Text version of the episode:
4. Getting yelled at by teacher without knowing why
When I was in fourth grade I got sent to a different school. I went to that same school for fifth grade too, because I tested into GATE. GATE is “Gifted and Talented Education” Program – it’s basically just advanced placement classes for younger kids. Up at the school it was all of the “smarter” kids who had tested into GATE, and for fifth grade, I had a teacher named Mr. C. Mr. C was kind of an asshole. He was never really happy, never really funny, kind of just a strict disciplinarian-dad-type teacher, who maybe was passionate about science at one point, but was probably due for retirement, even though he wasn’t that old. I just didn’t really like him. But, I don’t think I went out of my way to get on his nerves any more than any other kid did.
One day, during math, I remember like getting a lesson and not really understanding most of it – and I also probably wasn’t paying attention. But, Mr C didn’t’ really go out of his way to check who was listening and catching on. Then all of the sudden, as class is going, I realize that Mr. C is raising his voice – and, he’s not only raising his voice, he's screaming! Veins are popping out of his head, and he’s turning red, and the entire time that this is happening, I’m turning around and snickering at my classmate who I thought Mr. C was yelling at.
Then, Mr. C keeps yelling. And I turn my head to look at him, and I realize that he’s yelling at ME?! And not only is he yelling, but he’s cursing at me, a fifth grader, saying “You’re an idiot, you’re worthless, you don’t know anything, you don’t pay attention, you don't even deserve to be here!”
And I honestly was too shocked to cry or be upset, because I didn’t even realize that I was being yelled at until everyone turned around to look at me being yelled at. I think I ended up getting detention, but, to this day, I still have no idea what I could have possibly done to deserve to be yelled at like that, in school.