“Don’t denigrate us, especially in public. One teacher would say out loud, ‘You’re getting a D,’ or other negative things in front of other students, disrespecting them.”

An excerpt from Cushman’s “Fires in the Bathroom”

As someone who has devoted the past six and a half years of their life to learning the French language and more about French culture, this quote taken from a student cited in Chapter two Respect, Liking, Trust, and Fairness in Cushman’s “Fires in the Bathroom” couldn’t go unnoticed. I have heard horror stories from a number of French friends about their teachers calling out grades in front of the entire class. But it didn’t stop there. Apparently, the teacher would have taken the time to sort assignments in order from best to worst grade. Those whose names and grades were called out last had to anxiously sit through the painful moment, bearing the weight of shame and embarrassment that came with each name called before their own. Coming from the American school system, I could never even begin to fathom this type of treatment from a teacher. Some may argue that this “grade-calling” procedure is beneficial because it communicates pride in those who did well and motivates those who had to wait until the very end to work harder. However, having learned that the French culture actually looks down on success, I see no pedagogical, motivational, or emotional value in this practice.