A teacher's morning is surprisingly busy. At this school, we live in a dormitory, which means we are close to our workplace, or school, but we have a lot of work to do. Preparing for class, checking to see if there is any contact, and sometimes checking the water quality of the pool.
However, the start time of the workday is the same as the start of homeroom, so it's practically like service overtime.
After the morning's individual preparations, we had a meeting with the teachers for the morning assembly. Especially on days when special exams are held, the rush is doubled or tripled. The school's mistakes are absolutely unacceptable because they affect the students' lives or part of them.
"The most important thing for us teachers to keep in mind during this special exam is how to intervene in the classroom. Please avoid any situation where you unintentionally help a student in your class in order to protect him/her."
Gathering the homeroom teachers of the four classes, Ikari-sensei, who was auditing this special exam, warned them with a stern look on his face.
"I was wondering if I could talk to you for a second."
"What is it, Hoshinomiya-sensei?"
"I believe the last time this exam was held...11 years ago...there was a shuffling policy to ensure that the class in charge did not help, right? So why is it that this time the homeroom teacher is still looking after her class? In the interest of fairness, though, I think you should change it."
As far as issuing a warning, the school's intention to stop the homeroom teacher's intervention can be felt. But surely it would be more reliable to leave the other 'class in charge' in other Classes. Not many teachers would go to the trouble of risking their job to help a rival class.
"Isn't it because you believe it will be fair?"
Professor Sakagami, who was listening to the conversation, calmly analyzes it.
"Is that so?"........ I can't tell you why, except that it's the decision."
"It's up to you, isn't it?"
There is nothing that we, as teachers, can do to determine all the special exams. The decision will be made by Chancellor Sakayanagi and those who are involved in the operation and management of this school. All we have to do is follow the rules and carry them out.
But it didn't seem to add up, and Chie didn't even try to hide her frustration. Ikari-sensei, who could not bear to see this, opened his mouth in a low voice.
"This is just my own imagination, but this special exam could give students a glimpse into the inner workings of the mind they hide. It is a mass of information. I think they thought that by leaking it to the teachers of the other classes, it would, in turn, affect the next special exam."
"That just means they don't believe in us as teachers."
"It can't be helped. In this special exam, three of the homeroom teachers seem to have experienced the same thing in the past. ........ Was it related to the fact that you took charge of each class in class voting last year?"
"That's what I thought."
Chie seemed to be convinced once again as if she had known it all along.
"Hoshinomiya-sensei... May we proceed?"
"Yes, yes. I'm convinced, so please proceed."
He was clearly in a bad mood, but Ikari-sensei resumed his explanation as if he had given up.
"If the supervisor deems it to be advisable, a warning will be given. If it is repeated, there will be a pay cut. And, although it is not a concern of yours, please remember that if you are found to have intervened in a malicious manner, intentionally leading students to make choices they should not have made, you may be demoted at worst."
The unanimous special exam is all about choices. It is only natural that the nature of the special exam itself will be questioned if the teacher leads with a particular choice. Of course, the teachers of the other classes have no such intentions, nor do I.
As usual, he doesn't get too emotionally involved with the students and just goes about things in a solemn manner. Even if it is this special exam full of bitter memories, it is still the same thing.
"That will be all. Please take care of today's special exam."
After that, I tried to do my best to get through the morning classes as usual.No, I was the only one who thought it was business as usual, when in fact it was probably not.
I had no sense of time, and before I knew it, it was time for lunch.
On the desk in the staff room, there is a half-eaten meal. When I put the food in my throat, the chopsticks stopped moving at all.
Not wanting to be seen like this, I put the rest of my lunch in a bag and put it away. And then came the sound of the afternoon class, announcing its start.
As I left the staff room, staring at the floor, I was called out by the sound of footsteps coming from behind me.
"It's finally happening, Sae-chan."
"...... ..... Chie...?"
"You've been like that since this morning, but you couldn't sleep last night because you were thinking about the special exam?"
I tuned out the obvious and cheap provocation.No, it would be more accurate to say that I could not answer back.
"'My current class has nothing to do with me. Whether the students clear it easily or not is of no importance to me."
"Hmm? You don't look like you're that broken up about it."
"Well, that's okay. But don't forget that you do not deserve to be in Class A."
(T/L Note - Chie said this to Sae)
As I walked away, Chie's voice was filled with resentment and she did not hide it.
I couldn't raise my head until the end.