I'm an old fuddy-duddy with no sense of humor.

 

Am I just an old fuddy-duddy with no sense of humor, or is anyone else bothered by educators subjecting themselves to pies in their faces, working from rooftops, shaving their heads, and other assorted silly stunts as rewards to their students for high test scores or selling the most wrapping paper or candy?

 

I noticed in the paper the other day a teacher getting a pie in the face from a student who had done well on her STAAR test last year. I can't imagine myself ever wanting to throw a pie at one of my teachers -- even the ones I didn't like (and there were a few). My teachers were to be respected and looked up to. How can you respect someone who allows you to smash her face with a shaving cream pie? How can you respect a teacher or a principal who sits on top of a building as if he were a fool?

 

Could this be part of the reason educators have such a hard time keeping control in their classrooms these days? Maybe they're trying to be too hard to be the life of the party.

 

I can understand rewarding students for a job well done. How about a cupcake party or a pizza party? Oh, I forgot, Michelle doesn't want junk food in the schools unless it's a pie in the face.