“A pair-up project? Again? Why does the first semester always start with this crap?”
The complaints in Class 3-B were immediate and loud. At Mthland High, the first semester of every year began with the traditional Pair-up Project. Designed by Principal Mrs. Dante as a tool for
"academic enlightenment and social harmony," the project mandated that students work in male-female pairs.
Mrs. Dante, a woman of rigid tradition, believed a mixed-gender environment was only successful if students learned to collaborate with the opposite s*x. While the students often treated the project as a chance to scout for potential partners, Mrs. Dante maintained it was a pillar of professional development.
Miss Forger, the Class 3-B homeroom teacher, stood at the front of the room.
"The pairs will be
