At the beginning of this year, I dropped by one of my old secondary school classes. During the lesson, a girl asked the teacher if she could use the loo, but he refused her. She asked politely once again, and he still wouldn’t allow her to go.
A few minutes later, she explained that it was rather urgent, but he remained steadfast and denied her request. The teacher’s temper was clearly wearing thin, so when the girl asked a third time, saying it was truly desperate as shed just had an emergency, he almost barked out, “No.” The girl stood up, everyone turned to stare at her, and she blushed with embarrassment. In front of the whole class, she told the teacher outright that shed started her period and honestly needed the loo.
The room fell silent as we all stared in shock, and after a few moments the teacher, completely disregarding her, told her to sit down and still refused to let her go. Everyone was awkward and uncomfortable, until one ladwho looked every bit the star footballerstood up and said, “Do you have a wife? Didnt you grow up with a mother or a sister? Shes started her period and she needs the toilet, and shell go whether you say so or not.”
He then walked over, took her by the hand, and led her out to the toilets himself. When they came back, the teacher accused them both of behaving out of order and had a go at the lad. Ill never forget that day.
It turned out that the footballer was a far wiser man than the teacher. That incident taught me the value of empathy and standing up for others, even if it means speaking against authority.
