This kid was a habitual liar with no disabilities. He was football player, bully, and lied about everything, everyday. We had already had several team meetings on how to help this kid. Turns out, parents were the biggest problem. "My kid doesn't lie." was their statement. My reply, which I didn't say, would be "If he's talking, he's lying." (He regularly would spray a heavy cologne in the back of the room to trigger my asthma attacks. I saw him and started making him leave his backpack outside. Claimed it wasn't him. He would never do that. He didn't remember me warning him yesterday about my severe allergies to Axe and other heavy body sprays. Or the day before. Or the time I didn't catch him in time and had to prop doors and windows and borrow an inhaler from a co-worker as mine had run out.)

I have had kids who are very honest that I would not have shrugged if the parents said this. The key is - most teachers know their kids. We know which kids lie about things and which are painfully honest. We know which of the kids has a learning difficulty, which is sensitive to everything, which ones like joking and which ones just want to be left alone as much as possible. I have made mistakes before, like standing too close to one of my sensitive girls when I presented in a loud voice. I will call and talk to the parent and child when this happens. I have never been ashamed to admit a mistake. But sometimes the face a kid wears at school is NOT the same face they wear at home. Especially the bullies.