Thursday, April 22, 2010

The Dog Ate My Homework

Anyone who has ever been a teacher can confirm that some of the excuses given for missing school or for not doing homework can raise eyebrows, they're that fantastic in scope. Mostly we just nod, say "uh-huh" and move on. Occasionally an excuse is so out-of-sight unbelievable, and we wonder how students can possibly think we would be so gullible as to accept that excuse. And then there are the few excuses that sound like something out of a bad science fiction novel but are the honest to goodness truth.

A few of my students are from Europe. I knew that they were going to be leaving for home a few days early before our Pesach break so they could spend time with their families. However, I expected to see them after Pesach was over. They have not yet been back in class. I received an email from one of the students yesterday (and I imagine the other student has the same excuse), and the excuse is one of those frameable ones, the kind you just couldn't make up.



"Dear Prof K,

I have not been cutting class intentionally. As you may have heard, a volcano erupted in Iceland and getting a flight back to the US has been impossible to do. I have a ticket for a flight next week although the airline won't guarantee that it will actually leave but I am hopeful that it might. It is being talked about here that yet another volcano might erupt which could make things even more difficult. Since I have nothing to do while I am waiting could you please send me any homework assignments so I don't fall behind?"

Just not an excuse you could make up. And here's wishing both students a safe trip back to New York.

5 comments:

Stranded wife said...

My husband left early the Sunday morning right after Pesach on a business trip to Russia. He was supposed to leave Russia with a connection in Europe and be back that Wednesday. He finally got on a flight that is due to arrive today at 1:00, but only with some proteksia. Makes for a strange excuse of the type that starts I'm going to be late getting home from work.

Anonymous said...

I love how the student asks for his homework because he has nothing else to do. Very nice to tell the prof that doing homework for her class is scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Anonymous said...

Our European company for Passover has not yet been able to fly back home. Basically we've now had company for a month. It's hard on them and hard on us too. Jobs are an issue for them and school and we're all back at work and they can't leave. Who would think that a volcano in a small place like Iceland could cause so much trouble around the world.

nmf #7 said...

So true. Here's wishing your students a safe trip home soon.

G6 said...

"As you might have heard, ..."

ROTFL!!!