Mrs. Smileys was, despite her name, a horrible teacher.

Her classroom was plain and the walls bare, so that students had no choice but to listen to her drone on and on about things that weren’t even in the tests.

The first years were warned of the one rule - do not make a sound.

Even if you stifled a yawn or shifted in your seat, she would train her eyes on you and hiss. “Shhh!”

She never called on her students, or let anyone use the bathroom.

Maybe that’s why the protest began.

Mrs smileys walked to her classroom and found a few words on the whiteboard.

WORDS ARE WASTED ON THOSE WHO DO NOT LISTEN.

She promptly erased the words and turned to see her class were sporting earmuffs.

“Put those things away!” She screeched.

The class sat and did nothing, not even looking her in the eye. Mrs. Smileys was furious and fetched the headteacher. She looked all around the room, and hid a small smile.

“There’s no rules against headwear, Mrs. Smileys. I suggest you read their demands…”

A selected student was holding a note, and Mrs smileys snatched it.

“Bathroom passes! Class consultations? Work on the walls?!” She hissed.

The protest lasted four months, as Mrs smileys tried to prevent them from ignoring her. She even tried to snatch away the earmuffs, and found earbuds underneath.

Eventually she begrudgingly put some work on the walls - black and white, but it was a start.

She allowed some bathroom breaks and allowed some quiet discussions.

The classroom wasn’t much different to the new kids, but the older kids were awed, and whenever Mrs smileys shushed too many times, they donned colourful earmuffs, and grinned at her in a silent challenge.