought I could still join in the fun and enjoy the dances with my classmates. Little did I know, my teacher had other plans. 

She banished me to a darkened classroom, all alone, while the rest of the students reveled in the joyous atmosphere across the hall. As the muffled sounds of "Cotton-Eyed Joe" reached my ears, I was forced to endure hours of mind-numbing vocabulary exercises. 

I was devastated, tears streaming down my face every single day. I pleaded with my teacher, offering to do anything just to be a part of it—clapping, assisting with the music, holding up a sign, or simply sitting in the corner. But my pleas fell on deaf ears. 

I was condemned to sit in that desolate room, in complete darkness, scribbling away at vocabulary words while my tears stained the paper. It felt like an eternity; four agonizing days of isolation and punishment for something beyond my control. To this day, the memory of that teacher and her unjust treatment fills me with an intense loathing.

Sad kid is seating alone in classroom an crying.RDNE Stock project, Pexels

24. 

The Writing’s On The Face

Let me tell you about my fifth-grade teacher. She was a real piece of work. I was a bit of a troublemaker, but I didn't deserve the treatment she gave me. 

On my last day of elementary school, we were signing yearbooks. I wasn't getting as many signatures as I wanted, so I came up with a plan. I told everyone they could sign my face if they signed my yearbook. 

It worked, but my teacher wasn't impressed. She berated me and even brought her teacher friends to make fun of me. Luckily, my mom found it hilarious and we went for ice cream.

Angry woman wearing black suit is standing in front of a blackboard.DarkBird, Shutterstock

25. Read The Room

My teacher posed a question. However, I'm half deaf,  so her words slipped right past me. "What?" I innocently asked, hoping for clarity. Her response shook me to my core. She unleashed a thunderous roar, piercing the silence, demanding my attention. 

"Will you freaking LISTEN?" Her words left me totally me stunned, and I was afraid of her for the rest of the school year.

Woman with long hair is screaming at camera.Pavel Danilyuk, Pexels

26. Truly Dark

I was just a little kid, barely in kindergarten. It was the end of the school year, and we were having a raffle for summer gifts. The grand prize was an amazing bike, something I could only dream of owning coming from a poor family. 

Then, a little girl was chosen to draw the winning name. She held up a slip of paper, and I saw my name written in reverse through the light above. I knew I had won the bike! 

But, the teacher in charge didn't like me because of my family's financial situation. In an instant, she slapped the paper out of the girl's hand, picked another name, and it belonged to the popular classmate with wealthy parents. 

I wish I could say I'm joking. The teacher even smirked at me while making eye contact, as the winner happily claimed her prize. That's when I learned that life isn't fair. So, screw you, Ms. Simmons.

Young female teacher is playing with young kids at school.RDNE Stock project, Pexels

27. Butterfly Effect

My teacher marked me as present when I was home sick. But when I came back, I got suspended for skipping classes. I was like, "What the heck? I was sick!" 

But they didn't believe me and extended my suspension. And  because of some dumb policy, if you have nine unexcused absences, you don't get any credits for the year. 

I was an A student and ended up with zero credits. It was so messed up, I had to drop out and get my GED. I still hate that teacher.

Young girl with messy hair is making a angry face at school.Михаил Ковалевский, Pexels

28. Collateral Damage

My physics teacher in high school was this grumpy dude who was always mad about something. One time, these girls were chatting away in class and he got so ticked off that he chucked a piece of chalk at them. 

But, he totally missed and it ended up hitting me in the head! And the worst part? Instead of apologizing, he just shrugged and went back to teaching. I mean, who throws chalk at their students?

Senior teacher wearing white shirt and tie teaching at classroom.gualtiero boffi, Shutterstock

29. No Helping Her

My teacher proved she was a horrible person—twice. The first time, I was sitting in class, diligently working on a test, when suddenly, snap! My pencil broke. No big deal, right? Wrong.

This teacher, with a heart as cold as ice, decided to give me a big fat zero for "not being prepared".  But that's not all. 

She had a special talent for humiliating me.  While others received a simple "no" for a wrong answer, I was subjected to a five-minute lecture on my apparent lack of intelligence. Talk about a memorable educational experience!

Young teacher with short hair and brown jacket is looking at camera.Max Fischer, Pexels

30. A Cruel Workout

In Grade 4, I found myself in a predicament. My timetable was nowhere to be found, leaving me clueless about the timing of those dreaded PE classes. Determined not to miss out, I arrived in my trusty shorts, a cool T-shirt, and even sported my favorite pair of sandals. 

Little did I know, my fashion choices would become the center of attention. My teacher decided to turn the spotlight on me, and he made everyone judge what I was wearing. 

The laughter echoed, and there I stood, enduring the humiliation, forced to partake in PE activities wearing nothing but sandals. YIKES indeed!

Young kid is standing sad in front of a blackboard in classroom.Karolina Grabowska, Pexels

31. Not Funny

I remember the day my math teacher shattered my confidence. I was feeling pretty good about myself when she posed a question to the class. Without hesitation, I raised my hand and gave what I thought was the correct answer. 

But instead of praise, I received a crushing blow. "Not everything has to be a joke, Mark," she said with a disapproving look. From that moment on, I felt like a failure and never dared to raise my hand again.

It's amazing how one comment can have such a profound impact on a person's self-esteem.

Young student is answering in classroom.Max Fischer, Pexels

32. Steering You Wrong

This happened in third grade. Picture a circle of desks, where we took turns reading aloud from our readers. As a struggling reader, I found solace in tracing the words with the tip of my pencil. But on that fateful day, my pencil slipped from my grasp, disrupting my flow. 

As I retrieved it, my teacher's eyes locked onto me, accusing me of inattentiveness. And then came the question that bewildered me: "What is a steer?" Confused, I stumbled through an answer, suggesting it had something to do with steering wheels. 

The laughter that erupted from my neighboring student only intensified my embarrassment. The story we were reading had "steer" in the title, and I had yet to make the connection.

Even now, as I approach my forties, I am reminded of that moment and subjected to playful mockery. But why? Why was I ridiculed for attempting to navigate the world of reading on my own? 

Instead of seizing the opportunity to foster understanding and empathy, my teacher chose to pile on the humiliation.

Teacher and students are seating and studying at school.zinkevych ,Freepik

33. Get With The Times

In my final year of high school, I decided to get my act together and put in some serious effort to improve my grades and behavior. And boy, did it pay off! 

My report card was filled with glowing comments from every teacher, including my headmaster who rarely gave out compliments. But there was one teacher who just couldn't see the value in computers. 

She accused me of "playing with computers" instead of focusing on my studies. Little did she know, I was doing homework and ended up pursuing a career in the IT industry. She was just bitter.

Senior woman is looking at camera on purple background.Koldunov, Shutterstock

34. So Close And Yet So Far

I was cruising through my senior college biology class until that dreaded test came along and slapped me with a lower score. To my surprise, however, my professor, in a moment of mercy, offered extra credit! 

The catch? I had to spend three grueling hours in the lab for each session. Determined to boost my grade, I attended every single one. But when the semester ended, my professor played a cruel trick on me. He capped the extra credit, leaving me agonizingly close to an A.

Frustrated, I told the Dean, only to be met with a disappointing response—the professor had tenure. To add insult to injury, I was told to be grateful because more than half of his students regularly failed. 

Seriously, shouldn't the focus be on fixing the teacher, not the class? It was my only B in college, and it still irks me to this day, knowing that I had worked my butt off to earn that elusive A. 

But hey, in the grand scheme of things, my 3.99 GPA is pretty impressive I guess.

Young student is working in lab, looking bored.cottonbro studio, Pexels

35. No Fun For You

When I was in kindergarten, I had a teacher who was straight-up evil. I don't know what I did to rub her the wrong way—but she had it out for me. 

My family always said I was a perfect little angel, but for some reason, this teacher decided to punish me by taking away my recess for months on end. No explanation, no justification, just pure meanness. 

Luckily, my mom found out and went full mama bear on everyone involved—the teacher, the principal, the superintendent, and the school board. You don't mess with a mom on a mission!

Young teacher with long hair is playing with small kid in kindergarten.Yan Krukau, Pexels

36. Show Your True Colors

I was in art class, feeling inspired and ready to create a masterpiece. The task was to paint an underwater scene, and I was up for the challenge. I let my creativity flow and used a lot of orange and red tones to bring my vision to life. I thought I was doing so well—but my teacher destroyed al thel confidence I had.

When I explained to my art teacher that I wanted to break the mold and show that water doesn't always have to be blue, he didn't agree. In fact, he tore up my painting right in front of me.

Teacher wearing black coat is teaching small kids  in art class.Anastasia Shuraeva, Pexels

37. Genius Denied

When I was just eight years old, I built a legit, fully-functional robot for the science fair. This was in the early '80s. Let me tell you, it was a thing of beauty. 

I scavenged parts from two remote controlled cars, used PVC pipe for the arms, and even repurposed an upside-down small trash bin for the body. But despite my hard work and ingenuity, I lost to some idiot kid who built a non-working generic Apollo model rocket. 

I'm pretty sure his dad was a judge.

Small kid is making a home amateur robot on table.freepik, Freepik

38. Sometimes There’s Just No Winning

My seventh-grade biology teacher had a personal vendetta against me. Our project, which was a month-long endeavor, would be worth a quarter of our final grade. Confused and desperate, I repeatedly sought guidance from her—but she was no help at all. 

I poured my heart and soul into writing not one, not two, but three rough drafts of my final report on the ecological significance of vegetarian and vegan diets. Each attempt was met with failure. 

She jus tgo more an more demanding, and at one point, I didn't know what else to do. Frustration reached its peak, and my mother, a wise and educated woman, decided to intervene. 

Armed with my drafts and the teacher's notes, she went to my school to try to make things right. Mrs. Z, my teacher, still deemed my report unworthy. It was a dark moment, but my parents, recognizing the injustice, granted me a rare permission to fail a class. 

My mother then lodged a complaint with the school board, fighting tooth and nail for my rights. Miraculously, her efforts spared the agony of summer school. 

Senior female teacher wearing blue sweater is looking at front and smiling.nappy, Pexels

39. This Cheater Should Prosper

Back in fourth grade, Fridays were always a treat. We eagerly awaited the arrival of those little gems known as Weekly Readers. These four-page wonders were filled with fascinating tales about animals, volcanos, and all sorts of cool stuff that kids love. 

But here's the kicker—on the last page, there were four sneaky questions to test if we actually read it. No biggie, I breezed through them in minutes. Little did I know, my innocent moment of waiting for others to finish turned into a nightmare.

 The teacher accused me of cheating on a Weekly Reader—and it only got worse from there. I was sent to the office, where I received the dreaded paddle for my alleged crime. You know, those wooden things that they spank you with...

As if that wasn't enough, when I finally made it home, I was met with the wrath of my furious parents. They had received a call about my supposed cheating, and my dad decided to teach me a lesson with the belt. 

It felt like nobody was willing to listen to my side of the story. That day, my trust in society and my own family was shattered, and my innocence was lost.

Scared kid from other person is seating on the floor.RDNE Stock project, Pexels

40. Putting Pen To Paper

I was in Grade 1, head over heels for my incredible teacher. She was my hero. Now, one fateful day, I stumbled upon a pen. It was no ordinary pen, mind you. 

It had a sleek black ink, but the outside was adorned with a vibrant rainbow and the Access logo. I couldn't resist showing it off at school. The envy in the eyes of my classmates was obvious. You see, it was 1990, and we didn't have much to brag about. 

But then, disaster struck—my beloved teacher spotted the pen and snatched it away, scolding me in front of everyone. She was furious, as if I had committed some heinous crime. She kept going on about how I should have known better, threatening to inform my parents.

I was a kid who constantly put myself down, always aware of how adults, beyond my parents, would judge me based on being an only child. But you know what? Life has a funny way of turning things around. 

Now, as an adult working with kids myself, I find myself drawn to the troubled ones. I see a reflection of my younger self in them.

By the way, I never got my pen back.

A young boy is writing with a pen at school.leskandra Biliak ,Pexels

41. You’re Not Right About Everything

My personal tutor seemed to harbor an inexplicable disdain for me. Her demeanor was consistently harsh and dismissive. Tensions between us reached a peak during a heated argument in class, when she uttered those soul-crushing words: 

"Your dreams of becoming an actor are useless; you'll never amount to anything". Despite my unwavering efforts over three years, I was rejected by London's top drama schools. 

Defeated, I reluctantly abandoned that dream and I decided to study English literature instead. So she was right in the end—but she was still an awful person.

Woman is sitting on chair on theater stage and talking to other man.cottonbro studio, Pexels

42. You Don’t Have To Be So Emo About It

My English teacher made the whole class aware that she HATED emo culture In high school, my whole personality revolved around being emo—my dark clothing, my teenage angst act—the works. It was as if I had stepped out of an emo anthem. 

But the real twist came when I went home that day. I boldly changed my Facebook profile picture to an intensely emo image, accompanied by a daring caption dedicated to my disapproving teacher. 

To my surprise, she actually stumbled upon it. The following day, she humbly approached me and apologized. That was nice of her to do, I'll give her that.

Young black girl is working on her laptop.Iyke Ibeh, Pexels

43. Nothing To Do

At my high school, we had this mandatory road safety class taught by a guy we'll call K. Now, K wasn't your typical teacher. He had been in a serious car accident years ago and he was left with some permanent conditions and injuries. 

But here's the thing—hardly anyone cared about his class. I mean, almost all the students would just skip it! I was one of the few dedicated souls who actually showed up and took notes. 

I mean, sure, some of what he taught was just anecdotes or basic stuff you learn when getting a driver's license, but still, I thought it was important. Well, one day, the principal caught wind of the situation. 

She must have noticed that most students were ditching the class, so she and K decided to come up with a midterm exam. The curveball? You had to show up with the notebook you took notes in! Talk about pressure. 

Now, I was unfortunately sick on the day of the exam, so I had to go on an alternate date. And let me tell you, it was a mess—me and a bunch of other students in the same boat showed up, notebooks in hand, ready to prove that we actually attended the class. 

I went over to K to say hello and ask where we would be taking the exam. But instead of a warm greeting, I got hit with a bombshell. He straight-up accused me of never showing up to his class! 

He said if I had attended, he would remember me. Well, I wasn't about to let him get away with that. I showed him my notebook, flipping through the pages to show him all the notes I had taken. But even then, K wasn't convinced.

So, we, about seven students, took the exam, and as I handed in my paper, K started going through my answers. He was pointing out any mistakes out loud, exclaiming that if I had actually attended his class, I would know the answers. Talk about humiliating. 

I was beyond angry, and when I told my parents, they were furious too. We marched straight to the principal's office to complain about the whole ordeal. But you know what the best she offered was? Changing my grade to a B+ and a half-hearted apology.

Sad kid wearing white shirt is talking with his mother outside.Kindel Media, Pexels

44. Two For The Price Of One

I'll never forget Mrs. Anderson, the teacher who once compared my chewing to that of a cow. Strange, right? But hey, some memories stick. 

And let's not forget her husband, the infamous chemistry teacher. Oh boy, he was something else! Whenever I sought his guidance, he would just tell me to "figure it out" myself. Talk about frustrating! 

But hey, life's full of characters like them, and they certainly made my school days interesting. Now, I can't help but chuckle at those memories. After all, it's the quirky encounters that make life's journey truly captivating.

Young teacher is talking with young student wearing white shirt at school.freepik, Freepik

45. That’ll Stick With You

I was never really a creative person, but art class was pretty cool. I put a ton of effort into this clay sculpture of a massive dude with a club. But guess what? The teacher took one look at it and had the nerve to say it looked like he was holding his...you-know-what. 

I was so ticked off that I straight up destroyed that sculpture right in front of her and stormed out. After that, I didn't bother doing any work for the rest of the semester. 

Person is working with clay in class.Skitterphoto , Pexels

46. Showing Them The Door

So, this one time in first grade, we were all heading back to the classroom from an assembly because one of my classmates was throwing a little birthday celebration there. Right when I was at the classroom door, my teacher pulled me aside and started giving me a lecture.

 Apparently, she was mad because she thought I didn't hold the door for her. Seriously, talk about being petty.

Small girl wearing blue shirt is talking with a teacher at class.pch.vector , Freepik

47. Someone Needs Google

My daughter had an assignment to write about an animal. Our family loves watching the PBS Nature programs, and we had just seen an episode about the incredible "mimic octopus". My daughter was so captivated by it that she wrote a detailed report. 

However, the teacher went on a power trip—and when my daughter came home crying, I was filled with rage. Turns out the teacher gave her an "F" and left a note saying, "Did not follow directions. Must be a real animal."

It broke my daughter's heart. The very next day, I went to the school armed with primary resources of information all about the amazing mimic octopus. Despite that, the teacher still maintained her stance.

She was eventually forced to give my daughter an A+, but she treated my daughter horribly for the rest of the year. Now, my child is 30 years old, but I still can't forgive that ignorant teacher. She was just plain mean.

Small girl is leaving for school and her parents are giving her backpack.August de Richelieu, Pexels

48. One Bad Turn Makes Another

I got into a heated exchange with my teacher in the hallway, all because he hated my smirk. He stared me down, SLAPPED me, and said that I couldn't touch him because he was a teacher. But guess what? He got what was coming to him.

Fast forward 10 years and his wife ended up with a high school student. Looks like he should have kept his hands to himself and his ego in check. Lesson learned: karma always finds a way to even the score.

Teacher in blue shirt is talking with student in school hallway.RDNE Stock project, Pexels

49. Child, Ye Know Not What You Do

My eight-grade teacher took on the daring task of explaining the "birds and the bees" and all that jazz. The only problem was I come from an ultra-Catholic household, where such knowledge was as elusive as a unicorn. 

As the lesson unfolded, I found myself totally confused, clueless about half the seemingly fundamental concepts she was tossing around. Summoning my courage, I approached her after class, humbly requesting examples. Nothing could have prepared me for her reaction.

Instead of helping me, she gave me detention and my questions were left unanswered. Way to "teach".

Young female teacher is studying with small girl in classroom.Mikhail Nilov, Pexels

50. Put The Blame On Me

I was in school like decades ago, but I'll never forget this one. One day, the teacher gave us the assignment to make a diorama. The day came when we were showing them, and they were all in a row on a bunch of classroom tables. 

Well, along comes some dumb kid, who was goofing around and accidentally fell. He smashed right into my diorama, ruining it. Somehow, that wasn't the worst part. My awful teacher gave me a failing grade for having a ruined diorama.

Two young kids are making a diorama for school.Artem Podrez ,Pexels

Sources:  Reddit


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