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Good educators significantly impact a student's life. But so can the bad ones. 

Today's list continues Bored Panda's series of articles covering some teachers' irksome and unprofessional behavior. While a few submissions are laughable, others prove that not everyone is fit for the job. 

Some of you may have had similar experiences, so feel free to share them in the comments.

#1

Teachers Need To Understand Students Don't Always Sleep In Class Just Because Of Laziness

Teachers Need To Understand Students Don't Always Sleep In Class Just Because Of Laziness

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    #2

    I Was A Teacher For 8 Years, And I Never Made A Student Feel Small After Asking For Help

    I Was A Teacher For 8 Years, And I Never Made A Student Feel Small After Asking For Help

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    Outgraygeous
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The magic of washii tape! I partially open difficult things and then seal them for my kid.

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    #3

    "They Both Tried To Laugh It Off Like It Was All A Silly Misunderstanding And Never Apologized To Me"

    "They Both Tried To Laugh It Off Like It Was All A Silly Misunderstanding And Never Apologized To Me"

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    “Bad teachers are extremely rare,” according to decorated film producer, screenwriter, and English teacher Ellie Herman. But having seen her fair share of subpar educators, she found five common tendencies. One of them is having a noticeable dislike towards children. 

    “The number one quality I’ve observed in bad teachers is that they do not seem to like children very much. In high schools, this means they do not seem to find teenagers charming, funny, or interesting—ever.”

    #5

    It Took Him A While

    It Took Him A While

    Just for some perspective, I emailed him in my 2nd year of undergrad. I have graduated from my undergrad, have two master's degrees, and I'm in the 6th year of my PhD.

    academijung Report

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    David Paterson
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That's why I wouldn't make a good teacher. Some time I'll get to answer those emails from 15 years ago.

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    #6

    A Former Teacher Of Mine Publicly Ridiculing And Passing Judgement On Someone For Being Proud Of Their Sobriety

    A Former Teacher Of Mine Publicly Ridiculing And Passing Judgement On Someone For Being Proud Of Their Sobriety

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    Disinterest in the subject they’re teaching is another tendency among bad teachers, according to Herman. 

    “If asked ‘why are you teaching this?’ will you respond ‘because it will be on the test’? Every teacher has dud lessons from time to time (believe me), but what I sense in the classrooms of bad teachers is that they have no interest in their entire subject.”

    #7

    Apparently Enjoying The Workout Is Part Of The Grade

    Apparently Enjoying The Workout Is Part Of The Grade

    1Cryptic_Phoenix Report

    #8

    My Brother's Kindergarten Teacher Printed These Out For The Class

    My Brother's Kindergarten Teacher Printed These Out For The Class

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    #9

    I Had To Do A Survey For Math And Made It As Simple As Humanly Possible, But According To The English Professor, Hostel Isn't A Word

    I Had To Do A Survey For Math And Made It As Simple As Humanly Possible, But According To The English Professor, Hostel Isn't A Word

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    Beloved teachers have one trait in common: they care. They are genuinely invested in their students’ success. But some are already emotionally checked out, and Herman says it shows. 

    “A central quality in truly bad teachers is that they seem to have stopped caring; this lack of engagement is reflected not only in their interactions with students (or lack thereof) but in their seemingly random choice of lesson topics.”

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    #10

    I Had An English Final Exam Today, And I Had To Describe This Image. Teacher's Copy vs. Student's Copy

    I Had An English Final Exam Today, And I Had To Describe This Image. Teacher's Copy vs. Student's Copy

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    ElfVibratorGlitter
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Looks like a black and white copy, of a copy, of a copy, of a copy, of a copy, of a copy, of a copy, of a copy, of a copy, of the original colour photo.

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    #11

    My 3rd Grade Kids Were Given This Ridiculous Project

    My 3rd Grade Kids Were Given This Ridiculous Project

    ThatsMrSmeeToYou Report

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    Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Must be able to fly. Must be able to turn lead into gold. Must be able to demonstrate we live on a Flat Earth.

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    #12

    My Son Then Told Him That Was Offensive, Explaining That Autism Means Seeing The World Differently And That Jesus’ Perfection Was About Being Sinless, Not Neurotypical

    My Son Then Told Him That Was Offensive, Explaining That Autism Means Seeing The World Differently And That Jesus’ Perfection Was About Being Sinless, Not Neurotypical

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    Tobias Reaper
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    my nephew is autistic and when he was 5 or 6 he was upset and started cry and said his brain was broken someone had said something to me it absolutely broke my heart. Being neurodivergent myself i know its not something that needs to be healed at all so this dude can bugger right off

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    Teachers have their favorite students; however, it won’t be an issue if everyone receives fair treatment. It becomes a problem when these biases become evident. 

    “The truly bad teachers I’ve observed tend to engage only with a small number of very compliant, eager students, ignoring the rest except to reprimand troublemakers,” Herman says.

    #13

    We Are No Longer Allowed To Yawn In My College Course, With Points Off Our Grade As Punishment

    We Are No Longer Allowed To Yawn In My College Course, With Points Off Our Grade As Punishment

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    Bernd Herbert
    Community Member
    5 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And while you’re at it, please stop breathing! That also has a negative impact on me

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    #14

    This Typo Caused Me To Fail The Entire Assignment

    This Typo Caused Me To Fail The Entire Assignment

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    #15

    So Rude And For What

    So Rude And For What

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    However, there are people who see some benefit in having their kids learn under bad teachers. Author Linda Flanagan is a mother of three teenagers, and here’s what she’s observed. 

    “An indifferent teacher can compel the self-motivated student to pursue his own interests,” she wrote in an article for HuffPost. “The teacher who spends class time devouring People while students fill out worksheets might not inspire, but she might prompt a little self-directed learning just the same."

    #17

    Apparently, My Answer Was Wrong Because The Teacher Forgot To Add An End Parentheses

    Apparently, My Answer Was Wrong Because The Teacher Forgot To Add An End Parentheses

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    #18

    My Teacher Only Lets Us Go To The Bathroom 3 Times A Month

    My Teacher Only Lets Us Go To The Bathroom 3 Times A Month

    Imayhaveeatenthedog Report

    Flanagan's example of a bad teacher is someone she describes as a "tyrant" and "petty dictator" who is more about control. She says having these people as mentors is a valuable experience when entering the real world. 

    "These skills will come in handy when it's time to renew a driver's license, contest an insurance payment, or dispute a cable bill. Having a tyrant for a teacher helps young people appreciate why abuses of power must be resisted throughout life."

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    #19

    This Teacher Is Wild

    This Teacher Is Wild

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    Red Wyvern Emperor
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Dude for 200$ an hour I will pick that cotton and prepare field for next year. XD

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    #20

    I Would Hate That In My Classes

    I Would Hate That In My Classes

    CLOVIS-AI Report

    #21

    I'm A Blind Guy, And My Teachers Tell Me They Don't Know Why I'm Not Looking Forward To The School Trip To The Museum. Can Anyone Guess Why?

    I'm A Blind Guy, And My Teachers Tell Me They Don't Know Why I'm Not Looking Forward To The School Trip To The Museum. Can Anyone Guess Why?

    Frikandelneuker Report

    Flanagan also experienced what she describes as “the idealogue” when her son’s seventh-grade biology teacher pushed his belief in creationism onto his students. 

    “It introduces kids to mankind’s endless capacity for self-deception. Warning: this lesson only applies when there’s a rational adult in the mix to provide a reality check.”

    #22

    I Did My Biology Assignment. It Counted Me Wrong Because I Put Their First And Last Names

    I Did My Biology Assignment. It Counted Me Wrong Because I Put Their First And Last Names

    ChikinNuggetsRmine Report

    #23

    My Teacher: "Go To This Link And Fill Out The Form"

    My Teacher: "Go To This Link And Fill Out The Form"

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    #24

    My Son Misspelled A Word, So The Teacher "Corrected" Him

    My Son Misspelled A Word, So The Teacher "Corrected" Him

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    #25

    Woke Up At 7 AM, Headed To Class In The Freezing Rain, Just To See "Class Is Cancelled" Written On The Whiteboard And The Door Locked. No Email Or Anything First

    Woke Up At 7 AM, Headed To Class In The Freezing Rain, Just To See "Class Is Cancelled" Written On The Whiteboard And The Door Locked. No Email Or Anything First

    Firecracker7413 Report

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    elmortero
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My age/generation is about to be revealed, but there were times when that was normal

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    #26

    My Son’s First Grade Teacher Sent This Home Today

    My Son’s First Grade Teacher Sent This Home Today

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    #27

    Our Driving Class Teacher Is Never On Time. She Should've Been Here 20 Minutes Ago

    Our Driving Class Teacher Is Never On Time. She Should've Been Here 20 Minutes Ago

    Things like this repeat all the time. Previously, we had to wait for her for 30+ minutes.

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    #29

    My Teacher Printed The Video File On Paper

    My Teacher Printed The Video File On Paper

    Huge-Technician2889 Report

    #31

    The Article For An Assignment In Class Is Paid

    The Article For An Assignment In Class Is Paid

    Accomplished_Bike149 Report

    #32

    This Program Our Professor Wants Us To Use For Our Tests

    This Program Our Professor Wants Us To Use For Our Tests

    The reviews all say it's spyware and that it ruins computers. In the past, we’ve used Honorlock, but this professor just had to be different.

    TexasMeatMan Report

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    #33

    The Lines A Fellow Teacher Gave A 7-Year-Old Student To Write 20 Times As A Consequence

    The Lines A Fellow Teacher Gave A 7-Year-Old Student To Write 20 Times As A Consequence

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    Zephyr
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Explanation: I must remember to forget the correct shoes to wear which means ( consequence lines = no meaning)

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    #34

    When Teachers Give Diagrams Like This

    When Teachers Give Diagrams Like This

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    #35

    My Four-Year-Old Daughter's Preschool Homework. "Match The Pictures" With No Other Context

    My Four-Year-Old Daughter's Preschool Homework. "Match The Pictures" With No Other Context

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    #36

    This Sign Is On A High School Classroom Door

    This Sign Is On A High School Classroom Door

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    #37

    My French Teacher Gave Us New "French Names" About Two Weeks Ago And Takes Off Points From Your Exams And Daily Participation If You Don't Refer To Yourself By Your French Name

    My French Teacher Gave Us New "French Names" About Two Weeks Ago And Takes Off Points From Your Exams And Daily Participation If You Don't Refer To Yourself By Your French Name

    dykejoon Report

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    Zephyr
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think some cultures would find this offensive,............ wait, I find this offensive

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    #39

    My Blind Child Came Home From School Today With This Homework

    My Blind Child Came Home From School Today With This Homework

    zixxty Report

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    Jas Warner
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I've accidentally put work in people's cubbys who shouldn't have gotten it. WE ARE OVER WORKED! CHILL. It was probably an honest mistake and things happen.

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    #40

    Kindergarten Homework Is Kicking My Butt. "In Front" Or "Behind"? I Got -2 Points For This

    Kindergarten Homework Is Kicking My Butt. "In Front" Or "Behind"? I Got -2 Points For This

    Fresh_Counter Report

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    LuckyL
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm sorry - but it already starts with "kindergarten homework" - whaaat??

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    #41

    This Stressed My Son Out. Literally Impossible

    This Stressed My Son Out. Literally Impossible

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    #42

    My Kid's Science Teacher Assigned An 82-Question Packet To Be Done Over Spring Break

    My Kid's Science Teacher Assigned An 82-Question Packet To Be Done Over Spring Break

    gardenbikie821 Report

    #43

    No Point In Studying For The Final

    No Point In Studying For The Final

    pizzadough_ Report

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    Andi
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This means that you have done so badly in other exams that to get a passing grade you will need a higher score than is possible - its not difficult if somewhat a funny way to put it -

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    #44

    Teacher Not Happy With Marching Band Score And Award

    Teacher Not Happy With Marching Band Score And Award

    DesertRat13 Report

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    Nawny
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Band teachers can be wild. Had one in elementary school that used to throw recorders, ukuleles and chairs at students. Like 6 year olds. Or maybe it was just the 80’s that was wild lol.

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    #45

    I Didn’t Know People Actually Covered Clocks In Schools

    I Didn’t Know People Actually Covered Clocks In Schools

    JacobIsAFroggyBoi Report

    #46

    The Way My Math Teacher Numbers His Worksheets

    The Way My Math Teacher Numbers His Worksheets

    adeel-a Report

    #48

    My University Cancelled Class Today Due To The Weather (A Freezing Rainstorm Caused Thick Layers Of Ice All Over The Campus), But My Professor Still Wants Us To Go To Our Lab

    My University Cancelled Class Today Due To The Weather (A Freezing Rainstorm Caused Thick Layers Of Ice All Over The Campus), But My Professor Still Wants Us To Go To Our Lab

    Lada730 Report

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    UncleJohn3000
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Forward it to the office that closed the school. Massive liability could occur.

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    #49

    All Of My School's Printers Are Auto-Configured To Print Double-Sided. However, My Programming Teacher Requires Code To Be Printed Single-Sided

    All Of My School's Printers Are Auto-Configured To Print Double-Sided. However, My Programming Teacher Requires Code To Be Printed Single-Sided

    Smile_Space Report

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    Morphuny
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Requires code to be PRINTED? We would get kicked of computer class for that at university 😂 we have to give them the code as a python script or something but never ever print code

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    #51

    The Teacher Knows My Daughter Is Being Treated For ADHD And Marks Her Down For Playing Tic-Tac-Toe. What The Heck?

    The Teacher Knows My Daughter Is Being Treated For ADHD And Marks Her Down For Playing Tic-Tac-Toe. What The Heck?

    jamesandrewm Report

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    LaserBrain
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Just give her a different piece of paper to doodle on if you're that worked up about it, Teacher.

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    #52

    Our Physics Exams Were Accidentally Thrown Out

    Our Physics Exams Were Accidentally Thrown Out

    sheepman39 Report

    #53

    I Hate Teachers That Leave The Cursor On The Playbar

    I Hate Teachers That Leave The Cursor On The Playbar

    gcz1214 Report

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    Matthew Barabas
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    meh. youtube sometimes doesnt make the UI go away even if the mouse isnt on there.

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    #54

    My Scores On A Test. I Have No Idea What They Mean

    My Scores On A Test. I Have No Idea What They Mean

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    #55

    This Is An Answer To An Assignment My Friend Sent Me

    This Is An Answer To An Assignment My Friend Sent Me

    K1N9Y33T Report

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    Downunderdude
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Actually, neither answer is correct. It says 'to 2 decimal places'. So the answer is 230.00

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    #56

    My Teacher Put Her Voice Volume Device On The Speaker And Then Played "10 Hours Of Static Noises" Until Class Was Over

    My Teacher Put Her Voice Volume Device On The Speaker And Then Played "10 Hours Of Static Noises" Until Class Was Over

    MysteriousTux Report

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    #57

    Teacher Worded A Question Wrong And Marked My Answer Wrong Even Though I Did What The Question Said

    Teacher Worded A Question Wrong And Marked My Answer Wrong Even Though I Did What The Question Said

    Vaanced Report

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    Rocket Scientist
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I was on the state committee that assigned points to “standard” answers to the free response portion of the state math exam. I had to argue with the other committee members for ten minutes to get them to agree that a graphical answer was just as valid as an algebraic one, and deserved just as many points. (They wanted to assign it zero points.)

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    #58

    The Way This Professor Erased The Board

    The Way This Professor Erased The Board

    onebelligerentbeagle Report

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    Captain Awesome
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    When erasing a white board or chalk board, erase up and down. Going side to side makes your butt jiggle

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    #59

    I Lost My Perfect Score Because I Wrote The Date Wrong

    I Lost My Perfect Score Because I Wrote The Date Wrong

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    Passerby
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    While I can feel you, I understand why the points were deducted. Things like APA or MLA styles usually have pretty strict guidelines you have to adhere to. Since the points deducted didn't seem to affect the overall grade, I would say this is fair. You are not likely to make the same mistake again in the future.

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    #60

    I've Been At This School For 13 Years. There's 200 People In My Class, And Today Is My Last Day Of School. Not A Single Teacher Offered To Sign My Yearbook

    I've Been At This School For 13 Years. There's 200 People In My Class, And Today Is My Last Day Of School. Not A Single Teacher Offered To Sign My Yearbook

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    Elizabeth Joy
    Community Member
    5 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm not going to assume a student wants me to sign in their book - I'll wait till they ask. Might have been the case here too.

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