My Tussle With a Teacher

"There comes a time in our life when we have to have a tussle with someone who threatens the values we stand by. Some of us win it while some of us lose it. This is the story of that tussle.".

"Who are you, anyway? I never heard of any tussle you had with a teacher."

"What do you mean 'Who are you'. I am Ben Johnson, your friend. Stop acting like you don't know me."

"Whatever." And with that my friend just walked out of my room leaving me to narrate my story on paper which I will eventually put up as a digital footprint through a blog. Until then, let me just narrate my story.

My tussle was for the value of honesty and fairness. And, it was against a high school teacher. Now, before we get to any conclusion, let me just clear the air. the tussle with this high school teacher of mine was not an argument or a physical brawl. Neither was it a brief one. It was a slow year-long intellectual one. However, before we get into the story, let me provide you with some much needed background story.

Sir George was the teacher. He would run what we call coaching classes from which he would earn a lot. This is because many students would flock to drink from the fountain of information that was he. While this was all good, there was also the dark side. George harbored jealousy within. He was jealous of all other teachers who followed suit in the coaching class business. To knock off the other competitors in his tracks, he would wreak havoc on all his students who went to other teachers. He was like a big-time bully that was in serious need of a time-out.

That is when I enter the story. I do not claim to be some Saviour or Equaliser in this story as you will see at the end. Yet, I did make a hue and cry about it. I decided to put in my lot. Though I was a novice at most subjects, I was a definite ace at Sir George's subject. I could grasp the technical concepts with ease. Yet, I would go for coaching classes to another teacher just to practice coding. Since I did not join George's inner circle of intellectuals, I joined the harassed group. He would use various means of putting me down. The most notable and common one being his attempts at failing me in my papers. But, when the details and the coding is right, you will find it difficult to reduce the person's marks. I guess that is what stressed Sir George. He tried his level best to fail me yet he could only manage to bring me to an average grade.

This went on for every paper I answered that year. Yet, the height of this tussle was at my board-level examinations. Before we enter this scene, let me add the final bit of information so as to put you into context. For every subject that consist of practical exams attached to the theory exams, there lies a network. This network consists of teachers from all the schools of the region teaching that particular subject. Thus, most biology teachers will form the Biology network and so on and so forth. Further, each teacher influences the other. The system is a bit complicated to explain but the end is the same. If I am the HoD, I have the final say in the practical exams of every student in my department. Sir George was the HoD for all subjects related to computers.

And so, I should have felt defeated. But, I wasn't. I was determined to prove him wrong. I submitted all my practical exams on time. Some were submitted even before time. In my spirit of altruism, I also began helping my weaker classmates. On the day of the practicals, I aced my viva voce and even completed my practical examination well before time. I knew well that I had aced my practicals. But that wasn't the case. Despite doing very well all throughout, Sir George still managed to deduct some marks. This I was to find out only at the end when the final results would be out.

For my theory exam, I answered so well that at the end of the exam I knew I had lost only 3 marks. These were from questions where I could only guess the answer. With that in mind I should have received a 97 overall. But when the results were out I had received 94. My three lost marks form the theory exam was there. But, there were also another 3 marks deducted from my practical exam. I had lost yet won in some way. This is because I had scored higher than the school topper in theory exam and was just a mark below his overall.

At the end of the year, I had learnt two valuable lessons. First, when the authorities are corrupt in their dealings, the lower orders are bound to face the consequences. Second, you do well through hard work and rigor. In the end I realized that I could not change the corrupt system. However, I was able to bring some hope to those who would tread the same path I trod.

There!!! I have finally written out. Maybe one day when I get time to create a blog, I could post this as my first story. Who know... maybe it will be an inspiration for all those who are on the verge of giving up hope.