Young Lady:You teachers are so disrespectful. It’s so unfair.
gls:I’m sorry — I don’t follow.
Young Lady:You tell me to be quiet and that’s fine. But what happens if I tell you to be quiet?
gls:[Pauses in thought; wonders if he heard correctly; contemplates an adequate response.] Well, generally kids don’t tell adults to be quiet.
Young Lady:God — you don’t get it. [Storms out.]
gls:[To self.] No, you don’t get it.

So many of my students think that they’re adults’ equals, that they can talk to adults just like they talk to their peers.

Did our teachers think the same of us?