To The Teacher Who Never Believed In Me,

To this day I regret not looking you in the eyes and standing up for myself. I let you continuously tear down my confidence in the classroom because I thought it was my duty as a student to give you the utmost respect. I know now that it was wrong for me to give you that level of high respect as you blatantly abused your power and authority as an adult and a teacher. Regardless of the subject you taught or the grade you gave me, it is educators such as yourself that hinder the hearts and minds of young students.

While it's best for me to forget about the way you treated me, I still think about the words you said, even several years later, that hurt my young 16 year-old self. I try not to echo the words you lashed at me, entirely sexist, egocentric, completely false, and horribly uncalled for (though I doubt you realize the effect it had). I don't remind myself of this to have an excuse to hold a grudge towards you or to be angry or to pity myself. But rather, to remind myself that though educators like you exist, nothing can stop a dedicated, motivated, bright, persevering student from achieving great things.

Rather, I pity you. I pity you for mistaking your authority as unstoppable power. I pity you for doubting the knowledge and creativity of young adults because of your inability to look beyond your own narrow mind. I pity you for being so taken aback by the work that I, a straight-A, top of my class, creative young woman, was capable of that it made you repeatedly ask my male friends if they had done it for me. I pity you for being only capable of understanding things through your own bias, your own sexism, your student favoritism, and your selfish comfort zone.

And though I doubt you will ever read this or remember the words you once said to me (or even remember who I am), I will always remember you... I will remember you as the teacher I hope no student will ever have to encounter, experience, or be hurt by. I will remember you as the prime example of an educator who has no true will, understanding, or motivation to be educating the youth. I will always remember you as the teacher who never believed in me.

Sincerely,

The Student Achieving Bigger And Better Things