THE ISSUE :
FROM WENZHEN'S PERSPECTIVE

Since today has been so eventful, let me talk about my day.
I went to biology class bringing everything but my thermometer.

Ms Ng exclaimed ' I am sorry for being late. I had to settle some stuffs. '
I was fine with that reply.

She then proceeded on saying, ' Class, take out your thermometer and measure
your temperature. '
I said, ' Ms Ng I didn't bring '.
Ms Ng said, ' Wenzhen, I think you go home, you don't belong here'.

What will you think at that point of time if you were me?
Would you stay on with that sort of sharp and hurtful reply?
The thing is, you're not the only one who didn't bring the thermometer.
Many others did not bring it either. Was it fair? Was it justified?

Then wenzhen was fine, maybe a little angry, she went up to Ms Ng and asked.
Perhaps a little provocative after being PROVOKED.
' I am sorry that I didn't bring it, what am I supposed to do now? ' she asked Ms Ng.
' You don't have thermometer then you get out ' said Ms Ng.

' Can I ask my maid to bring it here then I stay here? After all, everyone makes
mistake, i believe you made mistakes in your life too ', I replied.

Ms Ng said, ' this is not your maid's problem, this is your problem, you don't have you go out '.

I don't know. No thermometer get out, maid bring here also get out.
There wasn't any other alternative, isn't it?

She then mentions that my attitude was *cocky(she said), I wouldn't use such a word
because it sounds extremely uncouth. I mean, excuse me? It is just a thermometer.
I started crying. Was ultimately ignored.

I was upset not due to the fact that I got scolded, I was upset because I was not understood.
It wasn't fair, life isn't fair. I sought to be understood, but ended up getting reprimanded.

Why can't people see things from my perspective.
I don't like to argue much either. There wasn't any other alternative.
All you wanted was to attend biology class.
In fact, you do not even have to attend because you finished the chapter already.

She later went on mentioning serveral life stories like.
If you're a surgeon, and you left a cotton wool inside the patient's stomach after
operation, are you going to blame it on your nurse?

And I don't want to be a doctor, AND I DIDN'T BLAME MY FORGETFULNESS
ON MY MAID.

I am so sorry, but if the doctor does that, it is going against his/her integrity.
In fact, there aren't just one surgeon in the operating rooms, there are many.
And a doctor wouldn't be so stupid to leave a cotton wool inside the patient's stomach.
People die out of loss of excessive amount of blood/ lack of oxygen, not because they have a
cotton wool inside their body.

She said that all she was talking about was responsibility.
WHAT ABOUT INTEGRITY?

I was aggitated at that point of time because I felt so insulted. Seriously.
AND IT WAS ONLY ABOUT A THERMOMETER.

I asked her for respect, guess whats her reply ' then you get out, i want to teach my
student' . Excuse me, am I not your student?

I have never quarelled with a teacher before. Whatever for.
But don't you think that I am not justified?

She may want to get on with lesson and get over thermometer issues fast.
But what about a soul?

Is the Singapore education system supposed to be like that?
We neglect students for efficiency?

Students deserve respect.
Students deserve to be cared for.
Students do many wrongs, students are stupid.
I am.

What would you think if you were me?

Well, she spoke to me after class.
I admit, I do have my faults.
She said that I keep harping over the problem.
She said that everyone brought except me.
It was obvious she did not get her facts right.
Ask any 409er and you would know.
Not all brought the thermometer.
Then she says I should not blame others.
Well, I am just stating facts.
Then I said that I am 'suay' to be seen without the thermometer.
She said that I should not use the word 'suay'.
It is my privilege to be more attended to, she said that I will
grow and learn from this mistake.

I do agree I've learnt a lot from this MAJOR mistake.

If you read it all, you'd probably just laugh away.
For a picture that speaks a thousand word.
A thermometer that raise a thousand issue.

It is amazing how it all started.
And it all started from a thermometer...

God, I pray that I'll learn to love her.
God I pray that I'll learn to forgive her, though its hard.
God you say love covers over a multitude of sins.
I pray you'll let me move on fast.
God I feel sad, really sad.

Jesus didn't deserve to die either.
God I really need you now.