My DS11 is attending a private school; this is his first year there. We have had a few issues with bullying and teachers singling DS out but for the most part, these have been resolved except for one.

When we first registered DS at this school, we inquired about their Advanced Math class knowing that our DS needed acceleration especially in Math, although the school is considered accelerated in all subjects. We were told that the counselor would look at his test scores and call us before school started so that DS could take the Advanced Math placement test. We were confident that with a 99th percentile composite Math score, they would call us. The school never called before the beginning of school, so we asked again after school started. And now, for this entire school year, we have been trying to get him into Advanced Math. He has a 100% in his regular Math class, he complains of being bored in Math and has been called out on many occasions for not paying attention in Math.

The Advanced Math teacher has told us that her class is a privilege to be earned by the student and that our DS would have to prove to her how smart he was. The principal offered for our DS to attend the after-school Advanced Math tutoring sessions to help him "prove" himself, but after his first tutoring session, our DS told us the Advanced Math teacher told him some pretty mean things in front of the other students attending the tutoring session. This is what she said:

1. "It is not fair for me to stay after school to work with you. I don't tutor. You are not even my student. I am only here for the students that have earned their spot in Advanced Math."

2. She told him, in front of other students, that his standardized test scores in Math were not good enough to be in Advanced Math, and that she had students with higher scores that are barely able to keep up with the class. The score she was using was from a 3-year old achievement test I gave him when we homeschooled; she and the school have 2 more recent standardized tests given by an educational psychologist with much higher Math scores.

3. She told him it was his fault he didn't get into Advanced Math in the beginning of the year because he should have prepared for the Advanced Math placement test. When DS took the Advanced Math placement test, it was after I asked about it once school had started. Evidently, the school had overlooked giving the test to my DS before school started. I had no idea when he was going to be given the test. His homeroom teacher called me in the early afternoon one day to tell me they would keep DS after school for 30 minutes that day to give him the test. DS was pulled out of the carpool line to go take the test! When should he have prepared? So, his scores were supposedly not high enough to qualify for Advanced Math.

Now, he is scared to go to school. He is also scared that the principal will kick him out of school because we, DH and I, have had to call and email several times on other issues. We are wondering if we need to call about the things the Advanced Math teacher told him...

I was a public school teacher and my principal would have kicked ME out if I treated a child this way so I am really puzzled at this situation. I can't understand why she would be treating my DS this way.

Have any of you had this happen and what did you do about it? How do you feel about the Advanced Math being considered a "privilege"? We are looking at other schools, but how would you handle this situation with DS's current school?

Thanks