Although she doesn’t have him as a student and he doesn’t have her as a teacher, OHS math teacher Kara Guentz and her son Sullivan have a bond beyond classroom expectations. Kara has had her other children as students, and that experience has made her more dedicated as a teacher and parent. 

“I have taught my other two kids. Sometimes they think it’s harder on them because I know when they have tests coming up, I know if they don’t do their homework, so they have to do everything,” Kara said. 

While there may be eyes watching the ninth grader, Sullivan claims that there are benefits to being in the same building as your mom. Because of their blood relation, he gets special privileges that isn’t in ordinary student-teacher relationships. 

“She keeps snacks for me. I came to visit her during ANP,” Sullivan said. “It can be helpful. I do a lot of sports before and after school, so I can just come up to her room.”

For them, the positives outweigh the negatives, as their career and education are a part of their everyday lives.

“He had rides all the time, doesn’t have to ride the bus,” Kara said. 

However, the blood relation can cause Sullivan to behave because of the consistent surveillance. 

 “I’ve warned all my kids since they were little, you are being watched at all times,” Kara said. “I don’t have to watch you because everybody knows you and will tell me if you do something wrong.”

Despite all this, Kara says that their education and career have not affected their relationship.

“Kids will say something like, ‘Oh your mom’s a teacher. What’s it like?'” Kara said. “But you’re parents. You’re parent the whole time. It’s nothing major.”