'Do it or you're fired': School technician refuses to do science teacher's bidding after she demands he install 'wireless electricity', leaving her high and dry right before class

Author image for Sienna Varady
Sienna Varady
Mar 26, 2024 9:00 AM EDT

The twenty-first century is notorious for its unstoppable and quickening pace of technological progress. That being said, some people may find it challenging to keep up with the rapid pace of development.

What follows is a story about a tech support guy who is completely astonished. The Original Poster (OP) is employed at the primary school in his community. Therefore, part of his daily responsibilities is to assist teachers and ensure that their classes go off without a hitch. But OP wasn't ready for the science teacher, who couldn't figure out why the overhead projector wasn't working. The science teacher had trouble understanding that the projector was not wireless and required an electrical outlet in order to function. OP attempted to explain the situation, but she would not listen, insisting there had to be a problem with the projector.

Having said that, be sure to read the story below to learn how OP dealt with the challenging teacher! In addition, don't forget to read the story of an IT worker who cleverly complies with the micromanager, works sixteen hours on a task that should have taken two, and gets the client to refuse to pay the hourly rate!

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  • 01
    фос "I'm IT, not a magician"
    via canva
  • 02
    She wanted the "wireless electricity" to work
    via u/Complete-Anybody5180
  • 03
    I work as tech support guy in an elementary school. One day I was asked by an older female teacher (probably about 55+) why the projector wasn't working and if I can come take a look. When I arrived and found that it wasn't even plugged in. When I asked where the plug was, she said she didn't have it. I said something like, "Oh that's ok, I can
    via u/Complete-Anybody5180
  • 04
    probably get you a new plug but I need to find it. I'll be back in about 10 minutes." But she wasn't having any of it. She insisted that I make the projector work wirelessly, and wouldn't take no for an answer. I tried to explain to her that it simply wasn't possible because wireless electricity hasn't been invented yet, but she refused to listen.
    via u/Complete-Anybody5180
  • 05
    She then took out her phone and said, "If my phone can connect to the wifi wirelessly, why can't the projector?" I had to explain that wifi and electricity are different things, but she became angry and started threatening to report me to the principal. I tried to remain calm and explained the situation to her again, but she refused to
    via u/Complete-Anybody5180
  • 06
    listen and accused me of being incompetent. Eventually, I had to leave the classroom without solving her problem. It was a frustrating experience, but sometimes there's just no way to make things work the way people want them to. later spoke. to the principal and explained the situation to her, and luckily she understood that the teacher's request was unreasonable.
    via u/Complete-Anybody5180
  • 07
    SirWhoblah The school I work at has desktop hooked up to tv's and I can not figure out why one mystery teacher changes it from duplicate displays to only show on the tv. The amount of calls I get because the next teacher can't figure out why the computer isn't turning on when its set to show only on a tv that's turned off
    via u/SirWhoblah
  • 08
    DrDeth1973 Perhaps she thought you were Tesla? 256 Share
    via u/DrDeth1973
  • 09
    Immortal Tuttle Poor kids if she is a teacher...Who the hk installs such a person in a position that's responsible for forging future society members...
    via u/Immortal_Tuttle
  • 10
    Complete-Anybody5180 OP Yes unfortunately it's been like this for a long time ☺ even when I was in school... (I'm in my 30s now)
    via u/Complete-Anybody5180
  • 11
    Throwaway_Old_Guy You probably should have insisted she call the Principal. Let her try to explain to her Boss why she believes you're incompetent. Or, ask her questions. Does your fridge work if you don't plug it in?
    via u/Throwaway_Old_Guy
  • 12
    Sir_Slick_Rock My number one answer to people come at me like that is, “If you were so smart or could do it, you wouldn't have had to call me!"
    via u/Sir_Slick_Rock
  • 13
    Complete-Anybody5180 OP That's a good one, I'm gonna have to use that
    via u/Complete-Anybody5180
  • 14
    StanQuizzy This is where I stand my ground and call the principal to come meet us in the room with the teacher and explain the situation as it's happening. Make her feel stupid. It's 2023. NO ONE in this world under 70 should NOT know that devices need power to work.
    via u/StanQuizzy
  • 15
    robbdire 1d10t errors detected I worked in schools for a decade doing it support, and the amount of teachers that don't get basic, and I mean BASIC tech that their students do (sometimes teenagers, sometimes 6 year olds) is worrying.
    via u/robbdire
  • 16
    AppIdentityGuy I once had a 30 min "chat" with someone who insisted that I make her printer work with out a cable because it printed by laser and hence didn't need a cable. When I asked her where the laser transmitter was she got sn y and reported me to my manager. He told her to get knotted...
    via u/AppIdentityGuy
  • 17
    Dopamine63 You should have let her report you to the pricipal so you can have in writing how stupid she is.
    via u/Dopamine63
  • 18
    kakamouth78 Had a customer who would unplug and move the modem around the house because it was a wireless modem. He threw a fit when I told him to leave the modem plugged in where it was because he was paying for wireless service and should be able to use it anywhere he wanted.
    via u/kakamouth78
  • 19
    Finally got him to settle down by walking him around the house with our laptops. He generated another trouble call the next day because his internet stopped working again... while he was at his mother's house.
    via u/kakamouth78
  • 20
    Budget_Quote3272 I work at a school too. Some professors can be difficult and the best thing to do is just take it on the chin, don't argue with stupid logic, and just get out to report it right away before the professor makes things up.
    via u/Budget_Quote3272
  • 21
    I have had that happen to me many times and just always report it right away so my higher ups before some made story happens. I have complaints from people but my work shows a different story.
    via u/Budget_Quote3272
  • 22
    the-refarted Dont worry, shes the science teacher, she knows what she is talking about.
    via u/the-refarted
  • 23
    TheoreticalFunk It's a Layer 0 Error This was a teacher at a school. That didn't understand how electricity works. And that WiFi and electricity are different things. And they still have a job?
    via u/TheoreticalFunk
  • 24
    Soppywater Once someone becomes belligerent that's when I don't say anything and just walk out. Feel free to call my principal or the IT director. I don't do being talked down upon. Thankfully I have had to do it only once and she got the point real fast.
    via u/Soppywater
  • 25
    zeus204013 She was an alumni of Tesla High!!
    via u/zeus204013
  • 26
    dedokta I don't need the plug, I'm running a PowerPoint presentation so it can get the electricity from that!
    via u/dedokta
  • 27
    wrldvstr Ask her if she want to buy the $2000 battery option, or the $10 cord option?
    via u/wrldvstr

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workplace-stories tech support workplace-story technical difficulties workplace stories reddit tales-from-the-workplace karen-customer reddit story Reddit karen story malicious compliance reddit karen
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