to know about?
I can see from his past report cards and records that he is an excellent scholar.
The “parent homework” is meant as a fun opportunity for parents and guardians to provide some insight into anything that might not be reflected in the students’ paperwork.
Best,
Miss Stiles
TO: Emilia Stiles
FROM: Alex Vega
SUBJECT: Ryder Tully-Vega
Ryder has had nothing but good things to say about you today, Miss Stiles.
I hope he continues to have a positive experience in your class.
As far as I can tell, I have completed your fun assignment.
I have nothing further to add to my earlier email and would rather spend this time with my son.
If there is anything you would like to ask me, please do so in a direct manner.
Thanks,
Alex Vega
TO: Alex Vega
FROM: Emilia Stiles
SUBJECT: meeting re. Ryder Tully-Vega
Dear Mr. Vega,
I hope this email finds you well.
Sorry you weren’t able to attend Back to School Night last week. I tried calling you yesterday, but I didn’t leave messages. I’m writing to inform you that your son, Ryder Tully-Vega, is an extremely bright boy. The quality of his schoolwork and homework are excellent. However, he has been exhibiting a certain amount of mildly disruptive behavior in class since day one.
While being very friendly and upbeat, his excessive talking takes my time and attention away from other students and also takes my students’ attention away from the lessons. I would love to nip this in the bud before it becomes a larger issue.
I would like to meet with you as soon as possible so we can work together to help Ryder overcome this problem.
Please let me know when you are available for a Parent-Teacher conference. You are welcome to stop by my classroom after school. Ryder can be present, and I would encourage his involvement in this discussion.
Sincerely,
Miss Stiles
8
Alex
Seriously, what is this lady’s problem?
Because there’s no way that Ryder has a problem.
“Hey, buddy?” I stare at the email on my phone while crossing over to the kitchen table. He’s doing his homework there—like a good kid. All hunched over and concentrating because he’s an awesome student. “How’re things in class?”
“Fine, I guess.” He shrugs.
“What’s your homework assignment?”
“To put all the letters of the alphabet on pieces of paper. And then put the pieces of paper inside a bag. And then pull out three pieces of paper. And then write out all the words I can think of that starts with those letters.”
“The words that start with those letters. Where’s the bag with the letters in it?”
He looks up at me sheepishly. “That part of the assignment is dumb. I just picked three letters in my head. She won’t know.”
“Show me the letters you picked.”
He slides the worksheet paper across the table so I can see what he’s written. An impressive number of words that begin with the letters F, R, and T. Am I a bad parent for being really fucking proud of him?
“Hey. You need to erase the word ‘turd.’”
“Why? Is it a bad word?”
“It’s bad word–adjacent.”
“What’s that mean?”
“It means it’s almost a bad word. You can’t use words like that in school. You know better than that.”
“I think it’ll make her laugh.”
“Your teacher?”
“Yeah.”
“Is that your goal? To make Miss Stiles laugh?”
He stares down at the paper while carefully erasing the word. “I like it when she laughs.”
Shit. Does he have a crush on his teacher? Is that what’s going on here?
“So you still like her, then? Miss Stiles?”
He pauses his erasing for a very telling second before looking up at me. “Yeah… I think she’s good. Why?”
“You think she’s a good teacher?”
He blinks and shrugs his little shoulders again. “I don’t know. Why don’t you meet her?”
“Well, it’s funny you should ask that, because I just got an email from her about having a meeting. She says you’ve been talking a lot when you’re not supposed to in class. Is that true?”
A huge smile spreads across his face, and I have no idea what to make of it. “You got an email from Miss Stiles? What’d you say?”
“I haven’t written back yet. I want to talk to you about it first. Are you talking in class when you aren’t supposed to?”
“I don’t know.”
“What do you mean, you don’t know? Are you telling her jokes all day or something? Trying to make her laugh?”
“No.”
“Buddy. You need to give me a little more information so I know what to say to her.”
“Are you gonna talk to her?”
“It looks like I’ll have to. Does she get mad at you in class or