Short hair, dress slacks, button up shirt, dress shoes, a belt and a tie. These describe the qualities of the average male teacher in America today. Long hippie hair, blue or black jeans, sweatshirts, walking shoes and owns a Harley. Oh my! Which one of these descriptive groups describes Darrell May?
May retires at the end of this year, after 21 years of teaching Accounting I, II, III, business law, advanced law and economics at LHS. “The students are why I teach, the kids get me high, naturally,” he says.
May ran his class far different from most teachers. “May one time came running into Business Law and kicked the garbage can over, and all the trash was knocked all over the floor,” chuckled Garrett Hunt, sophomore. He taught individualism and gave kids opportunities to form opinions and put the students’ opinions to the test through Mock Trials and debates.
“He loved what he taught. It is almost infectious,” Tim Sperber, Athletic Director said. “He got other students to love his subjects by showing them the love he had. I’ve never heard anyone say they didn’t like his class.”
May offered many heated debates throughout his teaching career about continuous issues that Americans face today. Debates always raise a hot topic, especially the debate over abortion.
“It had always been a great debate until one year, things got a little out of hand and it ended with two girls going at it in class,” chuckled May. “As a teacher, I decided for the safety of the students and no more with that debate.”
Although May taught for 21 years, he also helped coach. He coached many sports and activities such as cross country, mock trial and economic summit. In 1994, he led one Mock Trial defense team and one prosecuting team to district wins. The two teams later went to the final round of the state tournament and eventually competed in front of the Idaho Supreme Court Justices.
“Two teams from the same school ending up in the finals that had never happened before and hasn’t happened again. I think that year inspired me the most through my teaching career,” said May.
Besides the teaching and coaching, students know May for the morning walks with his long-time friend and fellow colleague, Mike Riedle. “The whole walking thing started because one day he was being lazy and I told him to get off his lazy butt,” chuckles Reidle. “No actually it was just some extra time for us to hang out we; aren’t like most of the teachers here so we only hang out with each other.”
Recently students from LHS and Clarkston High School (CHS) raised money for many local charities. The students set goals and rose over $5,000. May and Riedle walked around the school in this years Golden Throne assembly when LHS students reached one of their goals.
“You know I’ll miss how he always had a positive attitude and how he was upbeat,” said Lance Hanson, vice principal. “But in all honesty, the thing I’ll miss the most is seeing him walk around in the morning.”
However, his early 1970’s-style haircut really sets him aside from others. “Well, he has long hair, jeans and always wears a sweater,” said Cody Auker, junior.
With out a doubt the biker-length hair leaves a life-time impression on Sperber “I’ll tell you what, the day May and Riedle retire, the average male teachers hair length will decrease by 500%, maybe even 1000%, am I right?” chuckled Sperber.
As May’s career soon ends, he also prepares for the next chapter in his life. “The day I retire I’m going to go home, get my Harley and do burnouts right in front of the main office and ride off into the sunset” he said. “When I return from my Harley trip, I’m going to load up my camper and find a lonely road to camp on.”
Just like the classic Western movie, entitled Shane May ends his career and hopes ride off into the sunset… on his Harley. “Well, he and my last day is the day the students get out of school. We’re going out the way we should,” said Reidle. “The best of friends, the two of us retiring and going on our Harley ride.”
Mikel Bowen
-Reporter
