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In a home context, grabbing a book like HHTM and not allowing it is fine. That’s your home.

Here’s the thing. The teacher must have had a role in assigning children to bring something to read before the class, yes? Then maybe she should have been more explicit in what sort of material was appropriate to bring.

The child brought something the teacher found unacceptable. Fine. You can either shame the child and make them wonder what they did that was so wrong or you can allow them to have their moment, praise them for their reading skill (which is likely the whole point of the assignment in the first place) and then spent a moment discussing with the class any ideas you thought were confusing/upsetting. In some circumstances, you might even take it up with the child’s parents so you can avoid the situations in the future.

In other words, act like the adult instead of the dictator and you’ll receive more trust and confidence from the children and they will be more likely to follow your lead.

Here’s the thing. The teacher must have had a role in assigning children to bring something to read before the class, yes? Then maybe she should have been more explicit in what sort of material was appropriate to bring.

Just to be clear, the complaining woman is a teaching assistant. It is likely that the teacher encourages free reading, but the assistant didn't like the choice.

The child brought something the teacher found unacceptable. Fine. You can either shame the child and make them wonder what they did that was so wrong or you can allow them to have their moment, praise them for their reading skill (which is likely the whole point of the assignment in the first place) and then spent a moment discussing with the class any ideas you thought were confusing/upsetting. In some circumstances, you might even take it up with the child’s parents so you can avoid the situations in the future.

In other words, act like the adult instead of the dictator and you’ll receive more trust and confidence from the children and they will be more likely to follow your lead.

You aren't trying to bring reason to this thread, are you???

I still vividly recall and resent being forbidden to read (or even -HORRORS!- touch) a 3rd grade school library book on space flight because I was only in 2nd grade and it was above my level.

I also remember the total sh!t storm she found herself in when she confiscated my personal copy that my mom bought me that very night.

Odd that harsh discipline, bad grades and sh!t assignments for yours truly started as soon as that meeting was over. Very subtle, though, nothing one could definitively point to and call her on...