Why I became a teacher...

I was going to post this anyway, but decided on the title in direct response to Paperback Writer's post titled "Not Why I Became A Teacher";

It's midterms so we're having a catch-up day in my UBSCT prep class. One of the assignments I'd given them was a couple of Sudoku's, and I caught one of them copying off a paper. I called him on it and started a discussion about copying, noticed there was no name on the paper he was copying and asked him who he had gotten the paper from. Fully expecting a slew of deflecting answers, I was surprised when he said he had found it on the floor. OK, I wasn't expecting that. Then, figuring I'd caught him in a lie, I asked "Then why didn't you just write your name on the paper?" In what I still think was a totally honest response he answered "Uh, that would be dishonest!" Adolescent logic still baffles me, and once again they've proven I can still be surprised.

Looking out the window 4th period today I saw a couple of cop cars parked side-by-side on the street across from the school. Cars would drive up behind them and they would just wave them around. Then, occasionally, they would flip on the sirens and take off after a car. I figured it was a speed trap and after a small disruption we continued with class. They were still there when shcool got out, and I noticed a cop sitting on a chair in front of the Seminary* right across from the cross walk. I wondered what he was doing, and why he had a couple guys hanging around him. I get to talking to one of the guys with the cop, he just crossed the street in front of a car, and found out it was a crosswalk sting. Utah law says you to yeild the right of way to anyone in a cross walk, even if they are on the opposite side of the street of your travel. Which is a good thing, because at least twice a week I almost get run down crissing to or from the school. The principal comes out on her way out, finds out what's going on and decides she wants to catch a car. So she walks towards the curb and waits for a car, steps out into the crosswalk and, awwwww, bummer, they stop for her. She crosses the street, goes over to talk to the cops and when her secretary (and afterwards other staff members) come out, she yells across the road to them to wait for a car. It becomes some kind of game - which staff member will catch the car? I had to go back in and take care of some stuff, but from what I heard the game only lasted another couple minutes.

* In Utah every high school, and any Jr. High that has 9th grade, has an LDS Seminary building across the street from it. The LDS Church offers religion classes for their members that go to that school, and for the most part the LDS students take those classes. Public Schools are not allowed to support religious classes, but we do give the students "release time" to go to Seminary classes. They get no credit for theses classes, we are not responsible for taking roll and cannot reprimand them if they sluff seminary class. As far as the public school is concerned they are just released from being at school, and we're not responsible for whatever they do during that time. Seminary buildings are always across the street from the school, on private property, and completely funded by the LDS Church.