How to ruin a perfectly good book

When I was a sophmore in high school, we had to read "To Kill a Mockingbird." Now, this was actually a good book. It was easy reading, good story, excellent moral points. However, I don't think I'll ever enjoy reading it. Why? Because it brings back some memories of anger.

The teacher had a weird issue. If the class before ours did something wrong, we'd hear about it for 35-40 minutes. In teenaged life, this is an eternity. I'll never forget the week-long rant we got after somebody "borrowed" the freshman class float (of which she was the advisor). It was a funny prank...and somewhat ingenius (or so I thought...and no, I wasn't involved). Of course, the float made its way back (I mean, really, where do you hide a float)...however, for the next week, my Lit. class heard nothing except how horrible we were as a class, and that in all her years of teaching, she had never had such a horrible class.

My own experiance came to a head when she accused me of plagerism (one of several honesty-based "sins" I do not take lightly). If she wanted to accuse me, it's good to have something we like to call "evidence." To this day, it bugs me that she would throw such a charge around. I know kids do it...but, come on. At least tell me whose words I stole.

Anyway, my point is to demonstrate how important the role of a teacher plays in the future. I had lots of good teachers...and a couple of bad ones. The good ones have helped me face the challenges in front of me. The bad ones created new obsticles. Teachers leave a lasting mark on all they lead.

Last I had heard (from a guy who was 4 years behind me), that particular teacher had retired. In the end, she left a long line of bitter 20-somethings. I hope she was replaced with someone who doesn't make people hate the subject she teaches...because the best teachers can communicate their love of that subject.