AITJ: Corey Shields

AUTHOR: Garrison Kelly

ORIGINAL POSTER: Corey Shields

STORY: The Benoit Blues (formerly known as Darkness Reigns)

BOOK: American Darkness

I’m a 45yo male and I’ve been teaching music in the Paulson City school district for close to twenty years. I’ve seen just about everything there is to see during that time. But a recent string of budget cuts has plagued our school and it’s affecting not only the teachers who already have limited resources, but the students as well. I wanted to take my students to Washington DC for a symphonic concert field trip, but the lack of funding for our schools kept that from happening.

Even more infuriating is our Principal, a 55yo female, not doing everything she can to fight for us when she wields the most power in these budget committee hearings. I’ve even heard rumors that she was funneling some of that money for herself while the rest of us are left holding the bag. I have no way of proving these rumors, but they sound true on paper.

So in a last ditch effort to urge Principal Scotch into action, I had special instructions for my students at this year’s spring concert. They were worried about it at first, but I assured them that everything would be okay. And sure enough, they carried out those instructions at the concert beautifully.

The first and only song that my student band played that night was “Whatever” by Our Lady Peace, which was used as the theme song for former WWE wrestler Chris Benoit. The parents in the audience probably never watched an episode of WWE television a day in their lives, but they know who Chris Benoit is because he was all over the news for killing his wife and son before committing suicide.

Naturally, the parents and faculty were shocked that I would choose this particular song for my student band to play. And then I took the microphone and gave the ultimate punchline: “What? You think that’s offensive? Try withholding funds from our school.” The message was loud and clear for everyone to hear, especially Principal Scotch, who fired me on the spot for my protest anthem. 

Did the school end up getting more funding? Were the teachers actually being paid a living wage? Hell if I know. It probably didn’t help matters that the next day, my phone blew up with angry text messages and emails from the parents of my students along with other teachers and faculty members. While my intentions were good, the outcome was most likely a dud and now the school is probably suffering because of it.

AITJ for using a murderer’s theme music to protest the lack of school funding or does Principal Scotch get all of the blame for this one? I certainly feel like TJ knowing that the protest blew up in my face. I would feel like an even bigger jerk if I knew my students were being punished for what was ultimately my plan.