Teachers can be extremely influential people in their students’ lives. Even if they don’t realize it, one meaningful conversation might alter the trajectory of a child’s educational career. And while the educators that we love are remembered as saints for decades to come, the ones that we despised are never forgotten either…

Bored Panda has scoured the internet and found some of the most disturbing and disappointing images calling out teachers for displaying toxic behavior in their classrooms. From refusing to let students use the bathroom to writing heartless comments on assignments, these educators give the profession a bad name. And they deserve to be held accountable.

#1 Teacher Taking A Child’s Hearing Aid As Punishment “Cause She Wasn’t Listening Anyway”

Image credits: Sweet-Lullaby

#2 While I Am Glad She Was Corrected, That’s Such A Terrible Accusation On Her Part

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#3 Not Only Did He Not Let Her Use The Bathroom, He Gave Her A Detention For Asking

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Looking back on my time in school, my memories of most of my teachers are a blur. I might slightly remember how they look, what subjects they taught and how much I struggled or excelled in their classes. But we tend to never forget the teachers that made us feel strongly, whether that was positive or negative.

I vividly remember having conversations with educators who empowered and encouraged me. And I’ll always appreciate how much they believed in me. But I also remember word-for-word the cruel comments that I received from other teachers that left permanent scars on my self-esteem. Unfortunately, not everyone is cut out to be a teacher.

#4 That’s Not It, Professor

Image credits: EmArb19

#5 This Is Insane

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#6 Ma’am My Lips Are Cracked What Do You Want From Me

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So what exactly makes a great teacher? Southern New Hampshire University notes on their site that the best teachers are strong communicators and excellent listeners. They know how to get through to their students, and they take the concerns of their classes seriously. Wonderful teachers also prioritize collaboration and are real team players, which sets a great example for their students too.

These teachers are flexible and accept when they need to change with the times. When it comes to lesson plans, they also find a way to make sure that both they and their students are engaged. Teachers that truly make an impact on their students’ lives are empathetic, patient and value real-world learning. 

#7 Uninspiring Teacher Comment

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#8 This Is Disgusting And The Teachers Should Be Punished

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#9 I Would Literally Run

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Clearly, the teachers on this list could use a lot of lessons in the best practices described above. But sadly, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find amazing teachers nowadays. Low wages, long working hours, extremely high expectations and pressure to go above and beyond have many teachers feeling burnt out when they’ve barely even begun their careers. In fact, the West Virginia Education Association published a piece discussing why many teachers are walking away from the classroom permanently.

#10 Teacher In My School Never Cleans His Bin Nor Asks Anyone To Empty It, There’s Even A Half-Eaten Pie On The Floor

Image credits: RedstoneRiderYT

#11 My Little Sister’s Notebook Checking

She’s in the third grade and the teacher doesn’t know the spelling of about?

Image credits: Manas_BOOM

#12 Teacher Wrote My Son’s Name On His Blanket In Sharpie. The Blanket Has His Name All Over It

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Frustrated teachers note that they’re fed up with budget cuts, violence in their classrooms and salaries so low that many have to take on extra jobs during their free time. Many educators also complain about being expected to work during every hour of the day, even when they’re sick. They tend to spend at least 40 hours a week in the classroom, but that usually doesn’t account for time spent grading papers, planning lessons and meeting with parents. 

#13 Teacher Doesn’t Hide His Use Of AI

Image credits: Theaterkid01

#14 What A Nasty Thing For Him To Say

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#15 The Difference Between This And A Business Meeting Is That A Business Meeting Is Actually Important

Image credits: Woman4W

While many teachers don’t want to say goodbye to their careers in education, they all have to put food on the table. And at a certain point, it’s not worth it to struggle to make ends meet when you’re working one of the most stressful jobs. Not to mention the fact that teachers have very little creative control in their classrooms. The lesson plans are typically created by the state or school district and designed to ensure that students pass exams, regardless of whether or not they truly master the material.

#16 Why Would You Incentivized That?

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#17 Why Did Teachers Always Do This?

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#18 What A Weird Thing To Assume

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According to Teachers of Tomorrow, some of the biggest challenges educators face today are: limited access to funding, drowning in endless paperwork, struggling with time management, adapting to educational trends, helping students with various learning preferences and difficulties, disciplining students, lacking effective communication, trying to meet the standards of school administrators, burning out, keeping their lessons inclusive and dealing with socio-emotional challenges students face.    

#19 A Teacher In Texas Asking Students To Rate Their Book 5 Stars In Order To Get A’s

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#20 Penguins Are Mammals Now

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#21 My Boyfriend’s Accounting Professor Says He Uses ChatGPT For Everything

He just used it to teach everyone how 401k’s work and is actively promoting that they use it.

Text says “If I invest $12,000 a year into a 12% money market account, what will that value be in 15 years?”

Image credits: clarkclancyy

Teachers are often expected to juggle many roles at once without complaining at all or asking for higher wages. And unfortunately, this drives many great educators out of the profession, while leaving room for terrible teachers like the ones on this list. Educating the future generations is one of the most important jobs a person can have, so it’s crucial that we call out this toxic behavior in classrooms and ensure that it doesn’t continue.

#22 That’s Horrible

Image credits: SparkzRox

#23 I Hope He Got Fired

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#24 Why Would This Be Me

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We know this isn’t the most fun list in the world, pandas. But it is an important reminder to value the great teachers out there, because I promise, there are still plenty. Keep upvoting the pics that you find particularly infuriating, and let us know in the comments below what the worst thing you’ve ever seen a teacher do was. Then, you can check out another Bored Panda list featuring awful teachers right here! 

#25 This Is Mean

Image credits: EM0DOG

#26 Just Gross. And So Many Stories Like This Of Terrible Boys And Equally Terrible Teachers

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#27 No You Didn’t

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#28 My Professor Doesn’t Show Powerpoint Slides In Full Screen

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#29 My Teacher Always Leaves The Mouse On Screen

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#30 My Kid’s Teacher Said “Gnome” Begins With N

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#31 Got Called Out By My Teacher Because The Essay I Wrote Was Flagging As AI

Wrote a report on my marketing and she checks on a AI detector and the essay I wrote is flagging as AI. What kind of a world do we live in.

Image credits: ChazandGame

#32 Racist Teacher Gets 3 Day Suspension After Telling Exchange Students To “Go Back To Working On Rice Farms”

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#33 This Is Why I Hate Telling People I Have It, And I’m Actually Medically Diagnosed

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#34 That Was One Lousy Art Teacher

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#35 What A Horrible Man

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#36 That Isn’t How You Pronounce It?

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#37 Well At Least My Work Was Right

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#38 What Is This. Professor Cut My Marks For Writing Too Much. I’m A 3rd Year Student, Obviously The Answers Would Be Long

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#39 My Professor’s Handwriting

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#40 It Was Pretty Upsetting. I Never Had A Problem With My Name

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#41 Whe Didn’t You Tell Me

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#42 The Power Of Words

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#43 Child Shows Creativity, His Teacher Doesn’t Care

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#44 TA Forgets To Remove The Part Of The Email Where The Prof Mocks My Question Before Responding

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#45 Had A Project In Art Class And I Put It In My Art Journal Without Thinking. I Turned It In With A Bookmark And Asked Her Not To Go Through It. I Got It Back With This On Every Page

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#46 Pay Thousands Of Dollars For A Masters Program And It Is All Virtual. The Professor Rattles Off Info The Entire Class Never Stopping. When Asked To Clarify, This Is The Email Reply

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#47 Teacher Must Be Over 50

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#48 The Question Was What Was The Relation Between Kant’s Critique Of Judgment And The Weekend Trip To Connecticut The Professor Had Just Taken

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#49 Thank God I Graduated In 1965

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#50 Professor Is Reducing My Test Score Because I Argued My Answer Was Correct

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#51 Professor Gave My BF The Wrong Exam

Has this happened to anyone else? Any advice?

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#52 Why She Up In There Bare Foot

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#53 How Is This Even Possible

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#54 When Professors Weigh Their Grades Like This

My problem is that the low percentile given to homework almost makes it hard to do. Where’s the motivation when it’ll only affect a whopping 6% of my total grade?

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#55 This His How My Professor Presents His Slides

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#56 Sorry, Was That A Threat?

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#57 My Little Sister’s School Assignment. Written And Handed Out By The Teacher, And She Has To Find The Answers

She can’t even figure out what half of these questions even mean.

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#58 Physics Teacher Refuses To Use Corresponding Colors

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#59 That Is A Despicable Thing To Say To A Child

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#60 The Perfume Industry Begs To Differ

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#61 Education Is Important

What kinda question is this? If you expect people to say “no that is impossible” just ask them “Is this possible” not “How is this possible.”

Image credits: SomeoneTookMyUsernameToo

#62 If This Is How The Teacher Behaves In Public, People Should Be Questioning Their Behaviour To Students Behind Closed Doors

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#63 Is This A History Class Or A Philosophy Class?

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#64 Professor Still Wants Student To Attend Zoom Meeting Despite Her Father’s Funeral Being The Same Day. Says “It Could Take Your Mind Off Things”

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#65 I Feel Horrible For This Child, Its The 4th Time The Teacher Would Not Allow Him To Go The Nurse For His Insulin

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#66 I Sincerely Hope They Became An Egyptologist

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#67 Was Told I Wasn’t Allowed To Write My Math Test Unless I Put My “Vape” Away

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#68 My Professor Is Blatantly Using Chatgpt To “Give Feedback” And Grade Our Assignments

All of my professors including this one emphasize the importance of not using ChatGPT for assignments and how they will give out 0’s if it gets detected.

So naturally this gets under my skin in a way I can’t even explain, some students like myself put a lot of effort into the assignments and spend a lot of time and the feedback isn’t even genuine.

I’m not even against AI, I use all the time and it’s extremely helpful to organize ideas, but never do I use it in such a careless manner that’s so disrespectful.

Image credits: JareDamnn

#69 This Email From My Professor

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#70 My Daughter’s Teacher, The “Literary Specialist” Used The Wrong Form Of You’re In Their Email To Me

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#71 Apparently (Red) Is A High School English Teacher. The Confidence In How Incorrect She Was. I’m Concerned For Said Students

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#72 Teacher At My Former School Wrote This On A Second Graders Paper

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#73 Harsh

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