Bad

Tom: I had to stay after school to deal with a bad student.

Harry: A “bad student.” Wow. That’s such an extreme judgment. I don’t know that I believe in “bad students.” I believe in misguided students, underprivileged students, wild students. But “bad students”? Yikes.

Tom: Do you believe in “bad teachers”?

Harry: That’s different.

Tom: Bad cops? Bad doctors? Bad lawyers?

Harry: That’s different.

Tom: Where do you think bad teachers come from?

Harry: I would have to think about it. There’s probably something that just never comes together for them.

Tom: Do you believe in good students?

Harry: Sure.

Tom: And if a certain student had the opposite of those qualities that make a student “good,” what would you call that student?

Harry: I don’t know. Misguided.

Tom: Great. Thanks. Your thoughts definitely correspond to reality.