Not Just Another Brick In The Wall

The sky was cloudy that Monday morning and the classroom was dimly lit by the blinking lights that the school didn't have enough money to fix. The atmosphere aligned with Jeanie's mood. From the moment her English and literature teacher, mrs Taylor, walked in, Jeanie could feel a headache forming, pressing against the walls of her mind. Mrs Taylor set her books down and looked at the class.
''Open on page eighty-three'' She said and the students complied, pages rustling in unison. They were studying the Middle ages currently. To understand the works of the people then, they needed to know their mindset. So they were studying the Bible. Mrs Taylor, as it turns out, was a deeply religious woman herself. She was old-fashioned and so were her views.
After letting them read for a whole of five minutes, Mrs Taylor could not help herself but start speaking. Today, she had decided to fill the silence with the story of her wedding. Jeanie did her best to ignore her and focus on the reading.
''To marry is the most beautiful thing, children. To solidify your relationship in the eyes of God.'' The teacher said with a hint of nostalgia. Jeanie almost predicted the next sentence before it came ''Yet some people try to ruin this tradition. Marriage should just be between a biological man and woman. Anything else would simply be an insult towards Him.'' Mrs Taylor shook her head, disgusted by even the prospect of a same sex marriage or, God forbid, transsexuality. As if the concept was a lump in her throat. Butterflies fluttered in Jeanie's stomach. And not the type you got when you saw your crush. She zipped up her jacket, covering the raindbow pin on her shirt, and stared at her textbook, the scriptures pasted there making her headache worsen. She met her friend, Kevin's, eyes through the room, and his discomfort mirrored her own. She couldn't focus on studying now, when in the background her teacher was talking about how love was wrong. How her love was wrong.
Jeanie was a dedicated student and she couldn't get over her falling grades in English. And it was not even her fault! She was not being taught anything on the actual subject, just forced to listen to somebody's rants about their life views.
Jeanie's headache didn't dissapear for the whole rest of the school day. Not until she got home and layed on the couch, the smell of her mother's cooking coming in from the kitchen. She breathed in the familiar athmosphere of home and sighed, the uneasy feeling she had gathered in her chest today somewhat dissolving.
''How was your day, kid?'' Asked her dad, coming in the living room and she made place for him on the couch.
''s***'' She murmured and her mother called out from the kitchen to scold her on her language. '' Sorry mom'' Jeanie said with a grimace and her father gave her a look, to which she put her hands up in surrender. ''I just have this teacher...'' She began, not sure how to finish the sentence ''She just never teaches us anything, not really, just goes on about her.. personal life. I can't focus in her class or learn anything.''
''Who is this teacher?'' Jeanie's mom came in from the kitchen, wiping her hands with a towel.
''Mrs Taylor, the English and literature teacher.'' Jeanie answered, slumping on the couch.
''She doesn't sound like she's very good at her job then'' mused her father, unconsciously stroking his beard ''Why don't you study with Kevin and Megan?
"What, like a study group?'' asked Jeanie, thinking about the idea. It wasn't bad. It actually wasn't bad at all ''That's actually a good idea, dad!
''Well you don't have to sound so surprised!'' Joked her dad, which made her smile.
The next day it was sunnier. Jeanie waited until she met her friends at lunch to speak to them about her father's idea.
''I believe we should do it. Otherwise we can't learn anything in that class'' said Megan in approval after hearing Jeanie's offer.
''And she's constantly going on her bigoted rants, I can't even focus'' Murmured Kevin in agreement while chewing his food
''It's decided then'' Jeanie announced ''We're going to make a study group!''
Jeanie's study group met every Friday and went over all of the material that was taken in Mrs Taylor's class throughout the week. The group turned out to be a huge sucess. Jeanie's grades went up again, because she was actually studying, and so did her friends' grades. Some of the other students that took Mrs Taylor's class, that were also struggling, joined their study group and others went to make their own groups. Jeanie was proud to have started the groups and thanked her father many times for giving her the idea.
On another Monday morning, Jeanie was getting ready for school. As she was putting some badges on her shirt, she looked at her badge with the pride flag on it. She wanted to wear it, but she had English with Mrs Taylor. She didn't know how her teacher would react should she see it. But what did it matter - a voice called from inside her head. What could Mrs Taylor do, what could she say that she hadn't already? And why did Jeanie care what she thought anyway? Feeling encouraged, she put her badge on and headed out.
For once Mrs Taylor had actually given them an assignment to do. And as Jeanie was working on it, she couldn't help but enjoy the silence. For once this clasroom was quiet. Yet the peacefull atmosphere didn't last long and dissapated the moment they handed in their assignments. They still had half the hour left, and instead of teaching them the lesson they were supposed to take in this class, their teacher begun talking about her life again. This time -how great it was to be a mother. Which as the hour progressed, turned into a lecture on how people that deviate from traditional norms were 'ruining everything. Of course, the smart thing for Jeanie to do was to stay quiet and endure this hour. But she couldn't endure it anymore. She stood up, while her body was begging her to stay in place. The teacher stopped talking for a moment and Jeanie took it as her chance.
''We don't want to hear your harmful views Mrs Taylor. We want to study.'' The teacher looked Jeanie over, her eyes briefly stopping on the raindbow pin.
''If you think you know more than me, you can just walk out'' said the teacher, her voice spitefull. But Jeanie didn't hesitate to take her books with her and walk out, without looking back. She stood in the halway to catch her breath, when she heard the door behind her open. Two people walked out. Megan and Kevin. Jeanie smiled at them, but she did not expect anyone else to follow. Yet to her dismay, one by one the other students started walking out to, leaving Mrs Taylor in the classroom, to sit alone with her hate.