The Unenlightened ways of one is getting to me

To preserve anonymity, I shall reveal as little details as I can about this particular co-worker.

Irks me greatly with the stubborn way of thinking. This is the 2nd time I am encountering the Wall and it proved unmovable, inflexible, closed-minded, narrow and obviously stubborn.

For the sake of being positive, I shall not reveal or immortalize the details. But just the outline.

First incident involved the deadline for submission. Basic story is we had diff deadline, Wall is not happy. I tried to reason but after 45mins, no reason of mine got through, though I took the effort to understand the other side. Btw the reasons weren't convincing at all but I had to relent. I did explain to students and they agreed with me instead... *sigh*

The second incident is involving having a small class party of sort due to the coming festivity in Dec. The answer was if I wanted to, I had to do for their entire class not just my students. WTF? So I thought about some stuff to possibly do but it wasn't enough to fill the time. I asked a second time if it was a go ahead, similar answer.

Then last straw is today where due to not having enough periods cos of some happening, I asked if it was still a go or just forget it. The answer I got was somewhere like If I want to do with my students, then have to do with the combined class but if I don't do it, then don't have to combine class for that. Can do our separate stuff. WTF?!?

So I straight out ask if I could still get them something without the party. That one, I had to ask the Head. If its okay, they have no problem with that.

Ok, I'll use the extra periods to do some of the stuff I really wanted them to do but didn't have any extra periods and end off with a small token for them. It's really like making a HUGE mountain out of a mole-hill, there's no issue.

It's just that they don't want their students to say that they didn't do a party whereas I did. Can't they sweep it under the blanket of cultural difference?

I had no issue with more enlightened co-workers last year so that made me think highly of them.

But this year, hitting all these brick walls made me rethink my perspective and understanding of them. Not as enlightened as I had thought. And obviously rigid, keep touting on the 'fairness' of things where there is no issue cos I am paying for it, taking the effort n initiative. I can't say the same of them but obviously not fair at all.

How do u inspire an interest when everything is so status-quo, so afraid of anything outside the supposed norm, not putting in the effort, time to do stuff...