Substitute teacher punishes an 18-year-old when the student's glucose monitor rings in class, then the diabetic kid storms out of the classroom to tend to their medical emergency: ‘I need to go!’

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Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Oct 16, 2025 6:00 PM EDT

A substitute teacher always has a hard time wrangling their authoritative voice in a new classroom, but this sub took things way too far, targeting a diabetic student and punishing him for using "electronic devices" in class. Except, the electronics ringing in his backpack wasn't a cellphone, but a lifesaving glucose monitor for the kid's type 1 diabetes. 

All through grade school, I had a kid in my class with severe diabetes. Before I knew this kid, Mason, I didn't fully understand the disease and just throught that diabetics got better snacks and could eat popsicles at any time of the day without their parents yelling at them. However, Mason's diabetes was so severe that he needed to constantly monitor his sugar levels, poking his finger in class, taking readings, and often leaving for the day without notice. It was only then that I realized how intense and scary diabetes can be: It truly overwhelms your every moment. 

Like the boy I knew for years during K-12, the teenager in this next story struggled with a serious case of diabetes, and as expected, his fellow classmates, teachers, and admin knew what that entailed for the kid. But the substitute teacher, a small-minded man with an authority complex, didn't know a thing about diabetes… Clearly. Luckily, the teen's confidence saved his life because he defied the screaming adult in the classroom to take care of his medical needs, with or without his permission.

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  • Cheezburger Image 10563905792
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  • AITJ for walking out of class when I was having a low blood sugar episode even though the sub told me to stay put?
    via Just_A_RanDomRediT0r
  • So I (18M) have Type 1 diabetes, and I have an alarm that goes off every two hours to remind me to check my blood sugar.
    via Just_A_RanDomRediT0r
  • Usually, I go to the bathroom with my little lunch bag that has everything I need — my blood testing thingy, insulin syringe, etc.
    via Just_A_RanDomRediT0r
  • All my teachers are aware of my condition and understand that it's something I need to do. They don't really care unless it happens during a test, which is fair. My alarm sound is a screaming monkey
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  • (yeah, it's annoying, but I can't ignore it this way). My phone is in the lunch bag with all my things, so it takes me a bit to turn it off. To all my classmates - I'm truly sorry for the noise.
    via Just_A_RanDomRediT0r
  • A few days ago, we had a substitute teacher in math. I didn't know him, and immediately thought, "Oh well, guess I've got some explaining to do." I told him about my diabetes, my alarm,
    via Just_A_RanDomRediT0r
  • and that I need to leave when it goes off to check my blood sugar. He told me I should get a quieter solution next time because the regular math teacher (who was awesome and super chill about it) had left.
    via Just_A_RanDomRediT0r
  • I explained that this is the only solution I have ― healthcare in the U.S. sucks, and I can't afford a fancy continuous glucose monitor or pump. His response, and I quote, was: "Then I guess you'll have to die quietly."
    via Just_A_RanDomRediT0r
  • Cheezburger Image 10563905536
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  • Like DUDE. Who says that to someone who literally just told you that if a monkey starts screaming and they don't go check, they could actually be in danger? Also,
    via Just_A_RanDomRediT0r
  • you try living in NYC with three kids - one diabetic — on a single nurse's salary. (Love ya Mom.) Anyway, later during class, my alarm went off. He told -
    via Just_A_RanDomRediT0r
  • me to stay put and not disturb his class. I said, "I'm feeling low on blood sugar, I need to go check it." I was really feeling low - my vision started to blur, I felt like I was
    via Just_A_RanDomRediT0r
  • about to pass out. One of my classmates yelled, "Let him leave, man, he's in danger!" and I just got up and left. Sure enough, when I checked, my blood sugar was low. I went to the nurse's
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  • office and took my glucose gel. The nurse knows me too well tbh, and doesn't have a problem with me stopping by when I'm low. After waiting a bit and feeling better, I went back to class.
    via Just_A_RanDomRediT0r
  • That's when the substitute told me to go wait for him at the principal's office. When he got there with the principal, he started YELLING
    via Just_A_RanDomRediT0r
  • at me saying I should obey him because he's the authority figure in class, and that I was UNDERMINING HIS AUTHORITY in front of everyone.
    via Just_A_RanDomRediT0r
  • I told him to wait a minute, called my mom, put her on speaker, and asked her to explain what the dangers are if I can't treat myself for low blood sugar. She explained it and The teacher left looking pissed.
    via Just_A_RanDomRediT0r
  • The next day, I got an apology letter from him after class and he told me he's sorry for the incident and that hebhad done his research. So yeah, lesson learned: don't mess with me, bitch.
    via Just_A_RanDomRediT0r
  • Suspicious_Cut3... NTA, but you and your mom are rock stars. I am glad the sub apologized, but the school administration is really at fault.
    via Just_A_RanDomRediT0r
  • Disastrous-Nail-6... NTJ As a teacher, I'm pissed for you. If I came back and I found out this happened to one of my students, I'd be on a warpath for you. Admin
    via Just_A_RanDomRediT0r
  • and the office would be hearing about it. HR, who oversees subs, would be hearing about it. I'd be emailing the sub himself a scathing email. Just hell no. In no universe is this acceptable.
    via Just_A_RanDomRediT0r

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authority glucose teenagers defies diabetes teacher sub diabetic entitled people
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