Unless you format I’ll never know what you said
Actually, It’s today Principal is calling! Sorry the post is so long, but we chose this small district for our kids as the best one around! We’re stuck here until graduation! I shouldn’t say stuck, it’s mostly a nice place, but this is ridiculous and I guarantee nothing will happen to this teacher !
They're both part of a coup taking p;ace in my being ... as I type.
Most teachers are nice, but there are those few. I’ve had some bad experiences myself when my son was in high school. My son used to take gun books to school and read them in his spare time, this was back in the 1990s. Well, that was a no-no even then! I had a teacher call me at work upset about it. They do pass around their impressions of students to other teachers and the kids get reputations they don’t always deserve.
I’m sure the principal will sort this out. Hang in there!
I got an e-mail back saying she had a few 80's, and some 70's that brought her grade down, and I could call if I wanted more information. I said no, I prefer to keep this conversation via e-mail, as I like written records of teacher conversations. BAMM!!
This supposed experienced teacher wrote back saying my daughter was an inattentive, uncooperative girl that didn't hand in the final project and missed a test she never made up. She said my daughter acted uncontrollably, constantly laughing hysterically in class even when asked to read a passage or answer a question.
There was more and it made my daughter sound like a stark raving lunatic. She said several times my daughter should have been written up, given detention, but she was (the teacher) nice enough not to do this. I was shocked and don't believe her.
My daughter has six other teachers during the day. Each gave her rave reviews on her report card: quotes: "outstanding effort" ,"she is a pleasure to have in class", "she is bright, capable and good natured", "she is polite and respectful, a little SHY!" and "shows outstanding interest in subject matter".
Needless to say I don't think this teacher saw her report card before giving me her line of BS. I e-mailed back if she deserved to be written up or given detention, it should have been given. And this teacher's policy is to give detention if an assignment is missed. Supposedly my daughter missed a quarter ending important project and didn't take a test!
So after this back and forth, my daughter comes home from school. I asked fir her folder for this class-- she hands it to me-- I found the completed project, five pages, 100% correct! I ask again about her missed test. She tells me again she never missed a test. I said were you absent and forgot to make it up-- she's been absent one day, my mother's funeral! My daughter said no test was announced beforehand and she was not told of any test when she asked what she missed after missing one day for a funeral.
I believe this teacher, who knew my daughter was at a funeral, used that day against her to claim now (never mentioned when I first asked for grades) that she didn't take an exam! She made my daughter sound crazy because I told her I was forwarding all of the e-mails to the Principal, which I still did because I knew with all of her other grades and comments, no normal person could side with the teacher.
So he (Principal) asked if he could meet with my daughter. I said no problem. This school has a policy stating under no circumstances will a teacher be changed. Needless to say, after meeting with my daughter, he offered to change her teacher if nothing improves! But mid year this would change her whole schedule as it is such a small school and this class is only offered a few times.
So my daughter went off to class and was probably more diplomatic then I in saying to the teacher, "well here's my project you probably just missed putting the grade in your book." and the teacher says -- no, she won't accept it! She freaking marked the thing already! I am furious! She said because she keeps all tests and quizzes (this is why my daughter had no idea what her test and quiz grades were --another reason I was furious-- how can you learn if you don't get your test back?) She said that she gave all of the students extra time to complete the project, and must have inadvertently handed my daughters back marked and complete. But she hadn't put the grades in her book yet so my daughter needed to "rehand" it in!! Now, if you got a project back with a 100% on it, do you think you would have to give it back? Only those that had not completed them handed them back in, she thought she kept all others. That's her mistake! And because she keeps all tests and quizzes I'm to the point where I think she may throw one of my daughters away to say she didn't do it. She says she keeps them so they can study for the final and she knows they're not lost-- but they don't even see them! She also mentioned other kids in her e-mail, and if I notify these parents, all hell will break loose!
use the < pre > tag to use copy paste paragraphs.
I went through a similar situation at a Catholic High School near Harrisburg PA. The teacher promised to help my daughter, then suggested that my daughter just wasn't bright enough to deal with the subject. He then set her up for failure in the next test.
I never pursued the situation because the Principal was not an advocate for me, she was staunchly supportive of the teacher.
I know you don't want to hear this, but "such is life".
My daughter went on to graduate magna cum laude from college and the unreasonable teacher died (he was very old).
In the words of Kenny Rogers, you gotta know when to walk away.
If you send your children to a government school, they are taught by government employees. They get a government education. You asked and you have received.
Sounds as if this particular teacher is being defensive and political, triggered by your insistence upon e-mail for a record of the discussion.
Chances are, this has happened before, for there to have been such a reaction. Don’t give the teacher any further opportunity to try to recreate a back story to protect herself at your daughter’s expense.
Use the principal as an intermediary, provide a copy of this marked test, not the original, to the principal. Make certain to all concerned that you will brook no retaliation or mistreatment, including grades.
The principal so quickly offering to move your daughter to a different teacher indicates that she or he is familiar with certain problems that this teacher may have as well.
Your daughter’s reputation clearly isn’t the only one at issue, here. Use this to her advantage, starting with the date of the test she supposedly missed. Do not tell this teacher when her one absence occurred. Let her trap herself with a lie right in front of the principal.
You are going to win this, because you have documentation. The one thing I’ve learned in covering local government for my newsblog is that if it ain’t in writing, it didn’t happen.
You’ve got it all in writing.
In addition to corresponding with the principal, you may want to clue in your school board member and the superintendent. That way EVERYONE in the chain of command is in the loop and can’t claim ignorance.
Also, it will show the them you know what you are doing and are prepared to take all necessary steps to fix things.
How about recording phone conversations? Then transcribe them onto email and sending a copy to yourself.
Former teacher here.
I used to keep all tests also. But, only AFTER it was sent home to be signed by the parents.
I kept them as documentation in case a problem ever arose. Not sure what this teacher’s angle is.
And mentioning other kids in your email? In some states i think that’s actually illegal, depending on what was said.
Your daughter also needs a system of her own to keep track of her own grades .
You have been a wise mother in rearing your treasure. I pray for you today that you will seek God’s wisdom in prayer for how you ought to proceed. If I were to allow myself a wild guess, I’d say the teacher is jealous of the achievements of your daughter, perhaps she has a child of her own she only wishes were doing as well. The most important thing is that you not allow this incident to wound your child’s spirit. It might be better to take the Principal’s offer to change classes, because the academic challenge that presents is probably better than dealing with a raging adult with a negative agenda; win or lose, this ain’t over for her. For yourself, ask God to help you to forgive; by His grace He may even show you great and mighty things.
Keep in mind emails can be faked much more easily than paper mail. You might want to resort to snail mail with signature confirmation. Make them understand that you’re serious. It costs, but your daughter is worth it.
Also, check out this site:
http://www.ratemyteachers.com/
You might pick up some interesting information on what other kids think of this teacher.
Yikes!
I’d be mad too.
Keep us posted on how this turns out.
Set up an appointment with the teacher and principle. Face to face. Bring your documentation and present the evidence to them. Be civil and calm.
If the evidence is as you presented it here there is no chance that you cannot win this argument. If the principle says no tell them you are going to the superintendent.
Under no circumstances become loud and offensive.
I would also talk to other parents as you might not be the only one with the same problem. At my wifes school one of the coaches was also half ass teaching biology and left in the middle of the year leaving half he grades not recorded. It screwed over several kids who were looking for scholarships.
Physically go to the school and explain that the situation is unacceptable and put the burden on then. DEMAND dont ask. You have your daughters other grades to help back you up. If you are stonewalled, go to the DISTRICT. Find a superintendent and show them your child’s grades and once again politely DEMAND. And use the word UNACCEPTABLE and stand your ground. These petty bureaucrats work for YOU.
If there are 2 parents to make sure both are present. Be polite but FIRM.
Why are you still subjecting your daughter to the abuse that is public education? If there is any future for this country lies in a massive move of children OUT of public education into homeschooling or private/parochial education. Even the private/parochial schools should be vetted for courses and content.
I can only say what I would do. I would use the word “bully” when describing this teacher’s behaviour towards my child when the principal calls. I would ask about the school’s anti-bullying policies and focus the conversation towards remedies using that. I’m sure it will not have any teacher “bully” language but I would pursue this course.
I feel for you!! I have a daughter who is a high school freshman and she has a 96 overall average so far. Her teachers love her and send home great reviews in her report card. So I understand!! If one of my daughter’s teachers randomly turned on her did this I would feel livid, helpless, and worried for her class rank, so I am empathizing that your state of mind is similar. I would be FURIOUS too!!
Unfortunately, this is life, and these things actually happen. It’s the worst part of being a parent, when something grossly unfair happens to our child and we are powerless to change it.
The best advice that I can think of is to get her switched out of the class. If a bad chmenistry has occurred, and it sounds at if it’s the teacher’s fault, there is little to be done, and you don’t want to have to go through the rest of the year like that. Unless, your daughter would then be in classes all day with no one in her circle of friends, which is very hard on a high school age girl. In that case, keep track of everything...
Good luck!! In the big picture this is good training for college, because this type of scenario is almost certain to occur somewhere along the way.