The Faculty Lounge
Ratings5
Average rating4.2
A July 2024 LibraryReads Pick! By the acclaimed author of Moxie, a funny, bighearted adult debut that is at once an ode to educators, a timely glimpse at today’s pressing school issues, and a tender character study, following a sprawling cast of teachers, administrators, and staff at a Texas high school With its ensemble of warm and unforgettable characters, The Faculty Lounge shows readers a different side of school life. It all starts when an elderly substitute teacher at Baldwin High School is found dead in the faculty lounge. After a bit of a stir, life quickly returns to normal—it’s not like it’s the worst (or even most interesting) thing that has happened within the building’s walls. But when, a week later, the spontaneous scattering of his ashes on the school grounds catches the attention of some busybody parents, it sets in motion a year that can only be described as wild, bizarre, tragic, mundane, beautiful, and humorous all at once. In the midst of the ensuing hysteria and threats of disciplinary action, the novel peeks into the lives of the implicated adults who, it turns out, actually have first names and continue to exist when the school day is done. We meet: a former punk band front man, now a middle-aged principal who must battle it out with the schoolboard to keep his job; a no-nonsense school nurse willing to break the rules, despite the close watch on their campus, when a student arrives at her office with a dilemma; and a disgruntled English instructor who finds himself embroiled in even more controversy when he misfires a snarky email. Oh, and there’s also a teacher make-out session in a supply closet during a lockdown. As these people continue to manage the messiness of this school year, there is the looming threat of what will become of their beloved Baldwin High. Ultimately, at the heart of this unconventional workplace novel is a story of the power of human connection and of the joy of finding purpose in what it is we do every day.
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I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I opened this book, but I immediately found myself drawn into this world. Mathieu follows the employees of Baldwin High School in the aftermath of the death of a beloved former teacher, who had been serving as a substitute. Each chapter shines a spotlight on one of the employees, from the brand new teacher who found the body to the principal who is trying to keep the district officials off his back. The chapters run the gamut from heartbreaking to hopeful and everywhere in between. I connected with each character and understood their experiences and choices.
If you're looking for a fairly quick read with a cast of motley characters, this is the book for you. Mathieu's experience working as a K-12 educator brings this book to life. I highly recommend it.
A really silly yet sweet novel that begins with a very elderly substitute teacher dying in a Texas high school's faculty lounge.
Soon after, the school principal is dismayed to learn the late teacher's dying wish was to have his ashes spread on school grounds. He talks himself into honoring this request, only to be caught in the act by a horrified PTA mom, who promptly turns it into a PR nightmare.
The principal, teachers, and other staff must navigate the school year following AshGate under intense scrutiny by district administrators and helicopter parents bemoaning critical race theory, though they cannot define the term.
Each chapter follows a different worker at Baldwin High. Brand new teachers, veteran teachers, guidance counselors, vice principals, school nurses, custodians. Sometimes they struggle to “stay in their lane,” other times they answer to parents who question their judgment, expertise, and motivations while they attempt to carry out the most basic aspects of their job.
Staff surprise themselves and one another, in good and bad ways. Many are dedicated to their craft but struggling to make it through each day. Some are holding out for retirement, others are desperate to quit. They may be too hard on themselves or too easy on others.
They are made to take the unserious so seriously. Nothing turns into something. Other times, they turn something into nothing, quietly resolving major issues. The characters are flawed and human.
There were a few weird commentary Things about sexual harassment and addiction that I wish had been handled a little differently, and it did become a little saccharine for me at some points, but overall I found this to be a funny and touching portrayal of how ridiculous serving the public and working with kids feels day-to-day. It did also make me yell in panicked surprise multiple times, always a plus.
For fans of sitcoms like Abbott Elementary, English Teacher, or Superstore.
