Since everyone in the blogosphere kind of took the end of the year off, I saved my subbing stories from the last week before winter break for this week. I have no idea what the weather is going to be like when this posts, but before the break, we had a bit of a cold snap (for us).
We southern Californians don't do cold well. And what we consider cold...
It was Monday of the last week before winter break. And it was cold. For us. With gusting winds. I believe our high this day was 61°, but this incident took place before we reached our temperature peak.
The heater in the classroom was broken. The teacher had set up two space heaters to compensate. When I arrived in class, the thermostat read 56°. By the time this incident happened, we were up to about 64°.
Carrol walked in.
Carrol... We've had dealings in the past. She's loud. Obnoxious. Rude. On a good day.
She was cold.
We were all cold. I wore a sweater to school. I don't normally wear a sweater, but I knew this room would be cold. The sweater kept me comfortable.
Carrol, who comes to this same class every day and knows that the heater is broken, complained about the cold. She took the space heater that sat in the front of the classroom and put it on her desk. She shivered.
"It's too cold for school."
Carrol then took out her cell phone and texted her mother. (Arguing with her about having her cell phone out would have been fruitless.) Carrol wanted permission to leave for the day. Because it was too cold.
She then asked for permission to go to the office. (Her asking for permission was considerate for her.) She explained that she's done this sort of thing before. She just needed to get her mother on the phone with the people in charge. I didn't really follow the logic.
If it had been anybody else, I would have tried to talk her out of leaving. It was getting warmer in the room. She had work to do. But I've learned that arguing with Carrol turns into a big, ugly mess. So, I let her go.
A half hour later, Carrol was still on campus. (She appeared just as I was telling the teacher, who dropped by for something out of her classroom, all about this.)
I don't think she would do well here :) Snow and about 33 degrees this morning; schools on a 2 hour delay.
ReplyDeleteBut I do agree, Southern California doesn't do cold; I remember moving back there from Montana; at 60 degrees I was comfortable, everyone was complaining how cold it was. A year later I had acclimated and was complaining 60 degrees was cold :)
betty
Yep, we are weather wimps.
DeleteIt was in the thirties here yesterday. She would've died. Hope her mother never came to get her.
ReplyDeleteIt's been "cold" in Florida, too. Those are, of course, sarcastic air quotes because what passes for cold in Florida is damn near tropical in New England this time of year. It's been a real change for me. Everyone looks at me weird because I'm still wearing shorts and t-shirts.
ReplyDeleteBut I had students from southern California in New England for particularly snowy and cold winters. They were usually pretty shell-shocked.
I’m a native Californian. For me anything below 70 deserved a sweater or light jacket, anything below 60, a heavy coat. Now that I live in New England, those days are over. It’s amazing how fast one can acclimate.
ReplyDeleteVR Barkowski
I would be shivering with a blue nose. Eek! I'm cold just thinking about it. Winter finally hit Florida. Until this week we were wearing t-shirts and sweating. (mid 80's most days) We went straight from that to 50 and 60's. Not cool, Mother Nature. Not cool.
ReplyDeleteToo cold for school! Heh, it's just funny for me to hear, although I guess you guys do consider that cold. I'm guessing Carrol's mom wasn't so keen on the idea of getting her out of school.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry! I laughed when you called 56 cold! But I do live in Kansas. And we are looking at dipping down to 0 next week. It is a good thing I became a nurse instead of a teacher. I would have been in prison by now if I had to deal with students like Carrol. Why can't you take their cell phones when they refuse to get off them??
ReplyDeleteOh, I could have sent her to the office about the cell phone, but I just wasn't in the mood for the battle. Last week before break and all.
DeleteI've lived in New England most of my life and I'm not acclimated to the cold. Yesterday at work I had FOUR layers on. FOUR!!! Suck it up, Carol, I say, and quit being a wuss!
ReplyDeleteToo cold for school...if only there were such a thing.
ReplyDeleteI know. I thought it was hysterical when I heard her say it. I knew it had to be a blog post.
DeleteI tell you, kids these days don't need teachers but bootcamps and generals :) Back when I was working as a teacher, I had kids with criminal records in my classes....
ReplyDeleteShe needed to "get her mother on the phone with the people in charge." That says a lot about how she's being raised.
ReplyDeleteIt was very typical of her. She's not the normal, though. She's a character all her own.
DeleteHappy New year, Liz! I hope it's warmed up since then, for your sake!
ReplyDeleteNope. Still cool. And we've had three days of rain. But the rain has let up for the moment.
DeleteLiz, It's funny to read what y'all think cold is, but I know it's a matter of what you're accustomed to. I remember a friend moved to California. I think it was southern Cali. Anyway, she sold most of the her things she felt she wouldn't need in California including her coat. Well you guessed it soon after she settled into California life she found out she needed a coat and HAD to buy one. That was kinda funny to me. Hey, we were watching the Rose parade last week, we noticed many of the spectators & participants wore coats and gloves. I checked the weather.com to see what it was and I think it was in the mid 50s. Up until then I hadn't paid a lot of attention on how cool it gets out west. What are you nightly lows typically like in the winter? Anywho, that Carrol gal sounds like a spoiled brat...just saying is all. I don't know how you keep your wits about you dealing with other people's kids. I salute you! Have a good day! I hope it's warmer now. :D
ReplyDeleteThat'd be cold for me. Naughty, rude girl that Carrol is. I hope her mother isn't an enabler.
ReplyDeleteI wonder...
DeleteThe cold spell has hit us too! And we are freezing our butts off after our 75 degree Christmas weather (which is atypical, by the way.)
ReplyDeleteSo what was Carrol doing that whole time? Wandering the campus?? Trying to convince the "people in charge" to let her go home? Interesting... very interesting.
I have no idea. Of course, she is on the "floaters list" (list of students who aren't permitted out of class for wandering campus).
DeleteAhh such bratty behavior. I grew up in FL and we're much like yall. That's WAY too cold. lol I'm in NC and now that feels like a warm day now and again.
ReplyDelete