I know the title sounds trivial. It is indeed trivial. I'll give you some background on where this decision is coming from.
A few months back, Mr. Agajan picked up some swivel chairs from the computer lab that were put up for adoption. It's unanimous among the 3rd graders that the swivel chairs are more comfortable than their smooth rock solid chairs that they sit in during class time. Most students were mature enough to return to the cold reality of their rock solid chairs, but some students were not.
Generally, there are one or two students in particular that I need to speak with. I speak to them with a firm teacher's tone, which I've become pretty good at channeling. It usually takes like a minute to get the student to go to their assigned seat.
A couple days ago, I had the longest argument about why one of the students couldn't sit in the comfy swivel chairs. This is basically how it played out:
Student: Mr. Auto... Why can't I sit in the comfy chair?
Me: ... No student is allowed to sit in these chairs during class time. If I let you sit in these chairs, I need to let everyone else sit in these chairs.
Student: So... let them sit in these chairs.
Me: ..... Listen. Students get distracted very easily. They like to turn back and forth in these chairs. They like to play with them.
Student: Ohhhhh!! I promise Mr. Auto! I won't do that. Please. Let me sit in this chair.
Me: Again... if I let you sit in them, the other students will say that they would not play with the chairs either. So, no.
Student: Pleeeeeease!
Me: No! You either sit in that chair (pointing at rock solid chair near comfy chairs) or you sit at your assigned seat.
Anyway, after a few minutes of argument, I finally got him to move. It's opportunities for arguments like those which lead me to be averse to getting anyone in my class but myself a swivel chair.
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