I have had similar experiences with my son's teacher this year in terms of her seeing his words and actions as mal-intentioned and as "bragging" etc. I have posted before how his asking for harder worksheets and to learn something more are considered by both of his teachers as having a bad attitude and "bragging." Both have remarked to that more than once, I have found out. Today, DS said a girl in his class was giving a power point presentation and it was about snails and, apparently, one of her slides (or whatever they are) said "snails live in the gas." Ds told me that he said "wait, wait a second, snails live in gases? really?" The teacher immediately said "uh uh, you're not doing that!" and he got in trouble . Once he realized that the girl had misspelled grass as gass, he realized that the teacher thought he was trying to be mean... But he said he wasn't, he really was curious as to what she meant ... He said he actually got a little excited that there "may be some special snail creatures that thrive in certain gases or gaseous biomes!" (LOL way too much time on minecraft) He is totally not a good speller himself and he said that to me - he was like "I am a terrible speller myself, I wouldn't have made fun of her." The teachers this year, especially as the year has progressed , seem to increasingly see DS as arrogant/bragging/etc. Things where he really isn't bragging just being honest - like "can I have a harder worksheet to do?" "Can I learn long division now since I mastered all of this stuff and have showed you I mastered it?" "Can I read out of the 'black basket?' The books look really interesting and they seem pretty much on my level." I am sure he also has bragged on occasion , I mean he is 8... I hear the 8 year olds bragging all of the time (mostly about sports though). However seems like every time my son opens his mouth they assume a mal-intent behind it.