The Faculty Lounge

by Jennifer Mathieu

The best teachers don’t follow methods but are richly informed and widely interested and interesting themselves—the difference between a doctor and a mere druggist who spoons out the advised doses. —Dawn Powell

Mr. Lehrer.

Substitute teacher

Ms. De La Rosa’s Spanish II classes,

twenty-two-year-old named Ms. Sanderson, who taught geography to remedial freshmen,

Nurse Honeycutt,

Principal Kendricks,

Ms. Jackson

Guidance counselor

Ms. Brennan

English teacher

Mr. Williams

Another English teacher

The two of them taught advanced Engli...

Mr. Fitzsimmons who taught math to sophomores

Ms. Jimenez was a teacher of U.S. history, the longtime campus smart-ass, and a total terrorist known for jamming the copy machine on a regular basis before walking away, blissfully unbothered.

Lol

assistant principals, Mr. Ellis,

biology teacher Mr. Rayfield, who merely shrugged his shoulders,

It was Ms. Fletcher, a respected veteran English teacher with a full load of advanced seniors.

Amanda Fletcher

Dave Saunders,

Amanda's bf

He taught the seniors taking AP Literature, he told her, and he enjoyed encouraging young teachers.

Bob Lehrer

“But we’re also not here to entertain, remember that. We’re here to teach. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself. It takes time to be good at this job. Even for someone who was called to it like you were.”

Lehrer

Matthew,”

Lehrer's son

Upon reflection, Amanda had to admit that what upset her most of all was not the kiss, but the realization that adulthood did not prevent otherwise reasonable, intelligent people like Mr. Lehrer from doing stupid things. The thought made her nervous about her own future.

This job now felt less like an art form and more like a factory line.

One of the assistant principals present, Ms. Garcia, gave the first-year teacher a sympathetic look.

The other assistant principal there, Ms. Baker,

There was so much about their jobs that could not be explained well, especially to those who had never worked in a school. It often felt like trying to describe some strange supernatural phenomenon, some bizarre thing outside the laws of nature.

Jessica Patterson, the tallest of the ash blondes. She was the formidable PTO president,

A person could color-code and list and organize, but in the end, life sometimes just happened to you.

“Jake Rayfield,”

Young bio teacher who hates teaching

Ms. Lovie Jackson, head guidance counselor at Baldwin High School, would rather be doing at present.

Ms. Harper, the slight, peppy redhead from Central Office,

George,

Mrs. Jackson's Husband

a young, animated Black man and Teach for America alum by the name of Mr. Turner, who was clearly on the ambitious track;

An assistant principal

It took an exceptional amount of strength and commitment not to become worn down by the constant focus on the T-SOAR and instead remember that the children they served were real, actual people with unique gifts and needs.

Ugh the stupid Texas standardized testing

Cayden

A student of Mr. Williams

Vanessa Hollins

Mother of Cayden, a student of Mr. Williams

Jayden,

Cayden's brother who was also a student of Mr. Williams

TO: vanessa.hollins123@hollinsfamily.com

Oh shit lol

Yeah, guiding kids to think for themselves and understand nuance is why I got into this business. And that approach seems to be in real danger. Not just in Texas but everywhere.

Denise Baker

Assistant principal

Kathy

Denise's wife

AP Kitty Garcia.

Totally Dumb as Fuck)

Lol

Angie Jimenez was forty-four and had started her teaching career at Baldwin nineteen years prior,

He honestly had no regrets about any of his actions this year, but he also wondered, not for the first time in his career, why doing the right thing was so often punished and toeing the company line was so often rewarded.

Kendricks

Mark looked down at the incoming message. It was from his wife, Lisa.

Punk was an ethos Mark genuinely believed in, a way of living that valued individualism, rebellion, questioning authority, and doing the Right Thing always.

“Evan,

Mark's son

Lisa

Mark's wife

As he and Lisa sank into the couch and he pressed his lips against her familiar, welcoming mouth, he knew he had done the right thing. The ethical thing. Maybe even the rebellious thing. It was the most punk rock moment of his life.

Luz Guevara

Custodian at Baldwin High