[HPforGrownups] Re: Snape - a werewolf bigot?? Was: Say it isn't so Lupin!!!

[Bart Lidofsky]

No: HPFGUIDX 170135

From: Phyllis Stevens <catlady1949 at comcast.net>
>What about the fact that he almost always ignores Hermione 
>each time she raises her hand in class. I realize that she 
>is one who knows most of the answers through her studying 
>prior to class, but to simply ignore her and grudgingly 
>calling on her seems to me to be a muggle resentment as 
>well as perhaps a prejudice against the group. 

Bart:
That's standard operating procedure for American teachers, at least. The theory, at least, is that if you have one person in the class who knows all the answers, the rest of the class gets lazy. The basic message is, "Does anybody know the answer? Yes, Hermione, I know you know the answer, but you ALWAYS know the answer, and that will be considered in your grade, but I want to give the other students a chance." Generally, the wiser of the intelligent kids (a little RPG terminology) learn to just give a token wave of their hand, the standard I saw being putting it up and down, immediately, with the elbow remaining on the desk, which translates to, "Yes, I know you're not going to pick me, but I DO know the answer, as usual." And balance is maintained. But, every now and then, you get a Horshack impersonator (who was, in turn, a Joe E. Ross impersonator), raising one hand, keeping it aloft with the other, yelling, "Ooh! Ooh! Ooh!". 

Bart