My upper school was like something from a Rohl Dahl. We had a high teenage pregnancy rate, but also got council house types [i.e. me!] to uni despite having every card stacked against us.
Head Mistres had black fingers from the 1000 a day she smoked. She looked a bit like Keith Richards. She knew every one of us by name, our grades [or due date as appropriate] and what we were planning on doing. She remembered my friend, me and few others, our grades and wher we studied our degree's and what in, 10 years later in Asda.
Music teacher had warts and a liking for 6 formers. Occasionally found drunk outside their houses demanding various rude things.
The media type teachers were clearly having flirtations with a couple of 5th form twins. Twins like other twins it seems!
Our RE teacher was a man from the 70's who had PH from Oxford and a mean beige flared suit. He knew everything about the middle East and made us want to fly out to save it all.
The other RE teacher told us the rythm methos worked [to a class of 14 year olds. 1 of which was about 20 weeks]
The women were mostly chasing the men and smoking and drinking and trying to get laid.
But then they were in early 30's and having a good time, and weren't going to let of Catholic pious school girls stop them!! Hurrah!!
It was an amazing place full of the most diverse individual approaches to living life - I totally loved it and gloried in the idea that it just takes all sorts! That school made me broad minded, non judgemental and full of respect for the role of leader, mentor, teacher, guide - as they were all there in various forms.
It's desperate that this bland society wants automatic robots to spend the quality waking hours [such as school days seem to me] withour DC's. I want personalities, lovers of life and knowledge filled humans to teach my dc's!! And I'll take them with hangovers!