This is the first time I am really speaking out about this.

Years ago, I lived in Bayonne, NJ and went to Lincoln Community School. Each year the principal would come into our classroom. He proceeded to call us to the front and read our report cards to the class before handing them to us.  

I struggled when I was in elementary school. My mom was sick with Ovarian cancer and died when I was 11 years old. I was in 5th grade at the time but for four years before that she was sick at home. I struggled with getting my work done and especially had a difficult time with math.

I remember his words, “Oh Nancy seems like you’re failing math again. Mom and dad won’t be happy you need to work on that.”

It took everything in my soul not to flip out on him. So, I wanted to say to that principal who thought he knew everything and loved to embarrass children at their most vulnerable, “Hey ******* I am teaching math now! Now tell me about failing math!”

The moral of the story: If you are a teacher, principal or someone who interacts with children, never do this ever! Someone like me looked at it as a challenge, but I dealt with anxiety Adn self-doubt for my entire life. Others were not as lucky as I was.