A Teacher’s Dilemma: The Itchy Student
Mrs. Thompson was in the middle of a lesson on fractions when she noticed one of her students, little Timmy, fidgeting uncomfortably at the back of the classroom. He wasn’t just shifting in his seat—he was squirming, scratching, and wincing, clearly unable to focus on the lesson.
She tried to ignore it at first, hoping he’d settle down. But as she wrote a math problem on the board, the scratching sounds continued, and the other students had started to notice. A few were whispering and giggling, while others cast curious glances in Timmy’s direction.
Finally, Mrs. Thompson sighed and walked over to his desk. “Timmy, is everything okay?” she asked gently.
Timmy’s face turned beet red as he froze mid-scratch. He hesitated, clearly embarrassed, and then leaned in to whisper, “I just got circumcised, and it’s really itchy.”
Mrs. Thompson blinked, taken aback. In all her years of teaching, she had encountered kids dealing with stomachaches, fevers, even nosebleeds—but this was a first. She quickly composed herself.
“Alright,” she said, keeping her voice calm and professional. “Why don’t you go down to the principal’s office and call your mother? She’ll know what to do.”
Timmy nodded, relieved, and made his way out of the classroom. As soon as the door shut behind him, the giggles spread across the room.
“Mrs. Thompson, what’s circumcised?” one of the students blurted out.
Mrs. Thompson felt her face grow hot. “Uh, that’s something you can ask your parents about,” she said hastily. “Now, back to fractions!”
About ten minutes later, Timmy returned, looking much more at ease. He slid into his seat, and Mrs. Thompson gave him a reassuring nod before continuing with the lesson.
At the end of the school day, as she gathered her things, she chuckled to herself. Teachers were trained for a lot of things—lesson planning, behavior management, even first aid—but no one ever warned her about how to handle a student with post-circumcision itchiness.
Another day, another unexpected classroom adventure.
