The Haystack

The student news site of Wheat Ridge High School

The student news site of Wheat Ridge High School

The Haystack

The student news site of Wheat Ridge High School

The Haystack

The Real Teachers’ Pets

The+Real+Teachers+Pets
By Micheal Yeatts

By Justin Hill

For many students having a parent as a teacher would be a nightmare, but for some Farmers this nightmare is a reality.

French teacher Rebecca Ugander is experiencing this phenomenon this year with her son who is now a freshman on the Farm. Ugander seems to have a very positive attitude toward the situation. “It’s been easier and more pleasant than I first thought it would be, but it’s only been one and a half weeks.”  Ugander, through this situation, has seen her son in a different way. “I enjoy seeing this side of my son. He is doing very well and his work ethic is really improving. We have a lot more in common now.”

Jonathan Ugander shares his mother’s positive attitude. “It really isn’t that bad at all,” Ugander says, referring to this school year so far. “I’m just not going to take any of her classes,” he adds. Some would think having a parent as a teacher would be awkward and affect one’s social life, but to Jonathan Ugander it is quite the opposite. “It isn’t awkward at all; in fact I think it might have a positive outcome on my reputation. Mymom is pretty well liked.”

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By Micheal Yeatts

Another teacher who has atending the Farm this year is science teacher Toni Budoff. Unlike the Uganders, Budoff was more apprehensive with the idea of her daughter Alexi going to school here. “She was initially told ‘no way’ for her freshman year, but she came up with a good argument and convinced us, schild at

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By Micheal Yeatts

o I okayed the transfer” for Alexi’s sophomore year. Even though we are a few weeks into the new school year Budoff is still a little wary about the whole thing. When it comes to the relationship with her daughter, Budoff is a little worried, “Hopefully it won’t kill it. My daughter seems much more positive about this than I am.”

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Alexi Budoff opposes the view point of her mother on this situation. “I enjoy going to school with my mom. I always have food, gum and a place to put my stuff when I don’t want to go to my locker.” Even though Alexi Budoff is positive about this new year, she admits there is a downside. “It isn’t awkward at all, going to school with my mom, but it does affect my social life. I can’t get a boyfriend because all the guys are afraid of my mom.”

Debbie Livingston, librarian on the Farm and wife of physics teacher Ron Livingston, has two kids attending Wheat Ridge as well. The Livingstons’ son Willie is a sophomore, and their daughter Hannah is a freshman. “It’s nice having your kids at school with you,” says Livingston. “It’s nice knowing where your kids are and seeing them every day.” And when it comes to their relationship with one another she has a very positive viewpoint. “I think it would make our relationship stronger. Since I know the teachers and their schedules I have better insight into what their days like than most parents.”

Hannah Livingston is positive about this year too. “I like seeing my parents at school, and knowing they’re here with me.” she says. Looking into the future she sees no negative possibilities. “I don’t think anything bad can happen when with my parents teaching here.” Hannah Livingston also says her brother Willie would agree.

If having a teacher as a parent is rough, what about having the principal for one? For Joe Wirth this is just the norm. “It’s really nice! I can

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By Micheal Yeatts

walk into the main office and sleep on my dad’s couch whenever I want,” Joe says. But he a
pal’s kid. They would always make it known and announce it every day in class.” Most teachers’ kids on the Farm say that their social life is not affected by the fact they are a teacher’s a kid, but being the principal’s kid makes a difference. “It does affect my social life a little. Being the principal’s son I’ve met and talked to more people than I ever would have. But I also don’t tell my dad things about my friends or my social life because I don’t want him to have that perception of them as students.”dmits it has influenced some teachers during his high school career. “Only one or two kids have made a big deal about me being the princi

Principal Griff Wirth seems to have the same viewpoint of his son, but he seems to look at it the only way a parent could. “I think it would be hard being the principal’s kid,” says Wirth. “I always told my kids they needed to have their own life and keep some things confidential. I could only imagine the peer pressure they are placed under.”

It seems to be that going to school with your parent isn’t always a nightmare. Like most things in life, it has its ups and downs. The common thread between all of the parent and child dynamics in this situation is attitude. With a positive attitude, anything can be better.

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    Paola MorenoOct 29, 2013 at 1:02 am

    My mom worked in my elementary and in my middle school and it was okay and some times a rough….. I would always hear my name over the microphone that she is going to leave and wouldn’t wait for me? And then if I had missing work they will inform my mom first instead of me and i got in trouble. Well I miss seeing my mom all day during school.

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  • M

    Merriah StarkSep 13, 2013 at 8:35 pm

    I thought it was about teachers having favorite students but instead their kids. its interesting how often you see students parents as teachers at the same school.

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  • H

    Heidy OrnelasSep 13, 2013 at 8:34 pm

    Most people are curious to see how teachers that have a daughter/son at this school not only interact with eachother during school time, but to see how they feel about their position of having to see their parent on their daily school routine and being totally cool about it.

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  • M

    Mackenna ReillySep 13, 2013 at 8:17 pm

    It was great! I can really relate I was a teachers kid although I hated it!

    Reply
  • K

    Kimberly CessarSep 13, 2013 at 8:15 pm

    So good! Makes me wonder how I would feel if I went to school with one of my parents..

    Reply