Simpson's Paradox

Teacher Assistant A and Teacher Assistant B begin to discuss the high cost of electricity. This gets my attention because these TAs don’t speak English unless forced. (Please note, A and B are not my TAs, because my TAs rock. Also they have better names than A and B.)

Teacher Assistant B comes over to Christina’s and my desks, and begins an inquisition on who uses the English room and when and who was in it today and at what time. TA B finally brings the conversation around to the point in question, that it was indeed Christina and TA B’s class in the English room before break. We all agree that, this being Tuesday, such is the case.

TA B then discussed how, on occasion, TA B herself may be the first to exit this classroom. On such an occasion, it fell to Christina to be the second teacher to exit the room. Indeed, just a few minutes ago, this exact situation occured. All possible permutations of TAs and foreign teachers and class times and exit strategies were then reviewed.

I was getting the drift of the conversation by now, but it became more clear when the next topic was the convenient proximity of the light switch to the door.

Finally, TA B alluded to the great mystery of the lights being left on prior to break.

Christina instantly ‘fessed up and said oops, and I thought we could all drop the subject. But no, the remainder of break was devoted to making sure that such a grievous offense would never ever happen again, ever, under any circumstances, no matter who left the room first after any class on any day of the week. Then I, also, needed to reassure both TA B and TA A that I would not adopt the habit of leaving the English room without turning off the lights.

The American Method of Solving The Same Problem:

“Remember to turn out the lights next time!”