To the teacher who made being smart cool

By Allison Yates

Dear Mr. Follis,

I have a thousand things to thank you for, so much more that I’m able to communicate in this letter. You classroom was like a direct line to life outside of Indiana, in a way that no other class was (except Spanish, which of course, was my favorite). You made smart cool in a way that it so difficult to do. The balance between edginess and intelligence that high schoolers struggle to find was so easily facilitated in your class. There were real, immediate current event debates in your class. You knew things about the world outside Indiana, you cared about politics and cultures and people and in a state that tried to push you down, you taught world religions in an objective, informative manner.

I can’t emphasize enough the difference between being in your class — with your excitement, openness and supportiveness — than all of my other classes. There were other great teachers, who I also adored, but your class truly made me think.

I am (or try to be) tolerant and accepting because of you. I learned to study things in a historical, objective manner because of you. In your class, I learned that all of those things aren’t just far removed concepts that don’t apply to us. And through your guidance, I found a way to navigate that.

I remember first engaging with feminist figures in history in your class. My classmates laughed as I dressed up as Olympe de Gouges and rolled their eyes. The common idea in my middle-class upbringing was, “women need to stop complaining. They have it all.” And even as a privileged girl I knew we didn’t, and I knew that just because we had it easier didn’t mean everyone did. You supported that.

Thank you for being the teacher that didn’t care to act rough and tumble and ‘macho’ like the other, more annoying teachers who screamed in class trying to be funny. Thank you for sticking up for the underdog, for yelling at that kid for laughing at the concept of ‘marital rape,’ for making me feel like I had a place in society and for providing a space for all of us, no matter who we were.

Sincerely,

Allison