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ATHENS, Greece - Substitute teaching is one tough gig, especially at middle schools. Children tend to detour from civilized behavior when their regular teacher takes the day off.
Funny thing, though. When Rhadi Ferguson worked as a middle school substitute at various schools in District 11, students offered only their best behavior.
Maybe that's because Ferguson weighs 220 pounds and ranks as one of the world's premier judo athletes.
"Never had a problem," Ferguson said, laughing as he prepared for his quest for a gold medal in today's competition. "Never. I kind of let them know that Mr. Ferguson expected them to get their work done and behave. I let them know this can be an easy day or a hard day."
Students looked at Ferguson and decided, hey, let's take the easy option.
Ferguson seems an unlikely candidate for the savage world of judo. He recently completed work on a master's degree in education from Howard University and is pursuing an online doctorate.
The special needs children at Sabin Middle School rank as his favorite substituting assignment. He dedicated himself to understanding the children.
"I loved those children,"...