It’s possible if she is desperate enough, but I also think he’s permanently on her *S* list now. That’s a shame, but she does take advantage of the kids and he’s not seeing enough benefit to buy into it this year. He’s out straight as it is.
He busted his butt for her last year, his grades took a dive a couple of times directly owing to the time she demanded before productions. Way unrealistic time demands for a bunch of high school kids. But it’s her life. She sees it differently.
The thing that...well...hurt him is that he helped provide an enormous feather to put in her cap last year when they did all the production work for an outside group’s performance of the Vagina Monologues. It was a huge fundraiser and quite the society event. He ran the sound for the production all by himself and it went without a hitch. The sponsors and the performers plastered accolades on the drama teacher and the sound and light crew (2 kids) plus stage crew. She rode high on it and kind of forgot the kids.
And then she turned around and, he felt, pretty much stabbed him in the back.
Really, I don’t think it’s a money issue. He just doesn’t want to be used.
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Of course, I don’t know all of his history with this teacher, but at first glance I probably would have taken the gracious route and helped her. However, the subsequent info you provided started me thinking otherwise. It’s good that your son has such presence of mind and the courage of his convictions. But I hope he moves on from this and forgets about it. It is not good for him to dwell on it and what a crumb she might be. Anyway, that’s my unsolicited observation.
If he’s thinking about it all right now, I’d be surprised, Pablo. She asked, he said no, and that’s that. He thought it was kind of strange that she’d approach him, though, after the way things ended last year.
I, on the other hand, am the one thinking about it. His Dad and I came within a nanosecond of pulling the plug at one point last year. The time commitments that she demanded were simply absurd. We’re talking 8 hour days after school for a week or more at a stretch. He wouldn’t come dragging in until close to midnight. It was expected and anything less than 110% was a character flaw, misplaced loyalty, lack of priorities, etc— and that’s how things were left at the end of last year. To hell with that. I’m *so* glad he said no.
Excellent lesson. Please remind him of this when 10 years later it’s his boss that is pulling this stuff, and his partner that wants to pull the plug on their relationship.
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Fantastic!! Give him a high five and whatever else for me!! Good for him!! How much you want to bet it will be offered again with pay??!!