Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Parenting and Advocacy Advice needed on very difficult teacher

Update.

Principal called. He brought another teacher to the conversation. She said, "Mr. P. won't like this, but I had the same problem 15 years ago and I pulled my daughter out of her school so she could heal."

So, we know where she stands. <3 <3

Anyway, I gave him an earful and a half. I did not hold back. I told him that I'd been trying to be very polite about this matter and now was the time to be blunt.

I said that Miss T. was inflicting emotional damage on my daughter used the phrase OCD-like behaviors several times. I told him that she had no right and no business trying to intimidate my DD by telling her, "I don't know what you're telling your mother about me...." I also said that not only did someone need to pull the reins in on Miss T., I was shocked and dismayed that no one had ever done so in the past. He told me that he understood but that pulling DD from the class wasn't an option: "What will we write on her transcripts for high school applications?"

I said, "Fifth grade doesn't go on transcripts for high school applications and you know it."

He said, "Yes, but I'm looking forward to her next three years here."

I said, "Do not even think about next year. We have to solve this problem NOW. I am not going to subject my daughter to Miss T.'s OCD for three more years. I'd pull her out now if I didn't think that would do more damage than good."

I also said, "There is a list of accredited online math courses as long as my arm."

At some point, I said, "Wake up! She's terrorizing students and you're just letting her do it. I can't believe I'm the first person to complain about her."

He admitted, that yes, I was not the first parent to complain about things like stapling papers at the correct angle (!). I think this was actually what prompted me to say "Wake up!"

There was more. Much more. But you get the idea. He went from "There is no way this is going to happen" to "I'll get back to you after I talk with the owner of the school and the other teacher who was in this meeting. We'll find a way to resolve this."