The beauty of the Sweathogs is that whenever you have to describe a "gang member" for a story when the group is really a bunch of semi-toughs who wouldn't cause any huge problems, but are still street-wise, you can easily describe them as being "like the Sweathogs."

I was in early elementary school and *loved* this show in its original airing. I thought that's what high school was like, and it was cool. I culdn't tell the ages at all - my vision has always been 20/800. So, that part never bothered me.

But, you know the funny part? I was normally in advanced classes, but we had government and economics required in our state as seniors, so they mixed all the students up, and I wound up as the brain in a class with a number of kids who were like the Sweathogs in some respects. Not as over the top, of course. However, there were a few moments that seemed made for the show if it had been a touch more true to life. For instance:

We had a term paper in Government to do on a President of the U.S., couting his former career, election, etc.. A paper was passed around listing presidents and when they served. I was probably 15-18th in the class as the paper got passed around where the students got to pick which president they wanted.
I expressed shock that Lincoln was *still* available for me to pick!
Mr. Lang (to me in private): "You kidding? At least they know he served during the Civil war. Most of these kids figure by taking William henry harrison they'll have less work to do because he only served a month."

Student describes some strange actions - I forget what.
Teacher comes back and says, "You certainly know some interesting people. And I mean that int he Chinese sense." (He then explains the ancient Chinese insult - "May you live in interesting times.")

"Thank you for sharing that with us": A comment made by Mr. Lang (Government) at least once a week, as he tried to keep a straight face, to a student who would make some weird excuse.
His second most common saying: "Say good night, _____." (1-2 students who made special efforts to sound goofy got this, from the old "Say good night, Gracie," line from George Burns.)

Me, while teaching Mr. Lang's classes for a day as a project for those of us in National Honor Society all year:
"Roses are red, eggs are white. Thank you for sharing that, now say good night."

I wish I could think of some of the crazy stuff the students said; sometimes the reactions to it were the best. Mr. Lang told corny jokes, but they weren't story jokes, more one-liners like above. And, he could get a little sentimental, too. Before our last exam, he said, "For some of you, this will be the last test of your official educational career. (Yes, that's what he called it. We were "professional students.") Just realize that it's important to continue learning throughout your entire lives," he finished.

And, the 3-5 worst kids in my class, at least, were a lot like the Sweathogs. Streetwise, not caring much about learning, just having fun and doing enough work to get by. Not the kinds of kids who would start a fight or be real tough, but just sort of, well, streetwise might be the best word.

ANy of you have students like that?

P.S.: I thought of one really dumb line, though this student *could* have been thinking wrong. Mr. Lang always sang the school fight song before every football game. Well, this one girl referred to it as the National Anthem which mr. Lang sang! A comment like that is definitely worthy of a "Say good night, (name"

YES! My remedial math class in high school was just like Mr. Kotter's class. There were only 2 or 3 girls in the class, and the others were trouble-making boys. :lol: They did liven up the class, but made life torture on substitute teachers. :rofl: We had one mean elderly woman teacher that everyone called Mrs. Doubtfire (she really did look like Mrs. Doubtfire)! There are a couple more funny stories, but they are a bit detailed, so I'll save them for another time. Ah, those were the days...:rofl: