Teachers - I need some help. Yesterday CJ and I met with his counselor regarding his chemistry class and teacher. We ended up pulling him out of chemistry, which is an automatic F. Believe it or not, that was the best solution. He can take summer school to overwrite the grade. In addition to other issues, she often uses CJ as the negative example for chemistry interactions. Last night I got an e-mail from the teacher after she had learned that he had dropped the class. Here is just one portion of it...

First and foremost, I want to apologize if I had made [CJ]feel embarrassed or belittled in any way shape or form. I know [CJ] has a pretty strong idea of what his future will be like and I think that is awesome. I know I made an example with prom/dancing and involved [CJ] and other students. I had zero intention embarrassing him. I had only hoped it would provide a visual to help them understand an abstract chemistry concept. I picked [CJ] intentionally because he seems well mannered and able to take a few jokes thrown in his way. Jokes are only funny if the other person also find it funny instead of an offense. If he felt this way, I have misjudged, went too far, or touched on a sensitive topic. Regardless, I apologize for this.

it goes on and on from there. I'm sorry - "I apologize if" is never an apology.

He has struggled in this class from the start and this latest example included calling CJ unpopular and a loser which is why his prom date (the other chemical element) left him.

I just can't even. His counselor was going to talk to the Principal today about the issues I raised yesterday. I forwarded the full e-mail to the counselor so she can see how this teacher communicates.

Oh good lord, Suzi!

I can't decide if I should call my mom or not. I'm so glad to be cozy and watching TV here, and imagine she's doing paperwork and whatever, so I'm in no rush to go back to the hospital, but I also don't know if I should cancel my plans tonight, and really should be packing, but I don't wanna. The end.

In addition to other issues, she often uses CJ as the negative example for chemistry interactions.

WHAT THE FUCK. I would be on the fucking WARPATH if a teacher ever did that to my kid.

It has only been in the last week that he has given me solid examples. Which is what made me make the appointment with the counselor. As upset as I was before, her e-mail really inflamed the mama-bear anger.

Jokes one on one are one thing, though you still have to be careful. But from an authority figure in front of a class? That abuses the teacher/student relationship.

Am now watching Colbert from the other night, and I can't believe how much of an asshole Rick Santorum still is.

I want to head for CO right now to knock someone in the head. On top of "I apologize IF" she had to go for "I thought he could take a joke" for the bonus round?!!? (I mean, never mind the idea of "mocking my students is an appropriate and necessary pedagogical tool", which I don't even.)

Day-um, Suzi. I'm usually inclined to give teachers the benefit of the doubt, but that chem. teacher is a grade-A a**hole. I hope the school administration rips her a new one.

Matt, I'm sincerely hoping some of those "arts" are the complexity of...uh...paragraph separators and...I can't really think of anything simple enough to justify 58, honestly.

A fair number were boxes with labels or sentences, but there were a lot of graphs, Venn diagrams, ziploc bags full of beans, blocks of marble complete with swirls and reflections, postage stamps, mosquito life cycles, and the like as well. And one where I was arranging tons of clip art animals, creating a pictograph with same, and mocking up a report in child handwriting all in one 7 by 5 3/4 frame.

So far today has been much slower and quieter (fingers crossed that the other shoe's not about to drop), and I got to draw penguins!

Oh, that JA.

There are others? I mean, even outside my posts?

Shit, I even asked someone if I should watch The Voice this week, and then I forgot. I can't believe I missed my secret celebrity boyfriend (my sister's is Levine--she's getting a Team Adam shirt as brawta, and she just described him as "the most fun anyone could possibly have getting herpes"--yeah, we might need a decon bath, but I'd hit that too) and TALKING to boot.

Suzi, I don't even...that's one of those thing that if you think you're the one you can get away with it--you're not that special, get over it. Especially since you're not the one paying the penalty for a miss. In loco parentis indeed.

I think a day with penguins is a win day. And I'm not even billytea.

And I just remembered--penguins are on my list for that picture series that I'm rather aggressively not drawing right now. Tsk tsk.

There are others? I mean, even outside my posts?

I spent too long in Supernatural fandom: I still reflexively think JA is Jensen Ackles.

I'm cold. And I should be doing something. And it's hella windy outside.