Gifted Bulletin Board

Welcome to the Gifted Issues Discussion Forum.

We invite you to share your experiences and to post information about advocacy, research and other gifted education issues on this free public discussion forum.
CLICK HERE to Log In. Click here for the Board Rules.

Links


Learn about Davidson Academy Online - for profoundly gifted students living anywhere in the U.S. & Canada.

The Davidson Institute is a national nonprofit dedicated to supporting profoundly gifted students through the following programs:

  • Fellows Scholarship
  • Young Scholars
  • Davidson Academy
  • THINK Summer Institute

  • Subscribe to the Davidson Institute's eNews-Update Newsletter >

    Free Gifted Resources & Guides >

    Who's Online Now
    1 members (saclos), 223 guests, and 17 robots.
    Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
    Newest Members
    BarbaraBarbarian, signalcurling, saclos, rana tunga, CATHERINELEMESLE
    11,540 Registered Users
    November
    S M T W T F S
    1 2
    3 4 5 6 7 8 9
    10 11 12 13 14 15 16
    17 18 19 20 21 22 23
    24 25 26 27 28 29 30
    Previous Thread
    Next Thread
    Print Thread
    Page 3 of 3 1 2 3
    Joined: Feb 2008
    Posts: 179
    Ann Offline
    Member
    Offline
    Member
    Joined: Feb 2008
    Posts: 179
    Originally Posted by Cathy A
    We ended up not attending the graduation after G's father threatened to disrupt the ceremony if we attended. The private school spinelessly asked us not to come. We had invited relatives from out of town to see the little performance the kids were going to do. Instead, we baked cupcakes and had a family pool party.

    Later, I found out that DS' teacher was actually babysitting G after school at G's house and that she was very chummy with his family and with K's family. She talked a lot to them about her opinions of DS and complained to them about having him placed in her class. It was totally unprofessional...

    OMG Cathy - I didn't think the jerk could become an even bigger jerk, but I stand corrected. His behavior and the teacher's behavior sickens me. Yuck - yuck - and yuck!!!

    Joined: Sep 2007
    Posts: 6,145
    Member
    Offline
    Member
    Joined: Sep 2007
    Posts: 6,145
    Ew! The babysitting teacher is an extra-ugly wrinkle! As is the school's reaction.

    Ew! Ew! Ew!


    Kriston
    Joined: Dec 2007
    Posts: 485
    Member
    Offline
    Member
    Joined: Dec 2007
    Posts: 485
    WOW! I am not sure how I would have reacted. Hopefully nothing will happen again with this family.

    ETA: The more I think about the more I think this family must have been so jealous of your son. I can't believe that didn't think your son would be affected by not being able to attend the ceremony. Urgh.

    Last edited by crisc; 03/12/08 03:05 PM.

    Crisc
    Joined: May 2007
    Posts: 1,783
    Cathy A Offline OP
    Member
    OP Offline
    Member
    Joined: May 2007
    Posts: 1,783
    I guess seeing K there just brought up a lot of bad memories. You wouldn't believe the uproar caused by the whole thing...the waffling and attempted compromises by the director of the school. Stuff like DS will join the ceremony wearing a "Soaring into Kindergarten T-shirt" while the other kids wear caps and gowns. And DS will not receive a "diploma" like the others. DS will not be able to participate in the songs because the practices took place after he went home. The phones calls and people not looking me in the eye... UGH!

    They knew they were doing the wrong thing and they did it anyway. In the end, we felt so unwelcome we just opted out. Nevermind all the $$$ we paid to that school!

    Ok. I have to stop thinking about this frown or I'll go nuts.

    Joined: May 2007
    Posts: 1,783
    Cathy A Offline OP
    Member
    OP Offline
    Member
    Joined: May 2007
    Posts: 1,783
    Sorry about the alphabet soup. I just didn't feel right posting the kids' names. None of this is their fault.

    At the time (last June), we told DS that director of the school made a mistake and that we would have our own party. We didn't tell him anything about the letter or what the other kids' parents said or did. I just didn't want to expose him to that kind of meanness.

    Cathy

    Joined: Sep 2007
    Posts: 6,145
    Member
    Offline
    Member
    Joined: Sep 2007
    Posts: 6,145
    Good call.


    Kriston
    Joined: Jan 2008
    Posts: 830
    Member
    Offline
    Member
    Joined: Jan 2008
    Posts: 830
    Cathy, you made the right choice not involving the children at all. With this being a different school K's dad probably won't have the clout he did last year. I would think about having an informal chat with DS's current teacher and thank her for helping with a smooth and successful transition to 1st for DS. And while you are chatting express your concerns about any kids excluding yours purposely.
    As for K's dad, either he'll feel stupid for his past actions and avoid you so he doesn't feel even stupider OR he'll pull another stunt like that letter. In that case, I think I'd see about a restraining order against him to keep him from contacting you in any way. If nothing else, maybe that thought will make you feel better! :-)

    Joined: May 2007
    Posts: 1,783
    Cathy A Offline OP
    Member
    OP Offline
    Member
    Joined: May 2007
    Posts: 1,783
    Thank you, OHG! The thought does make me feel better. Actually, just talking about it here makes me feel better. You are right, he may feel stupid about it and just avoid us. That would be fine by me. I have already thanked DS' teacher for so expertly integrating him into the class. She is great! I haven't noticed the kids excluding him...I hate to bring it up unless I see a problem.

    Joined: Sep 2007
    Posts: 3,299
    Likes: 2
    Val Offline
    Member
    Offline
    Member
    Joined: Sep 2007
    Posts: 3,299
    Likes: 2
    Wow. What a loser. Seriously, this guy has an OQ (Obnoxiousness Quotient) over 200. Makes me wonder what he puts his family through.

    Two things:

    1. A guy I used to know always used to say "Consider the source" when our mutual boss would drive me bonkers. Her OQ was in the gifted range. He was right; she was a very unhappy person and most of the stuff she said came out of that. She had no power to hold either of us back in life (we were young people working at a diner for the summer) and so her nastiness had no real power. Neither does his. Nothing this guy can say will hold your son back from whatever his bright future holds for him. Remember, a lot of people can't handle bright kids. Maybe our kids make them feel like failures or something. I dunno.

    2. If you get trapped in a conversation with him and he gets really obnoxious, just smile sweetly and tell him that finishing kindergarten was such a small achievement for your son, there was really no point in celebrating graduation anyway.

    !!!

    Woof.

    Val

    Last edited by Val; 03/14/08 09:33 PM.
    Joined: May 2007
    Posts: 1,783
    Cathy A Offline OP
    Member
    OP Offline
    Member
    Joined: May 2007
    Posts: 1,783
    Originally Posted by Val
    If you get trapped in a conversation with him and he gets really obnoxious, just smile sweetly and tell him that finishing kindergarten was such a small achievement for your son, there was really no point in celebrating graduation anyway.

    grin Thanks, Val! I was never good at snappy comebacks. This could be useful!

    Page 3 of 3 1 2 3

    Moderated by  M-Moderator, Mark D. 

    Link Copied to Clipboard
    Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5