71 Awful Teachers Who Went Above And Beyond To Make Students Miserable

So where’s the line between a strict teacher and a bad one? Psychiatrist Stuart Twemlow and researcher Peter Fonagy, whose early research helped bring attention to teacher bullying, defined it as a teacher “using power to punish, manipulate, or disparage a student” beyond what reasonable disciplinary procedures would call for. Not every bad experience is that extreme, though. Sometimes it’s a careless mistake, an unfair call, or a teacher who simply wasn’t paying attention. But for the student on the receiving end, that can sting just as much.

Of course, none of this happens in a vacuum. UNESCO estimates the world needs around 50 million more teachers by 2030, with 58% of those needed to replace educators leaving the profession. The organization also reports that teachers work around 60 hours a week on average, including preparation, marking, and administrative tasks. That’s a lot to juggle, and while it doesn't excuse mistreating students, it does help explain some of the pressures educators face.

If anything, these infuriating teacher fails make the great teachers stand out even more. In that same 2022 study, the most common memories of all were positive ones, like a teacher who went out of their way to support a student. It’s a reminder that the person at the front of the classroom can shape how we see ourselves for years, for better or for worse.

Some of these teachers were genuinely awful, while others were probably just having a very bad day (or year). Either way, the folks on this list definitely got the short end of the stick. Did you ever have a Miss Trunchbull of your own, or were you lucky enough to land a Miss Honey? Share your story in the comments!