Parenting 'Tweens (9-12) Support Group
This community is focused on the joys, challenges and concerns faced by parents of tweens (9 to 11 year olds). The major areas of child development include: physical development, perception and sensory development, communication and language development, cognitive development, emotional development and social development.
Hi! I need some advice. This is about a situation that happened at my 9 year old's school (who has just entered fourth grade). So, about a year and a half ago, I was in the playground watching a school assembly. After the assembly, a teacher told me that I was "in the way" and I needed to move because the kids were coming. Then, she pushed me out of the way. It wasn't a hard push, but her hand was on me and she pushed me aggressively. I immediately reported this inappropriate behavior to the principal. The principal called me back and said that the teacher apologized.However, the teacher never directly apologized to me. Now, a year and a half later, I find out this teacher is my son's new teacher. I emailed the principal and explained the situation and asked her to place my son into another fourth grade classroom. She emailed me back, saying that she is not going to make any changes until the end of the next week (and even then she won't guarantee that my son be changed).
She told me that I should just forget about what happened and move on.
If I do this, I would be sending the message that it is okay for teachers to push adults (the parents).I would also be sending this message to my son because he knows about everything that happened. I told her that I won't send my son to school until she changes his teacher. However, she said that I have 5 days to show up or my son will be disenrolled from the school (since there is a waiting list). I even emailed the assistant superintendent and he appears to be taking her side. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I feel so lost, angry, and afraid.
She told me that I should just forget about what happened and move on.
If I do this, I would be sending the message that it is okay for teachers to push adults (the parents).I would also be sending this message to my son because he knows about everything that happened. I told her that I won't send my son to school until she changes his teacher. However, she said that I have 5 days to show up or my son will be disenrolled from the school (since there is a waiting list). I even emailed the assistant superintendent and he appears to be taking her side. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I feel so lost, angry, and afraid.
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I have 3 kids. 24. 17. 15. My 17 yr old has become super defiant. He and his 15 yr old sister have on their own decision stopped going to their dads because he and his household is so toxic.My 15 yr old and myself feel like we have to tip toe around my son who is 17. And physically towers over us and out weighs us. He has become emotionally abusive and on the verge of becoming physically...
It just seems an easier route than continuing to fight them. If they've got people beating down the door to get in the school, it seems your hands are tied. She might not want you to volunteer in her classroom and she might be really uncomfortable with that, so maybe she will initiate the switch that way. It's a long shot but just another possibility. If your son reports any off behavior from her, then you will have a bigger issue, surely worth fighting.
All the best.
But, I don't understand why allowing him to be in her class would be sending your son the message that it was o.k. for the teacher to push you or for teachers in general to push adults. You said your son knows about everything that happened so he knows that she apologized, right? I think that as long as she has apologized - indicating that she agrees her behavior was inappropriate - and your son knows about that too, then he (and everyone else) will know that it was not o.k. for her to push you.
Are you familiar enough with the school to suggest which room and is there a student in that room who wants to change anyway?
I hope you get this worked out in a way where you feel comfortable with the class your son is in.