Here�s to Mrs. Hay! The Testimony of a B Student.

I am going off the legal radar with this post.� I think many legal blogs focus on talking about successes of the law firm and educating potential clients about possible legal solutions.� As I said when I began this blog, this blog will not ONLY be about the legal side of things.� With the start of school, I think that most students are less than happy.� However, I hope you share this post with a student that you care about.� Hopefully, it will teach them to look for the small things.

The Fall of 1994.� The first day of school for Carrollton High School.� I was dressed in my newest Abercrombie & Fitch duds.� Notably, I was rocking a braided leather belt that was a prerequisite to coolness during those times.� I just left first period U.S. History and was on my way to American Literature.

The teacher was Mrs. Hay.� She was a �veteran� having taught both of my parents in high school.� I sat down in my usual classroom location, which was all the way in the back left corner.� Halfway through that first day of American Literature it was apparent that Mrs. Hay and I would not have a rosy relationship.� For the entire first semester of that year, I spent many second periods out in the hallway doing my work or in the assistant principal�s office explaining the craziness-level of that woman.� Of course, I always ended up on the right side of things due to my superior B.S. skills.

A model student�..I was not.� However, looking back on teachers such as Mrs. Hay, I cannot help but be appreciative to them.� You see, Mrs. Hay hated to be questioned.� Naturally, every time she did something that I thought was ineffective, I would question why in the world we had to perform such a task.� I wanted a reason.� She did not want to give such a reason.� Rather, she would just explode and send me out of the classroom.

I had other teachers during high school that had a profound effect on my life.� To Coach Chad Lyons, I still want to trip you in the hallway if I ever see you again, but thank you for teaching me that I did not always have the right answer. �To Coach Bill Garrett, thanks for letting me teach you Algebra II. �To Mrs. Faye Williams, thank you for requiring me to get a parental signature on every sheet of paper that was graded.� This taught me to take responsibility for my own actions.� To Mrs. Jackie Gingrich, thank you for proving to me that trading geometry exams with a fellow classmate (ahem, who is also now an attorney) does not always mean a better grade.� Lastly, thank you to Mrs. Frances Norton for lighting a fire under my butt in 12thgrade.� I still recall you telling me how much potential that I had.

These are all true stories.� If proof is required, that assistant principal that I spoke of in the third paragraph��.he is my step-father.� He will be more than happy to substantiate these stories and MANY more throughout my esteemed tenure.� Keep your heads high students.� It is a great adventure for which you will not see the benefits for many years to come.

PS To those teachers that I did not mention��I probably couldn�t tell the story PG rated (ahem Senor Burson).

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