Tales of Revenge 2: The Science Teacher

This may or may not be a work of fiction. It may or may not be based on real people and real events.

August 8, 2012

Denise Arbogast
Principal
Herman Melville Middle School

Dear Ms. Arbogast:

It has been a pleasure teaching science at your school for the past eight years. Your predecessor was an intelligent and perceptive administrator. I wish I could say the same about you.

You required us to administer the Acuity test to our 7th and 8th graders three times before the TCAP testing in March. My classes' average scores were below the state average, all three times. You didn't like that. I understand your concern. Your raise this year was partially based on TCAP scores, and you believed, like everybody else, that Acuity results can accurately predict TCAP results.

Researchers have done studies, right? Those researchers work for the Acuity company, lady. I don't work for Acuity. And I don't teach to the test. I teach to the subject.

So the day before school let out for the summer, you told me that I would not be teaching science next year. Instead, you said, I would be teaching social studies.

Did you think I would do less damage to your career in social studies?

In July, the TCAP scores came back. My classes' average scores not only beat the state average, but every student in my classes was in the 98th percentile or higher. See, you did get a nice raise. You're welcome. And now you say you want me back in the lab, teaching science again.

Your faith in me is touching. So touching, in fact, that it will be a cold day in hell before I ever teach anything in your school again - wherever that school happens to be.

Remember when the accreditation committee visited Melville MS in January? A high school principal from the neighboring town was part of that accreditation committee. He observed my teaching style, and thought you were damned lucky to have me on your faculty. Well, two weeks ago he reviewed our TCAP scores as part of his follow-up work, so he knows how my classes did. When he learned that I was no longer teaching science at your school, he recruited me to teach chemistry.

I guess that leaves two holes in your faculty list: one in science and one in social studies. I hear that word has gotten around, about the shoddy way you treat your teachers. Good luck filling those holes.