Today is a professional development day/grade record day so we don’t have kids. I just came into my room and saw the message light on my phone flashing. As you teachers know, this is never a happy moment. It usually means an angry parent phone call. So, I listened to my message and, sure enough, it’s an irate parent. Her son got an I (needs improvement) in citizenship and while he might deserve it, why wasn’t she notified in advance, and as a matter of fact, he probably didn’t deserve it and even if he did deserve it, she should have been notified…and on and on and on….
So, I call her back and say “Mrs. X, this is Kimberly Haugh returning your call—“
And she cuts me off to rant again about how she wasn’t notified and that’s so irresponsible, it’s downright incompetent etc. for about five minutes straight.
Some of you are expecting to hear me say that I am getting more and more steamed as this continues…but I’m not. I’m giggling like a little kid, trying to hold the phone away from my mouth so she won’t hear me…the reason for which is about to be explained.
Anyway, she finishes her rant demanding to know why I didn’t call her and let her know I was concerned about her son’s behavior.
And I said “Ma’am, I don’t have your son. I don’t even know who he is. I was just calling to let you know you got the wrong teacher.”
Dead silence.
So I say, “In fact, I teach at Central High School and our grades haven’t gone out yet…I think you may have called the wrong SCHOOL.”
Dead silence.
Feeling all kinds of empowered now—especially since the odds of meeting her are slight--I add “Which makes complaints about competence a little ironic, huh?”
And she says “You’re right, thank you.” And hangs up.
I haven’t stopped laughing since it happened…
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