Mantle’s musical history: The math teacher’s past as a band member

“We played [in not-so-great] hole-in-the-wall clubs. Bowling alleys, bars, living rooms, art galleries….[we] played to whomever would come.”

It sounds like the typical lifestyle of a burgeoning artist. It’s what very few would expect to be the past of a Saratoga math teacher.

Meet math teacher Jennifer Mantle, former member of a punk band.

At first, the band consisted of just Mantle, who covered bass and vocals and her then-boyfriend, who covered drums and vocals.

While touring with her band, she lived a lifestyle usually only seen in movies, constantly moving on the road and performing at obscure venues.

“[On the] first tour we went to Florida and back through New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Lousiana, etc.,” Mantle said. “[On the] second tour, Tahoe, Portland, Seattle, Vancouver.”

The journeys began when Mantle’s boyfriend, who had a van, drove their friend to Florida and proposed that he and Mantle start a band and play on the way back home. And thus, the punk duo “The Unit Breed” was born.

Fitting for its quirky name, the group created music characterized by Mantle as “artsy, screamy and punk.” A photo reveals Mantle rocking out on her bass guitar, wearing her hair long, donning sunglasses and a metallic choker. The Unit Breed drew inspiration from then-popular punk bands such as Nomeansno, Shellac and Jawbreaker.

Although Mantle left the band when she and her boyfriend broke up, many new band members joined, continuing the legacy. The band is still recording and touring and has created several CDs and records.

Mantle continued to pursue her musical desires after leaving The Unit Breed, for a while joining another band that performed at bigger venues.

“I think that being in a band just adds to who I am as an individual,” Mantle said. “You certainly learn a lot about who you are as an individual when you are trying to cooperate with others to make music.”

Some may find it intriguing that this daring musician and vocalist is the same person teaching them AP Statistics three times a week.

But when she joined the band, Mantle had already started her teaching career. She believes that there are, in fact, many similarities between the two seemingly opposite lives she has lived.

Mantle loved school as a kid. After going to Santa Clara University for her undergraduate degree, Mantle worked various jobs, and she realized that she would regret not trying teaching. She earned a Master’s in education at Santa Clara University and a Master’s in education administration at San Jose State. Her career began at San Jose High, where she taught for one semester. Afterward, she taught at Lincoln High School for 9 years, and she has now been teaching at Saratoga High for 4.

“I wouldn’t change a thing,” Mantle said about becoming a teacher. “I love my subject and love being around high school students. It’s a tough, mentally taxing job, but it can be very rewarding too.”

The satisfaction Mantle feels can be likened to her experiences in the band.

“Teaching is like being on stage, except it’s not all about me,” Mantle said. “It’s about getting the ‘audience’ involved to be interested in your subject.”

Mantle admits to still getting butterflies on the first day of school, as she used to while performing, but “just for a few minutes” before the day gets underway.

Although Mantle teaches AP Statistics and Algebra 2 Honors now, she has not forgotten her appreciation for music.

“Music has always been a huge part of my life,” Mantle said. “I associate a lot of memories with bands and songs.”

Her mom still loves to sing and instilled in her a love of music from an early age, Mantle said. In high school, Mantle was very much involved in music, participating in marching, concert and jazz bands, and even dabbling a bit in french horn and piano.

Mantle hopes to resume playing music when her children are older.

“There’s nothing like performing. I always get butterflies in my stomach, but after that, nothing but fun, especially when it’s a good venue or [a] good audience,” Mantle said.

But for now, despite no longer being in a punk band, there is no sign that the role of music will diminish for Mantle, whose 4-year-old daughter Chloe joins her singing both in the house and in the car.