Students from every continent and every epoch imagine, even if only idly, of someday, somehow turning the tables on their teachers. Likely they don’t realize until they have done it, that their teachers also may see such a reversal as an opportunity to return the torment.
That’s partly the story of Role Reversal Day 2022, held on Friday, February 4. Hand it to the leadership of the CCB Student Association for organizing carefully and thoroughly, putting staff into groups and planning the schedule, even reviewing lesson plans from each ”teacher of the day.” This is the group, remember, that collected necessary items for the NICU babies when Avista Adventist Hospital was forced to evacuate during the December, 30 Marshall Fire in Boulder County. They also received an additional $820 in cash donations which were donated to the Marshall Fire relief fund.
But Friday morning’s announcements, led by outgoing student president Amanda Juetten, heard the warnings from the day’s teachers of dire consequences for infractions or fractiousness from the erstwhile students of the day. This, however, only goaded the day’s students on, with complaints about learning shades and excuses in advance why certain activities were going to be impossible.
And so the 8-hour battle of wits was joined. Seemingly mild-mannered Martin Becerra-Miranda proved himself to be a runner, bolting multiple times from every class he showed up at, taking with him any other student game enough. But he wasn’t alone. One teacher-for-a-day found herself locked out of the Braille library when she stepped out to talk to one of her colleagues. Teachers-for-a-day reveled in use of the PA system, but perhaps not wisely used it to advertise virtually every antic of their errant charges. This announcement of the lockout only passed the idea on to the classes that followed.
High points were pizza for lunch, followed by pudding made by the morning Home management classes, cookies in the afternoon, and a special philosophy class in which Director Julie Deden (late returning from travel class) was the focus of a surprise graduation ceremony, Freedom Bell and all.
One take-away – it’s exhausting to be so obnoxious all day long. With any luck, we all got it out of ours systems. For a while, anyway.
Thanks to the students who organized and participated. It was a day we’ll all long remember.
