Got into a big fight with a teacher at college. Who was in the right?

I had an encounter with a teacher on Wednesday. I'll try to keep this short.

So I get to school, go to the cafeteria, and buy a bag of Doritos chips. Enter my building, get to my classroom at around 1:15-1:20 for a 1:30 course as I'm just finishing eating. I need a place to throw away my trash, and I know there's a can right inside my room, next to the door. I look through the windows, and there's the teacher from the previous class looking down at his podium and two students sitting at their desks. I'm fairly certain class is over.

I crack the door, not even entering completely, to put the trash in. Dropping it, I hear "You can't do that" (or some variation on this, I can't remember exactly aside from it was a dictate). It's the teacher, I look up at him for a few seconds, and thinking he meant come in yet because I was mistaken and class was still in session, leave the trash in the can and exit. I turn and sit down on the floor with about 4 other students to wait. The teacher rushes out the door behind me hot on my heels.

"Go pick that up." he says.

"Pick what up?" I knew what he was talking about, I was just trying to buy time to figure out what the big deal was.

"You see that sign?"

He points to a sign on the door that says no food or drink allowed. Becoming irritated now, I say it was garbage, not food, and I've done it many times before. He repeats himself and proceeds to berate me. This is in front of other students. I began raising my voice in anger, saying, "It's not food, it's garbage, and I placed it in the garbage can!" It escalated quickly, him telling me he didn't appreciate the way I was speaking to him, me using expletives at this point (not directed at him but used in emphasis), saying I didn't give a shit, until he finally told me he was getting security, to which I replied, "I don't care, get fucking security." I was pretty pissed as this felt like he was attempting to use his authority to harass me over such minimalist bullshit, and when I stood up to him he ran off like a kid to their mommy to get security.

A security officer came, I was questioned and told to do as the instructor said, as him and I mutually glared at each other in serious anger as other students looked on in astonsihment. I didn't remove the trash, but simply nodded in appeasement to the security as I didn't want to be kicked off campus, figuring I'd take this up with staff later. My student ID info was taken. 10 minutes later, sitting in class, two more security came in, pulled me into the hall, and I was asked to elaborate on what happened. I was called at home later that night to come to the dean's office yesterday. Went in, told my side of the story, wasn't expelled or anything. They were friendly, understanding, and listened. I admitted to getting angry and cursing, and they told me my story correlated with what the instructor had told them also.

There's more to this, but this is getting long. So do you guys think I was justified in my response or not, and why?

If it was me, I would have looked for a trash can on the hallway. If there are no trash cans on the hallway, that means the no food allowed rule also applies there. I would have kept wrappers in my pocket or backpack.

In most universities I attended, there are big trash cans in the hallways and smaller waste baskets in the classrooms. It's obvious snacks and drinks are allowed. There are even break rooms with dining tables/chairs and microwave ovens/fridge. One time, I brought in a plate of steaming hot, freshly cooked chicken wings to class. We heard the instructor's stomach growl several times during class. He just smiled. ;-)

There is only one university I attended which had a no food allowed in the classroom policy. I usually wolfed down my snack so that I have time to throw the wrappers away at a trash can before entering the building. Half-eaten snacks stay in the backpack.

If it was me, I would've just picked up the wrapper and said, "Sorry." That would have been the end of it.

I'm inclined to agree with you, it was garbage you threw in the bin and not food you brought inside to eat during class.

Getting so riled up over garbage is silly.

@jun_aka_pekto: Yea, probably would've been the best thing to do in retrospect. But this guy was looking to make confrontation. He was aggressive and rude.

But this rule is very lax. I and other students have taken drinks (has to be in a spill-proof containers as it's an ICS class with many PCs) in throughout the semester. My classmate who saw the whole thing came up to me afterwards and said that this teacher had handed out candy for people to eat while class was ongoing for Halloween. Also, when I spoke to the dean he said the teacher had told him he took issue with me disturbing the class. If that's the case, why didn't he say that outright? I would've apologized and backed out. I asked the dean what time his class ended which was at 1:15. I can't be certain, but I believe it was at least 1:20.

I should've probably not gotten so upset, the reason I got angered is because I felt singled out and picked on for such a stupid petty reason.

Never argue with teachers, even if they are wrong. They might fail you on purpose. If things really go out of control talk the matter with your parents or local gurdians to solve it. But thats my opinion only :)

I don't get it. Aren't there garbage cans in the cafeteria? You say you finish them before you go to class..

Either way you're sorta right. Garbage is not food. You shouldn't have argued over something so small though.

I wouldn't have cursed. I would have just tossed it in the bin and say, "too bad, it's trash, deal with it." And walk off not giving a ****.

People like him are just there to create a confrontation and waste your time.

An excuse you could make next time is say you're neutropenic and you can't be digging back into the trash.

Like jun said, better to avoid the whole situation altogether by looking for a trash can outside of the classroom.

But it isn't like you joined ISIS by throwing the bag inside the classroom can [close to it, but no dice ;P].

When you say he "berated" you, what exactly did he said?

Expletives while talking to a teacher? That's a no-no.

until he finally told me he was getting security, to which I replied, "I don't care, get fucking security!"

What are you doing man? This went like 0 to 60 way too fast.

You stood your ground (good for you man!), but the situation could've been avoided altogether and I think in a practical sense he was correct.

But **** the teacher, do it again next class :P

I don't think he was correct in any sense whatsoever. By berating I mean scolding, treating like a child. I do have a big anger problem. Very quick to it. I admit to that but my response wasn't unwarranted, but perhaps the degree of it was. He had also raised his voice as well, we were shouting, but I began to swear. It was already at 60 when I cursed. I know my credibility tanks after that but it was the heat of the moment and I lost it.

Little bit of info that may help. I live on Maui and am Haole (slang for foreigner, what white people are called). Even though I have Hawaiian blood, you'd never guess it by looking at me. I'm very white. This guy was local. Didn't surprise me to discover he has a Hawaiian last name. Anyone familiar with Hawaiian history understands that there's a huge amount of underlying ill sentiment, resentment, and prejudice by (some) natives against those they perceive as outsiders, even though I'm a local myself. Many here hate the U.S. after the overthrow of the monarchy a long ways back. Though I haven't expressed this as it's just speculation on my part and I don't publicly want to label this guy a racist, I believe it had something to do with it. This is not the first time I've gotten attitude like this, but I think it's the first time it's ever been institutional.

@indzman: yea, now I'm going to have to avoid this guy. Luckily he's not a teacher in my area of study.

@TheHighWind: I finished my chips just as I was getting to class, edited.

@Gaming-Planet: I did less than that and he came after me. I had no choice but to argue because I wasn't going to have him bully me into picking up trash out of a trash can. I didn't throw any attitude his way, the worst he could claim is that I ignored him.

Pfff you were 100% in the right. Did you bring food or drink into the classroom? No. What you were doing was throwing away a piece of aluminium. It would've been exactly the same were it a broken pen or scrunched up piece of paper. There was absolutely no reason to go at you like that.

Wow.

Just wow.

A professional shouldn't get so worked up over such trivial bullshit like throwing out a used food wrapper in it's correct location (you should be praised for not being like the disgusting wastrels who just throw it anywhere expecting someone else to take care of it for them). And what kind of class was it exactly? I could see maybe getting worked up over some serious science lab class with easily-contaminated experiments, but this seems like a sit-down and listen type of class.

**** 'em.

Right, which is why I'm tending towards the belief that he was using this as an excuse to be an asshole from personal dislike.

I was considering the disturbing the class part as well because I mistakenly did it too. I simply apologized and avoided getting aggressive with the instructor. I always exercise tact and restraint when dealing with instructors and other students because they may become my instructor or classmates someday. For me, it's better to defuse tensions even though in my mind, I wanted to knock the guy's teeth out.

I got into a lot of school fights when I was young and have one school expulsion in my records. So, I learned to just apologize and avoid further provocation.

Anyway, the instructor is the authority in the school grounds when the higher admins and security aren't around. It's best not to provoke them. They also have stresses of their own that are unknown to us students. They may already have a short fuse. He He. Try not to be the last straw that sets them off. ;-)

Depends. Garbage that had food in it usually has still some rests in it. And of course it smells. Stop being a self-entitled prick and just throw it away elsewhere. No big deal.

To be honest, I think both of you were acting silly here. It was silly for him to blow up over something so trivial, and it was silly for you to stand your ground over something so trivial.

It's pathetically not a big deal at all. I would have asked if he'd rather I pitched it on the floor in the hallway? Your main wrong doing imo, was just cursing and raising your voice when often you get more out of it by being calm and giving that "your a dumbass" look explaining you were just checking in and happened to have trash in hand anyway. Perhaps he thought you were just opening the door to specifically toss the trash away but even still it's the most ridiculous thing to get riled up over.

In my experience, people who get angry over stuff like that are usually just having a bad day and it really has nothing to do with you or your actions. It could have been any student that set him off. Best course of action would have been to try to not make the situation any worse.

Honestly, it sounds like the guy was just being a dick. It turned into a power struggle between the two of you at the end. usually, it's best just to do what they ask to defuse the situation, but you weren't in the wrong. I fail to see how putting trash in a trash basket is worthy of making an incident. Guy is likely small minded and probably has been pushed around his whole life. This is his way of trying to make up for it. You can print off this reply and give it to the guy. Tell him he likely has a small penis and fails to satisfy his partner as well.

Being a college professor, I think both of you overreacted, but ultimately, the teacher should not have gotten upset with you like that. He was overstepping and was being disrespectful to his own class by dealing with you like that. Regardless of their position, some people are just assholes. Most teachers would have been more diplomatic about the situation but, not all. I'm glad you didn't suffer any serious consequences, but next time, just find another trash can. There is trash and recycling in our buildings in every hall.

Could have punched one of my teachers when I was at school I thought teachers was meant to encourage not put you down. He asked what I wanted to do for work experience. I said I wanted to do something with weather. He said. You cant do that Your too thick for that. I soo could have smacked him one. Any way a couple of years later when I left school my dad had a heart attack and he was in same ward as him. I never went over to say hello as I would have probably said something like. Couldn't have happened to a better person. I was with my mate at the time and he couldn't believe what he just said to me. I wish I had a fight with him now though and still do to this day.

Reason to be pissed? You bet.

Reason to resort to swearing? Probably not.

Working as a teacher though, singling out students, unless in a positive light, is incredibly unprofessional and really petty.

Garbage that is food is still food. And I don't think he should have thrown the trash in a class room. Nonetheless when confronted he should have just taken the trash back and thrown where it's allowed to be tossed.

I was expecting a fist fight.

It was an ICS class. Lots of computers. Many of my classmates have done exactly the same, and this trash can has been filled with other food/drink containers for months now without a concern raised.

@jun_aka_pekto: again, if it was about disturbing the class, he should've addressed that right then and there. Then I would've apologized and backed out, no big deal. But he made it a point to pursue me into the hallway to start an encounter based on nonsensical bullshit. Believe me, I wasn't looking for a fight. I hate confrontation. But I'm not going to be bullied..... I don't care one bit that he is an authority, that is all the more reason for me to stand my ground.

@nethernova: "Self-entitled prick"? For what, throwing away garbage in a garbage can? This is entitlement?? Are you kidding me?

@MrGeezer: the thing is, it was precisely because it was such a trivial matter that I got so angry. If he actually had merit to his grievance, I would've been much calmer, listened, and worked it out cordially. But he didn't. He followed me and began yelling at me out of nowhere in front of others for such a ridiculous reason. This is a teacher, someone who if teaching at college level is supposedly highly educated. At that point it wasn't even about the garbage, it was harassment, and that's what I was protesting to.

@pimphand_gamer: he actually came at me with a raised voice initially, which is why I soon raised mine. You had to be there. It was pretty amazing how he blew up something so stupid into something to make a big deal over in a very short period of time.

@magicalclick: this is a point he brought up in talking (yelling) to me: " it attracts vermin", to which I replied, "custodians come at the end of every day and empty the trash/vacuum the floors!". Thing is, my problem is consistency. Hell if he's going to hand out food to his class, IN class, and then shovel me shit for throwing away an empty food container that had minimal food residue at worst, only to be cleaned up in a few hours. Jesus, my FINGERS would transfer as much Doritos residue to the keyboard to attract pests than what could be viewed as any more bothersome than what's in that trash can for a few hours at worst. Yea, it's not productive, but it's past that point in the manner he acted.

@Allicrom.bie: I think we were both having bad days.

@sonicare: that's what it was at the end.....it had nothing to do with the garbage, I think he took me turning away from him and walking out of the classroom as an affront to his authority, and it went from there. I couldn't diffuse the situation without conceding to his demand to go back into the class and pick up garbage from the garbage can, which I adamantly refused to do out of general principle of how stupid the demand was.

@jimkabrhel: basically what my sister (a high school teacher) told me. She said, as a teacher, they are supposed to be held to a higher standard. I'll admit my wrongdoing in getting overly angry, but I don't believe I was in any way in the wrong in my initial action. Again, you'd have to see it. This guy was not acting professionally, which surprised me as he was in his 50s at least. His response was so vehement that it's made me believe this was an encounter based on prejudice masquerading as something else.

@skipper847: I was ready to smack him by the end.

@battlefront23: yea. Swearing didn't help, but as I said I lost my composure as I do when people make a big deal out of something so small.

@LJS9502_basic: this explains why the teacher gave out candy to his own students to eat in class? You don't see a double standard? If this teacher had taken me aside in private and explained the situation I'd have been much more cooperative in acquiescing to his demands. When he comes out and starts yelling at me in front of other students, yea, I'll yell right back. Ego? Sure, that was partly it. I would've taken the trash elsewhere had he approached me in a courteous and professional manner in private. He didn't, I responded in kind, and I don't apologize for it nor feel ashamed. In fact, I'd do it again.

@PSP107: Not yet at least, I know I'll likely see him on Monday.

I would've acted pretty similarly, honestly. I don't have much tolerance for petty confrontation like that (even if it does make things worse overall).

If he was really taking issue with you "disturbing" the class, then he should've just bloody well said that outright instead of looking for an excuse to exert his authority.

Thing being, is wasn't really about what he was asking as much as it was the method in which he did so. Like I said, if he had approached me alone and politely asked I would have abided, even though I would've still found it absurd I would've bit my tongue, because I would respect his manner and would've reciprocated his respect towards me more than the stupidity of his request. I can overlook that. But when he comes out and starts yelling at me in extreme disrespect (especially in front of others), I'll never back down, and I certainly won't do as he asks.

I don't like confrontation, but I'm not afraid of it if the reasoning behind it is valid. In this case, it wasn't about what he was saying. He was just using that as a means to an end: to try to bully and humiliate me. I'll always stand up against that no matter how minuscule the rationale is, and I really don't care about the consequences.

If it had've been me I would've just said sorry and took the wrapper out the trash can.

Life's just too short to get into fights over nothing.

Thing being, is wasn't really about what he was asking as much as it was the method in which he did so. Like I said, if he had approached me alone and politely asked I would have abided, even though I would've still found it absurd I would've bit my tongue, because I would respect his manner and would've reciprocated his respect towards me more than the stupidity of his request. I can overlook that. But when he comes out and starts yelling at me in extreme disrespect (especially in front of others), I'll never back down, and I certainly won't do as he asks.

I don't like confrontation, but I'm not afraid of it if the reasoning behind it is valid. In this case, it wasn't about what he was saying. He was just using that as a means to an end: to try to bully and humiliate me. I'll always stand up against that no matter how minuscule the rationale is, and I really don't care about the consequences.

Yes, that's what I thought, but still... I probably would've still complied but maybe dropped a hint that he was overreacting a little.

I'm going to say that TECHNICALLY he was correct, but he's still a fucking asshole.

Honestly this sounds like a case of a guy having a bad day more than anything else.

Come on dude....reading your OP it's apparent you do like confrontation. Nonetheless.....next time don't throw trash in class rooms. It doesn't belong there anyway.

So you threw garbage, not food, into where it belongs...

You did nothing wrong.

There are times I'll swallow my pride and just go with the flow. In your state, I would just do as he ask me to do and just leave to fight another day, cause arguing with petty stuff like this isn't a big deal. But however, if that teacher lay a hand on me, then we'd have a problem here.

This could all have been avoided if when he came after you you'd just been honest and said "I didn't mean to turn my back on you and ignore you. I thought you meant I couldn't come in the classroom yet. I'm sorry for the misunderstanding" and just grabbed your trash and put it somewhere else.

The packet smells and has crumbs. Should have threw it away elsewhere.

I think some of you missed what I wrote. This instructor had given out food to eat in his class prior to this incident. I didn't know this until right after, as I had a student in my class who was also taking his tell me this happened at Halloween (him handing out candy to eat in class). This makes him a hypocrite and invalidates his rationalization for his actions and any defense of them.

Also, when being questioned by the dean, he apparently changed his reasoning from 'garbage' to me 'disturbing his class', which was already out. At least that's what the dean told me. If you had seen what he was like when first approaching me, there's no excuse. It's hard to articulate how abusive his demeanor was, in front of others. He was incredibly unprofessional, scolding me like a child in front of others before I even began to get upset.

**** anyone that does that shit. He deserved what he got.

The professor was probably more irritated of the fact that you entered the room just to throw trash, because that is quite disrespectful. If you didn't see that there was a class going on, that's one thing, but you stated that you thought it was ending. (The professor could have also been irritated for something that happened prior that had nothing to do with you, so a small act might have been the straw the broke the camels back, so to speak).

While that doesn't exactly make him right in what he did (assuming you are telling the full truth and not leaving anything out), you weren't in the right either. It's still food, or at least, nuisance. I'd imagine there would be trash cans in the hallways that would be better suited for food garbage. If not there, there are always bathrooms.

Also, sometimes it's easier to just apologize, pick up the garbage, and throw it out somewhere else rather than arguing if it's garbage or not.

I feel like there was a a very important detail left out in your story:

Are you a black student?

Is you professor a White privilege patriarchal racist male?

No didn't miss that. It's his classroom....his rules. Not yours. Don't be self entitled like the rest of society.

I honestly don't give a crap. I'll flip a coin... Heads. The teacher was right you were wrong and he should of shoved the packet up your ass. You created that issue and either you have not a lot going on in your life where your able to escalate such a pathetic thing into what it became, or your pent up frustration and your lashing out at the captive audience who aren't allowed to hit you (teachers) in which case you desperately need a shag.

I got assaulted today because a daddy was late to see santa clause and I couldn't get him in on 'cancellations' or something. I mean how can cancellations work on Santa clause, it's not a frigging dentist.

And yes I really got assaulted, the guy went ape and pulled my hair. For a few minutes the Christmas spirit was totally broken in the visitors center, I chose not to defend myself because I knew I wasn't in the wrong and it was kind of amusing to see just how far this guy was willing to push it on a place with full CTTV, plenty of witnesses and not a leg to stand on.

I might keep the tape in cause I fall on hard times and need to make a case for 'Mental Anguish!"

I didn't make a post on this, because this is day to day life for most working people.

Not his classroom. His class ended at 1:15, it was 1:20. Two students in his class, he wasn't lecturing and his students were minding their business which I made sure to look in before I cracked the door to place the trash in.

Don't be a dick looking to blame me like you predictably are.

You ARE to blame. And just because there is not a class doesn't mean it's not his class room. It sure as hell wasn't yours. You did the wrong thing and you came here to be told you didn't. Period.

You honestly do give a crap if you wrote that much. He created the issue after I exited quietly and politely into the hallway and he pursued me and started to insult and berate me in public over bullshit.

Just pick up the trash dude. Even if he is technically in the wrong, just do what he says and move on.

I don't see the point in trying to stand up to the teacher for something so trivial. You're wasting your own time arguing with him.

A few things....there've been times when all of us waiting students have entered this class at exactly the same time I threw this away, at a time where there were 4-5 students and the teacher doing the same thing he was. There was never trouble then. It wasn't food but empty food packaging, something this trash can is often filled with in addition to empty soda cans and drink containers when I've gone to class. There are no trash cans in the hallways (at least near this classroom) otherwise I'd have used them, but there are two vending machines (one for snacks, one for drinks) on the first floor, a minute walk away.

My mistake was dropping the garbage in anyway and exiting, but this was a miscommunication. When he confronted me, I believed he meant "don't enter yet because we're still in class", which had nothing to do with the trash. Apparently by the teacher's story to the dean, this was the reason he took issue, but when he came out and confronted me it was about the garbage. So I dropped it without thought because I'd done it many times previously and quickly exited. Maybe I should've said "I'm sorry" when I did so. That's when he came out and began speaking to me rudely, and that's when it wasn't even about garbage anymore. You're probably right, it was the final straw, but my actions were not meant in disrespect or dismissal. I misread what he meant and I think he took my actions from that as ignoring him and being disrespectful, which I wasn't. I didn't mean him any harm, it just didn't even cross my mind that I was prohibited from placing garbage in a garbage can, especially when I've done it many times before.

It was a situation that exploded from misconstrued intent on both sides.

No I'm not. I came here to get valid reasoning on his side, but have my own beliefs, of which I don't believe I was in any way in the wrong. The only reason I've been given so far is that "he's the teacher" and "he's technically wrong, but it just isn't worth it", which is an appeal to authority on that basis alone, which I'm sorry, is no valid basis at all. By your reasoning, him and I walking down the school hallway makes it automatically his and I can't use it if he says so because he's an authority at that establishment.

That's bullshit and you know it. I'm not entitled over him, that's not what I'm saying. I just want equal treatment. Period. When I'm IN his class, during that class time, I have no grounds to stand on. Otherwise.....it's fair game.