Chapter 4: Breaking Point

My blood pressure shot up instantly.

I wanted to explode. My heart hammered in my chest, like a dhol during Ganpati visarjan.

Class teachers do get a bit more money than regular subject teachers.

A thousand rupees more per semester. Bas.

Can you believe it?

Getting up before sunrise, going to bed after midnight.

Seventeen-eighteen hours a day at school, endless meetings, class business, paperwork, parent feedback, weekend and holiday reports that never stop. Kitchen dekhta bhi nahi, sirf kabhi kabhi jaldi mein kuch kha leta hoon.

Phone always on, 24/7, ready for any emergency.

In short, a class teacher’s workload is at least ten times that of a regular teacher.

You think I’m killing myself for that extra thousand rupees?

Is it worth it?

The criticism kept coming in the class group:

“Class teachers not only get higher pay, but more chances for awards and bonuses. There are all kinds of perks.”

“No wonder you’re so reluctant to give up the job even when you’re sick... Ugh, I’m speechless.”

“If you want to make money, don’t mess with our kids. We don’t owe you anything!”

“Just get lost already.”

My mouth went dry, but no words would come. If I wanted to make money, I’d have left long ago.

A private school next door once offered me double my salary to poach me, but I turned them down. The HR manager’s surprised face is still fresh in my mind—like I’d refused a lottery ticket.

Why?

Wasn’t it for the students? For their precious children?

Teacher Meera, our English teacher, couldn’t stand it anymore:

“Teacher Rohan worked while sick for the students. Not only do you not appreciate it, how can you say such harsh things? Don’t the students’ results speak for themselves?”

In two years, a class that used to be dead last shot up to first place in the grade. That’s a fact.

There was a moment of silence in the group. You could almost hear the tube lights’ hum in the empty staff room.

Then a parent piped up: “That’s because the kids worked hard themselves. Doesn’t matter who the teacher is—it has nothing to do with you.”

The group echoed:

“Yeah, my son studies till midnight every day. With that kind of effort, how could his grades not be good?”

“My daughter’s done so many practice books, they’re as tall as she is.”

“Really know how to take credit for yourself.”