Classroom Corruption
A maintenance worker came into my classroom this morning. “Excuse me, Ma’am. I need to look at your thermostat.” The temperature in my room is comfortable for a change, so I really wished he wouldn’t, but he was just a kid and it was his job. I pointed him toward the thermostat.
He read the dial. “Ma’am, this is set on 75F. Isn’t that too warm?”
“Right now we’re comfortable, thank you.”
“Your thermometer reads 69F.”
“That’s perfect,” I said.
“But ma’am, the control panel on the roof says we’re pumping 52F degree air in here. Are you sure you aren’t too cold?”
I looked at the man. He was wearing a short sleeved light-weight work shirt. I pointed at his arm, “You’re standing here. Are you too cold?”
“Well, no ma’am, but they have made it clear that we are to rely on our equipment and not our own judgement.”
“Oookay,” I said. “According to your equipment, it is either 75, 69, or 52 degrees in here. That seems very reliable to me.”
His smile was crooked and he kind of shrugged one shoulder. “I know, Ma’am, but I have to write something down here on this clipboard, and they aren’t going to like three different answers.”
I grinned at him and asked, “What answer would make them happiest?”
His eyes widened. He glanced from his clipboard, to me, to his clipboard. He whispered, “Can I do that?” Then he looked up at me, grinned and said, “Thanks, Ma’am!”
20 Comments
They definitely beat this guy’s judgment out of him. Glad you were able to talk some sense into him. I was afraid you were going to be seeing your breath by the end of the story.
Diesel — this is Vegas. It’ll be awhile before we have to worry about too cold.
Quilly you do have a way of convincing folks to your line of thinking, nice to know you stayed toasty for the rest of the day.
And they put you in charge of the nation’s youth. Shouldn’t you be ashamed of yourself? Nah …
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LOL always the teacher, aren’t you? Poor kid, at least you helped him out.
You’ve created a future politician.
Welcome that young man to the world of “higher education”!!!
Bill — since the daily temps have already hit 90F, staying toasty isn’t a worry.
OC — I probably should be ashamed, but I am not!
Donna — I can’t help it. It’s a compulsion.
Nessa — I hope not. He seemed like a nice guy.
Melli — or at lease the land of logic and self-preservation!
Swell. You just trained a whole classroom to be consultants. Thanks.
Perhaps he should have had YOU as a teacher when he was in the 5th grade. 😉
a grateful maintenance worker. could anyone wish for more?
Doug — my pleasure. Glad to be of assistance.
SN — Alas, I wasn’t a teacher when he was in 5th grade.
Polona — yes, I would wish for grateful maintenance workers who only arrived when they were needed.
When did common sense disappear from the vocabulary of our maintenance men?
Kat — this particular maintenance guy was maybe 20. He just may not have grown into his common sense yet.
Isn’t it wonderful when we are permitted to make/pick the situation we choose… 🙂 Great post Q
You should have offered him a seat and soem eductaion 🙂
Too funny. You have liberated the boy. Set him FREE!
Pauline — I do feel like I came out a winner in that scenario — and the repai guy did, too!
Minka — the education he got.
Gawpo — freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose ….
People put too much faith in machinery and computers. They forget that we humans are much better at making judgments than the aforementioned!
Mumma — I agree. I — usually — have the ability to reason.
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