Thankfully, I haven’t experienced these manipulative tactics. And if they can cry on cue, it’s deeper than you think. Crying is done when tapped into a dark memory. They’re not babies that cry to communicate. Teens who cry are hurting in a different way.

Haha, you just made me actually laugh out loud. This is also true, too, and I’m a generally trusting person. Took me a while to understand that about some students.

Amen to that! onpoint

This can be true at the same time and place of the OP points. I taught sixth grade for 30 years. My hard heads were more likely to come back until they moved to high school. Because while they did some questionable things they knew I saw them and would fight for them when it was necessary and they needed me. (They also knew I’d call BS when it was necessary.)