A meteor is coming and we're all going to die, British teacher tells pupils

Yahoo! News ^ | Thu, Nov 18, 2004 | AFP

[AM2000]

LONDON (AFP) - A British schoolteacher, attempting to motivate her pupils into making the most of each day, told them a meteorite was about to smash into the Earth and that they should all return home to say goodbye to their families, a report said.

The teacher at the high school in Manchester, northwest England, only realised her lecture was misjudged when many of the assembled teenagers started crying, the Sun newspaper said in its Friday edition.

According to the report, the unnamed female teacher made the announcement to around 250 pupils at St Matthew's Roman Catholic High School during their regular morning assembly.

Saying she had bad news, the teacher announced that a meteor would strike the Earth in 10 days' time, and that they should return home and say their "final farewells" to their parents.

After the crowd of 13- and 14-year-olds looked on in horror, and many burst into tears, the teacher swiftly explained that she was only trying to encourage them to "seize the day".

"Some of the children were 100 percent convinced they were going to die," the father of one child told the paper.

"God only knows what this teacher thought she was doing."

[AM2000]

I had teachers in school who were stupid like this.

[cripplecreek]

I would have been asking for more info. Science was always my favorite class.

[ElkGroveDan]

She forgot the caveat that they were using in this country "...if George Bush is reelected"

[Dan Middleton]

You've got to be kidding me. I can see kindergarteners believing this, but not junior high kids.

[Graybeard58]

[hiredhand]

Wow...talking about a "poor choice of words"! Sheesh! Aren't we supposed to get over doing extremely dumb stuff like this by the time we're old enough to do certain things, like work in the capacity of a TEACHER?!

[LDub]

"After the crowd of 13- and 14-year-olds looked on in horror, and many burst into tears, the teacher swiftly explained that she was only trying to encourage them to "seize the day"."



Cuz carpe diem is just too many words. </sarcasm>

[vbmoneyspender]

Sounds like something George Constanza would do to get out of work early. Maybe this is his sister.

[counterpunch]

I'd say "cool! No reason for me to be wasting my time here then..." and promptly leave.

[Begin]

the teacher swiftly explained that she was only trying to encourage them to "seize the day".

Very much more effective than simply saying "carpe diem," isn't it?

[marmar]

Good time to have all your ducks in a row......and to know what you believe in.

[Zionist Conspirator]

Oops! Better achieve Planetary Social Justice darn quick!

[LDub]

We think alike!

[Begin]

LOL, you beat me to it...

[michaelbfree]

no sh*t, Laverne's under that rock?

[Normal4me]

How do you think they motivate the suicide bombers? :-)

[demkicker]

You've got to be kidding me. I can see kindergarteners believing this, but not junior high kids.

No doubt the Brits have successfully dumbed down their kids as much as we have. After all, dumbing down has replaced the arms race.

[sarasmom]

I guess it is just too much to expect that teachers restrict themselves to mere education topics....

[Fzob]

After the crowd of 13- and 14-year-olds looked on in horror, and many burst into tears, the teacher swiftly explained that she was only trying to encourage them to "seize the day".

She swifty explained what she was talking about? So whats the problem.

[ditto h]

So...listen to your teachers to tell you the truth, and then......