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Case: Poor and Innocent
I made one of the biggest mistakes in my professional life as a teacher about a week ago. I teach middle school English. We collected money for a breast cancer awareness event, and I put the cash and the checks in separate envelopes. After lunch time, I could not locate the envelope with the cash. I looked everywhere, but I could not find it. I asked my students if anyone took the envelope by mistake but nobody came forward. So, the cash was lost. Apparently, someone stole it, I thought. I have a good mix of students in my classroom; different religions, races, cultures, and rich and poor. Steve is the poorest student. Sometimes students make fun of Steve for wearing the same pair of shoes or the same pants all the time. The day after the money had been lost Steve came to school wearing a new jacket. Automatically, everyone, including me, started thinking he stole the cash. I took Steve to the principal's office to have a conference with him about the lost cash and his new jacket. We told him why we were having the meeting and asked him to be truthful. He said he had nothing to do with the lost cash. When we asked him about the new jacket, he said he had worked in his uncle's mechanic shop past weekend and made some money. Then, his father gave him some money to make up the difference for him to buy the jacket. We called his father and he confirmed everything Steve had told us. At that moment I thought I had never been so embarrassed in my life. But the more embarrassing moment came when Steve asked me if I had questioned Greg, a student from a middle class background, because he happened to come to school wearing a new jacket that day also. How can I fix the broken trust between me and Steve? How would you react to this situation—lost money and a poor student wearing a new jacket the next day? What would be the most appropriate way to respond to this situation?
Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!)
I don't know that you will fully be able to fix the broken trust between you and Steve. This is a prime example of how we should not stereotype. Often, a child's financial situation may have nothing to do with whether they will steal or not. I think that you should have questioned all of your students thoroughly that would have had access to the money. If I were in this situation, I would have not jumped to conclusions. I would also talk to the students about how disappointed I was in the student that stole the money. I would then offer them the opportunity to return the money. I would tell them that they could even return it in my box without me having to know who had done it. People have different reasons for stealing, and though none of them are right, there can be a lot of shame and remorse. However, if we can talk to the students about how beneficial this money would be to the breast cancer awareness fund, maybe the culprit would show remorse and return the money. |
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The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
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The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
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The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
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The suggested solution is original |
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Comments: |
Rated On: February 16, 2013 12:16 pm |
Rated By: Sarah Brittany Sandbach |
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The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
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The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
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The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
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The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
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The suggested solution is original |
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Comments: |
Rated On: February 19, 2013 6:53 pm |
Rated By: Hannah Brents |
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The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
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The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
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The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
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The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
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The suggested solution is original |
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Comments: I agree with this solution. |
Rated On: October 18, 2014 2:36 pm |
Rated By: TuBuJy |
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The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
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The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
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The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
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The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
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The suggested solution is original |
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Comments: I completely agree, I would not have jumped to conclusions either. |
Rated On: October 21, 2014 12:50 am |
Rated By: qyryMa |
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The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
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The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
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The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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The suggested solution is original |
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Comments: If I were in this situation, I would exactly do this |
Rated On: February 26, 2015 6:11 pm |
Rated By: aSaByN |
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The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
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The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
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The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
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The suggested solution is original |
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Comments: Great solution and great way of thinking. |
Rated On: March 1, 2015 6:05 am |
Rated By: apazeR |
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The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
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The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
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The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
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The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
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The suggested solution is original |
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Comments: Excellent response! |
Rated On: March 2, 2015 1:43 am |
Rated By: Tana Bill |
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The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
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The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
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The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
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The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
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The suggested solution is original |
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Comments: Good advice, I would do the same thing. |
Rated On: October 18, 2015 1:46 pm |
Rated By: buHeNy |
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The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
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The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
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The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
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The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
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The suggested solution is original |
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Comments: I agree, talk to all of the students about it so no one feels victimized. |
Rated On: March 5, 2017 8:54 pm |
Rated By: avenyB |
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The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
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The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
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The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
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The suggested solution is original |
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Comments: Great solution! |
Rated On: March 6, 2017 3:40 am |
Rated By: jyvubu |
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The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
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The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
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The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
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The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
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The suggested solution is original |
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Comments: Great idea! |
Rated On: October 13, 2017 2:21 am |
Rated By: Lavede |
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The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
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The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
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The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
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The suggested solution is original |
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Comments: Great solution! i agree that this is a prime example of why we should not stereotype. |
Rated On: October 16, 2017 5:22 am |
Rated By: yPeMug |
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The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
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The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
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The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
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The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
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The suggested solution is original |
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Comments: this is a good solution |
Rated On: February 25, 2018 11:14 pm |
Rated By: uXysej |
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The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
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The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
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The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
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The suggested solution is original |
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Comments: I agree, great idea. |
Rated On: October 9, 2018 1:37 am |
Rated By: pagyDa |
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The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
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The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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Comments: This seems like an effective solution since it directly addresses the problem in a positive way. |
Rated On: October 13, 2018 6:29 pm |
Rated By: byRyLe |
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The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
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The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
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The suggested solution is original |
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Comments: i agree |
Rated On: October 27, 2018 7:24 pm |
Rated By: Carla Crumb |
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The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
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The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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Comments: |
Rated On: February 19, 2019 11:51 pm |
Rated By: baJeTe |
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The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
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The suggested solution is original |
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Comments: I agree with this solution, and that you should never follow stereotypes in classrooms or judge students based on their socioeconomic status. Although this was a mistake, I think the best thing to do is to apologize to the student. |
Rated On: October 14, 2019 9:23 pm |
Rated By: aHaQaj |
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The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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Comments: It’s a difficult situation but, this solution does offer some appropriate responses that should have been taken. Whatever, the trust is not something that will easily, if ever, be completely repaired. |
Rated On: October 19, 2019 2:45 am |
Rated By: maVeqy |
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The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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Comments: I agree that the trust wont return but taking steps to it will be key. |
Rated On: February 21, 2020 8:13 pm |
Rated By: vaMuvy |
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The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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Comments: stereotyping is hard to avoid but we as teachers must do our best |
Rated On: February 24, 2020 2:18 am |
Rated By: yHuDav |
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The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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Comments: This properly addresses all parties involved and is realistic. |
Rated On: October 31, 2021 8:10 am |
Rated By: aPeQyG |
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The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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The suggested solution is original |
Yes
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Comments: I agree with this solution, it is best to not to jump to conclusions. |
Rated On: October 31, 2021 2:47 pm |
Rated By: Pearl Reberkenny |
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The suggested solution is respectful of the individual (student) |
Yes
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The suggested solution is relevant to the case |
Yes
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The suggested solution is reasonable (easy) for the teacher to implement |
Yes
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The suggested solution is likely to solve the problem/issue |
Yes
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The suggested solution is original |
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Comments: You made great points. |
Rated On: April 3, 2023 2:14 am |
Rated By: TuVune |
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