I'm having a tough time with my child's teacher. It went from her telling us that she prefers the girls over the boys (I have a boy) at our conference in December, to last week her questioning me about why I didn't bring him to the holiday concert after school because she knows we went to the movies that night. I told her we had already bought the tickets and that he choose to go to the movies that night because he didn't want to go to the holiday concert. Then I walked away and got angry… Is she questioning my parenting? And if so, then maybe it's time I start questioning her teaching. What I do with my children after school hours is none of her damn business. Her job is to teach my child in a safe environment and currently he is having anxiety just going to school because he feels like he is constantly being targeted by her and getting in trouble. Why is that?
This week Monday she took his chap stick away because he got up to go get it without asking. He raised his hand and she wouldn't call on him. Which has happened before. He needs his chap stick right now, he has a very dry irritation under his lip (which is clearly visible) and he needs the chap stick to sooth and protect it. She should not have taken it away.
Yesterday she wouldn't let him go to the nurse when he asked because he had a headache. They were going to recess and it's weirdly warm and springy here right now so he was trying to tell her that the humidity would make his headache worse but she yelled at him to get his jacket and go outside. So he cried and she said that she was finished talking to him and walked away. When I picked him up he was pale. When we got home he skipped dinner and went to bed and slept for 12 hours straight. He clearly did not feel well.
We have emailed the Principle and the Vice principle and we have a meeting tomorrow morning.
Can teachers be bullies? And then what do you do? Based on the principles email to confirm the meeting tomorrow, it already feels like they are defending this teacher instantly without looking into the situation.
This teacher is overstepping and so is the school. You are ultimately the parent and the child is also never meant to feel like that school. I hope in your meeting you expressed your concerns and also let them know the role of a school.
Teachers can definitely be bullies, when I was at school I had a teacher physically grab and hurt my arm because I refused to play sports while it was cold and raining outside. I was suffering really bad cramps, which I brought a note for that week and was really not up to getting sick. Though the bullying didn't stop there and with that teacher, I ended up having to change schools.
Things like this and what you are going can really stay with a child and affect them in future. I hope the principal does the right thing and sorts that teacher out because she is totally crossing the line.