Charlie Plamondon

Mr. Conrad
ERWC/ Period 5
29 August 2015
Failure Essay
**Please note, the ideas, views, and opinions expressed in the paper are confidential and are not
to be shared with any other student, teacher, and staff of El Dorado High School**
My experience as a student here at El Dorado High School has not always been positive.
However, this is only true in regards to one individual and one class. Mr. Potter and Student
Leadership (ASB) are the two things. My experience in Student Leadership was very positive
and exciting my freshmen year. The class was fifth period with students from every grade here at
El Dorado. It was an exciting year full of fun activities, dances, rallies, football games, etc. What
was even more great, I had a class with one of my older sisters, Krista. I was on the rally
committee and my sister was in charge. Two to my good friends from middle school were also in
the class. So as freshman year came and went I looked forward to another great and exciting year
of leadership. However what was about to happen would change everything.
One week before the start of my sophomore year I get a call from Mr. Potter. In the call
he told me that there was going to be a second leadership class that year. At first I was confused.
How could there be another leadership class? Would it work? How would they decide who was
in what class? The comment Potter made next was far worse than I expected. He said, Charlie
the classes will be split up by grade level. Freshman and Sophomores in Leadership One, and
Juniors and Seniors in Leadership Two. That meant that I would no longer be in a class with all
of my leadership friends, and would no longer be planning all of the events that would accrue

that year. However, I decided that I would try and make the most of it. Though sadly (in my
opinion), myself and the class failed miserably.
It turned out that the class would be a beginning leadership course with units on what a
leader is, and how to an effective leader. All we ever did was make posters and learned to treat
everyone, no matter what, equally. Not that all we learned was bad, but it wasn't necessary the
right was the teach the topics. Mr. Potters way of teaching leadership was wrong, unrealistic,
and was non-beneficial. He believed that he was the only one allowed to teach young students
how to become a good leader. He thought that upperclassman were not good enough leaders to
teach others by example. He pushed his politically driven views on equality, fairness, love,
bullying, and minority rights/ privileges onto us. He believed that his views were the only right
ones and if your views didnt match his then they're wrong and/or unacceptable. From a political
point, his views and opinions were very liberal. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but as
a public high school teacher he has no right to push his own personal, political views down out
throats. I thought it was wrong and unprofessional that the did this because he didnt allow other
beliefs to be shared if they were conflicting his. It is my opinion that a leadership class should be
based on openness. Allowing ideas on all topics topics and issues (especially: equality,
acceptance, race, etc.) to be shared freely, without being ostracized.
So, long story short, the cass was extremely frustrating for me. To deal with the
frustration and anger I shared my views about the class with other students. And yes, there were
things said that shouldnt have been said but they were said. As a result, during the first semester
Mr. Potter talked to my parents without even talking to me first. He accused me of things that
werent even true. And even told my parents that I was using marijuana! Which was a complete
lie! He had no proof or evidence that I was using drugs, and never even confronted me about it

first. The entire situation was uncalled for and inappropriate. Even worse it happened again
second semester. After that I realized that it was time for me to leave Leadership (partly because
I did not have a choice). So the day after Mr. Potter talked to my parents (again without
informing me) I left the class permanently. I was moved to a TA position for Mr. Basham.
Overall, this failure taught me a lot about life. It taught me that some people are just not
fit to be teachers. It also taught me that here is going to be many experiences in life that I do not
like or agree with but Im going to have to try and make the most of it. However, the biggest
lesson I learned is that sometimes there is a time to move on from certain situations. Not quit, but
realize that the situation is only making you mad, angry, stressed, and even changing your
personality. By quitting you are being mature, smart, and healthy. Finally it taught me that
making that kind of decision to leave was more responsible than trying to make the best of an
unwinnable situation.