I teach third grade, and last Tuesday we were halfway through a reading lesson when Little Johnny made a noise nobody could mistake.
A second later, the smell reached the front row.
The children started giggling.
Then the whole classroom burst into laughter.
I tried to continue teaching, but Johnny was laughing louder than anyone.
“Johnny, that’s enough. Go sit outside until you can behave.”
He grabbed his book and walked into the hallway, still laughing.
About five minutes later, our principal, Mr. Davis, walked past and noticed Johnny sitting on the bench.
“Johnny, why aren’t you in class?”
“My teacher sent me out.”
“And why are you laughing? Aren’t you supposed to be in trouble?”
Johnny nodded.
“Well, sir, I farted during the lesson.”
The principal frowned.
“That’s not something to be proud of.”
Johnny shook his head.
“I’m not proud. I just think it’s funny.”
“What’s funny about it?”
Johnny looked at him seriously.
“Well, I made the whole classroom stink, right?”
“Apparently.”
“So the teacher sent me outside where the air is nice and fresh.”
The principal nodded.
Johnny continued.
“But she kept the other twenty-three kids inside with the smell. So who’s actually getting punished?”
Mr. Davis tried to keep a straight face.
He couldn’t.
Later, when he told me what Johnny had said, I started laughing too.
I still made Johnny apologize.
But I had to admit, the kid had a point.
