Lemon Churros

𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤.

Schools try so hard to create a peaceful and safe environment for students. Teachers remind them about respect, understanding, and resolving conflicts calmly. We try to guide them, hoping they will learn how to deal with disagreements the right way. But sometimes, the reality inside the school walls feels very different.

I’ve noticed that when misunderstandings happen between students, many of them immediately think that the only way to deal with the problem is through a physical fight. Instead of talking things through, they choose to hurt each other. What’s even more heartbreaking is that this sometimes happens even in the presence of a teacher who is trying to stop the situation from escalating.

After the incident, teachers step in. We separate them, listen to both sides, and do our best to settle the problem peacefully. We explain what went wrong and remind them of the consequences of their actions. The goal is always to help them understand, reflect, and hopefully do better next time.

But the saddest part comes after they leave the school.

When they get home, the story sometimes changes. Important details are omitted. The part where they started the fight, or chose to hurt their classmates, quietly disappears from the narrative. The effort of the teacher to intervene and resolve the situation is forgotten. 𝐒𝐮𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐥𝐲, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲.

And just like that, the person who tried to stop the fight, who tried to protect everyone involved, becomes the bad guy.

That realization hurts. Not because teachers expect praise, but because the truth becomes distorted. All we ever try to do is maintain the peace within the school and guide students toward making better choices. Yet sometimes, the very people trying to fix the problem are the ones misunderstood in the end.