Student-teacher dynamics vs. parent-teacher dynamics

Thomas Cruz15 said:If someone hopped on here right now and told another user, "Are you actually stupid or just pretending?" would they get a strike?
Totally.
Because "We don't talk like that here. That's insulting the other person."
So basically, an anonymous user gets penalized for insulting another anonymous user on a forum. But the real uproar is because some authority figure—whatever that means—told a student they were being stupid or acting stupid.

Honestly, I don't think any penalty is enough, especially since she didn't even wait to be prompted before insulting a kid in front of the whole class. She should've done the right thing on her own. Then again, I don't think she deserves to be fired over it either. There just needs to be some kind of system to track these mistakes. If this stuff keeps happening? Then yeah, she's out.

If User A asks User B if they're stupid or just acting that way, User A gets flagged.

What do you think—should User B also get flagged if they fire that same insult right back at User A? 🥳

I honestly can't find a single post here where anyone is actually calling for the teacher to be fired.
I've looked, but I really can't find it.
🤷

Most people are talking about a formal warning or some kind of disciplinary action—something meant to serve as a wake-up call for her and her colleagues that this behavior isn't acceptable. But seriously, nobody has said she needs to be fired on the spot.
And of course, there's plenty of criticism regarding how she acted. The way she spoke and the content of what she said just wasn't professional given her role and position.🙂
We definitely need to have an open, critical conversation about that.

What’s funny, though, is how quickly a whole crowd of self-appointed defenders of teachers popped up to criticize parents and kids.🥳
It feels like we're split into two camps.
Like two fortresses just waiting for a battle to break out.

If you try to look at this from an individual perspective or just try to see the situation through one person's eyes instead of looking at the core issue, you get zero points.
It's like everyone is just following the same script.
😢

By the way, everyone seems to be forgetting one crucial part of why the teacher's apology matters: if the little boy hadn't come home and told his mom (and she was smart enough to check with the other kids first to get the full story before bringing it up at school), this whole thing would have been swept under the rug. There would have been no apology, no correction of behavior, and who knows—maybe she would have made even more mistakes down the road...
In that case, the school would basically be accepting that it's perfectly fine to tell people they're "stupid," and that attitude would just carry on all the way through high school.

When I mentioned that respect has to be earned, I was primarily thinking about the fact that if someone approaches a student at the very start of 5th grade with such disrespect, how on earth can they expect to earn the respect of that student or anyone else in the classroom?
😕

wanderingbadger44 said:If User A asks User B if they're stupid or just acting that way, User A gets flagged.

What do you think—should User B also get flagged if they fire that same insult right back at User A? 🥳

Punishment only works if it’s actually fair. Both sides involved in the drama need to be handled appropriately.

My point was just that the mods shouldn't let things devolve into a total gutter fight.
PS. I've never posted in the trash threads, so don't go tossing me in there. 😬

Alex Barnes8 said:I didn't get the impression it was being hidden from the whole class, per se. It felt more like the kid just froze in the moment.

The teacher is new to him in middle school, so maybe she isn't aware.
Even though the author mentioned it’s noted in his file.

Maybe she missed it, ignored it, or perhaps she just doesn't know anything about dyslexia.

Persephone keeps avoiding my questions about how to work with students facing similar struggles, so I suppose this is probably the most common scenario.

Not me either, but seeing how much people are freaking out about it... it’s like they think the rest of the class doesn't know and it would be embarrassing to say it in front of them.
But honestly? If everyone knowing was just considered normal, wouldn't saying it be fine?
It's actually kind of weird that none of his friends jumped in to "clarify" to the teachers that their buddy has dyslexia.

I wish I could find people who actually care about this in my own circle... I just graduated high school, so the memories are still pretty fresh. I can't tell you how many times teachers called us stupid (either to the whole class or just one kid), morons, brainless, or even worse.. just a bunch of lovely compliments, really. But in my experience, nobody seems to think it’s an issue because, well, they're the teachers, so they basically have total control 🤷
The CEO of Možda might think otherwise, but she wouldn't dare say anything to those same teachers since they don't really respect her authority.

OT I don't think you should quit immediately, but you definitely need to look closer and maybe drop in on some classes.. I'm not sure what all the options are for checking up on things. There are probably plenty of other "compliments" being thrown around that kids just don't report. Maybe not, but who knows. If something like this happens again—just walk away.

I really hope your child is feeling better after being insulted. Kids are so sensitive at that age; I know I was, and everything negative hits so much harder back then. Try to build up their self-esteem as much as possible, because I'm sure you realize you won't be able to shield them from everyone forever. Not everyone is going to apologize, and not everyone who says something hurtful is going to face consequences. Of course, I'm not saying the teacher's behavior is okay—it's awful—but there are a lot of professors out there like that. It's important to help your child toughen up a bit 😁
And yet, here we are chasing justice because of "educators" like this.
Good luck 🙂

Raymond Rivera6 said:It happened. I went to meet with the homeroom teacher first—an official introduction, really—to lay out the issue. The teacher in question was summoned as well, and she gave me this line about how she had no idea my child was struggling. Honestly, I find that hard to swallow, considering the school records clearly state that the student is supposed to be on an individualized learning plan, but I suppose I’ll let that slide for now. I made it very clear that I don't want a repeat of this situation. I told her that if there are any further issues or ambiguities, she should feel free to reach out directly since my number is in the directory. I mentioned that I used to have a wonderful relationship with the previous teacher and expressed just how disappointed I am by this approach, which does nothing but undermine a child's confidence. Still, for the sake of my kid's well-being, I told her I was willing to move past it this once.
Today, my child tells me they actually stood up in class and gave a little monologue about how even adults make mistakes and shouldn't treat others the way they were treated.
Truthfully, I'm not satisfied with how this wrapped up. In my mind, the teacher deserved some kind of disciplinary action, but since transferring to a different classroom isn't an option, I ended up taking the path of least resistance.

This part really jumped out at me.
Dyslexia or not, whether there’s an underlying issue or not—no teacher, period, has any right to call a child stupid.
Sure, she apologized, and fine, credit where it's due, but does that apology hold the same weight if the kid didn't have a learning disability?

Rachel Jones8 said:Honestly, wouldn't it be super weird if that class didn't already know? They've been together for four years.
If his dyslexia was kept a secret between his parents, him, and the teacher—like it was something shameful to hide from the other kids—then someone really messed up there.

I really hope everyone calling for her to be fired over one mistake—without even considering her apology or her actual effort to fix things—has had a few jobs they lost themselves along the way.
...Not talking about quitting on purpose, but actually being let go because of a mistake that's unforgivable.
Because let's face it, nobody's perfect.

Rachel Jones8 said:Not me either, but seeing how much people are freaking out about it... it’s like they think the rest of the class doesn't know and it would be embarrassing to say it in front of them.
But honestly? If everyone knowing was just considered normal, wouldn't saying it be fine?
It's actually kind of weird that none of his friends jumped in to "clarify" to the teachers that their buddy has dyslexia.

Personally, I don't see anything positive or helpful about a child standing up in front of the whole class and saying, "I have dyslexia" just because they made a mistake.

In my view, it’s perfectly fine that the boy didn't say, "I messed up because of my dyslexia," and it's also fine that the class didn't go to the teacher and say, "Hey, just so you know, he has dyslexia." 😕
What would the teacher even do with that info?
Would she look foolish for not knowing?
Or would she just feel a wave of pity? Or worse, might she snap and say, "Why are you making excuses? That's not in my records"? 🥳
No matter how you look at it, it wouldn't help the kid, and I worry the backlash could be pretty damaging...

But yes, the teacher absolutely should have been informed about the basic needs and characteristics of every student.
She should have taken the time to get to know them before jumping straight into assessments and grading.

I don't see any benefit in having students perform on the board or take tests during the first week or two.
Unless, of course, it's just a way to assert authority. 🥳

Rachel Jones8 said:Not me either, but seeing how much people are freaking out about it... it’s like they think the rest of the class doesn't know and it would be embarrassing to say it in front of them.
But honestly? If everyone knowing was just considered normal, wouldn't saying it be fine?
It's actually kind of weird that none of his friends jumped in to "clarify" to the teachers that their buddy has dyslexia.

It could be anything, I suppose... 🤷

To me, it’s even weirder that the teacher reacted that way, especially since the student's dyslexia is clearly noted in the school records.

If this happened because she's unaware—and if it's common for American teachers to be out of the loop here—then maybe there's a larger issue within the school system.

I'm not saying any of the teachers on this forum are like that, but I guess it's easier for an indifferent or lazy teacher to claim everything is made up.

Easier than actually reading a book, taking extra training, or having a little patience, I guess...

Thomas Barrett84 said:This part really jumped out at me.
Dyslexia or not, whether there’s an underlying issue or not—no teacher, period, has any right to call a child stupid.
Sure, she apologized, and fine, credit where it's due, but does that apology hold the same weight if the kid didn't have a learning disability?

And would she even bother apologizing if the mother hadn't gone to the principal to complain?

Thomas Cruz15 said:If someone hopped on here right now and told another user, "Are you actually stupid or just pretending?" would they get a strike?
Totally.
Because "We don't talk like that here. That's insulting the other person."
So basically, an anonymous user gets penalized for insulting another anonymous user on a forum. But the real uproar is because some authority figure—whatever that means—told a student they were being stupid or acting stupid.

Honestly, I don't think any penalty is enough, especially since she didn't even wait to be prompted before insulting a kid in front of the whole class. She should've done the right thing on her own. Then again, I don't think she deserves to be fired over it either. There just needs to be some kind of system to track these mistakes. If this stuff keeps happening? Then yeah, she's out.

If mistakes happen over and over, sure—something has to be done.

But threatening someone with termination over one mistake? Leaning toward punishment instead of cooperation? Honestly, that’s the wrong way to go about it.
If the person is decent, if they own up to what they did... and if they actually intend to do better next time... I think building a relationship based on mutual respect and solid communication is way more constructive. Nobody wins when you just go for revenge or try to get satisfaction by throwing around threats of being fired.
You gain so much more from a real human connection. And that’s what matters most for the kid.
Maybe this teacher will end up being way better than whoever replaces her, especially if she genuinely realizes where she messed up and works hard to fix it.
If she turns out to be a problem or keeps making these kinds of slips, then obviously there have to be consequences.

Btw, I wonder how many parents would actually rush down to the school to complain if a teacher made a "mistake" that actually ended up benefiting their student?

Rachel Jones8 said:Honestly, wouldn't it be super weird if that class didn't already know? They've been together for four years.
If his dyslexia was kept a secret between his parents, him, and the teacher—like it was something shameful to hide from the other kids—then someone really messed up there.

I really hope everyone calling for her to be fired over one mistake—without even considering her apology or her actual effort to fix things—has had a few jobs they lost themselves along the way.
...Not talking about quitting on purpose, but actually being let go because of a mistake that's unforgivable.
Because let's face it, nobody's perfect.

wanderingbadger44 said:Alkar Kajperinja, damn! 👍

Don't lose track of the clock (😁); the opening post mentioned the child already changed schools. 🙂

Generally speaking, I can't help but feel this whole discussion wouldn't even exist if the teacher had sincerely apologized and owned up to her error. This isn't about a mother seeking vengeance; it's about a desire for the teacher to genuinely realize that treating a student this way is unacceptable. Because that acknowledgment never came, the mother is understandably bitter.
(That is just my take, though I don't actually know what the original poster is thinking).

copperlynx22 said:Don't lose track of the clock (😁); the opening post mentioned the child already changed schools. 🙂

Generally speaking, I can't help but feel this whole discussion wouldn't even exist if the teacher had sincerely apologized and owned up to her error. This isn't about a mother seeking vengeance; it's about a desire for the teacher to genuinely realize that treating a student this way is unacceptable. Because that acknowledgment never came, the mother is understandably bitter.
(That is just my take, though I don't actually know what the original poster is thinking).

It’ll be the whole class traveling together, likely moving from a smaller rural district over to a larger hub like Chicago or maybe Atlanta.

If he hasn't even finished the entire school year yet, I just don't see how his mother could claim to be on such good terms with those parents. It feels like there simply hasn't been enough time in a single school year for that kind of bond to actually form.
Rachel Jones8 said:

I can't help but feel that none of these discussions would even be happening if the teacher had just been honest and owned up to her mistake from the start.

Hjao, I have to admit, I find myself completely captivated by this whole discussion.😁 How would you even go about measuring if her apology is actually genuine? I wonder if we’d need a polygraph test or something just to find out the truth.

Rachel Jones8 said:

It feels a bit like watching a rhinoceros charge through a glass house—all that heavy, unstoppable momentum just crashing into everything in its path without any regard for the delicate things it leaves behind. kaže: I’ve been scrolling through the threads for a while now, trying to find that specific post where someone was asking about getting married or dealing with a cancellation, but I just can't seem to track it down. But honestly, I just can't bring myself to do it. 🤷

I honestly can’t seem to find a single thread where anyone actually defends her actions or considers what she did to be the right way to handle things. 🤷 I feel like I could spend all day scrolling through dozens of different forums where people are constantly being threatened with termination.

Thomas Barrett84 said:This part really jumped out at me.
Dyslexia or not, whether there’s an underlying issue or not—no teacher, period, has any right to call a child stupid.
Sure, she apologized, and fine, credit where it's due, but does that apology hold the same weight if the kid didn't have a learning disability?

It’s almost like there wouldn’t even be a need to offer an apology to a child who hasn't done anything wrong, because if the mistake never happened in the first place, you wouldn't find yourself in a position where an apology is necessary. In a perfect world, the kid would just look over what was written, spot the error themselves, and either fix it right then or reach out to talk about it.

It feels like there’s an underlying implication in what you’re saying, almost as if you’re suggesting she’s hurting the kids just because of the sports they play.
Rachel Jones8 said:

It’s funny how some things just strike you with such heavy, unmovable force, much like the sheer weight of a rhino charging through the brush. I'm not sure I follow what you mean by that. In my view, it’s perfectly fine if the boy didn't explicitly say, "I made a mistake because of my dyslexia," nor did his classmates step in to tell the teacher, "Just so you know, he struggles with dyslexia."😕 If she doesn't have that specific insight, what is she even supposed to do with it?

Following that line of reasoning, there wouldn't be any need for her to receive formal written documentation either. What purpose would that serve?

hiddenseal14 said:Seriously, can you imagine how nightmareish it must be to work in a place where teachers are actually treated with respect?

What a bunch of backward primitives. Absolutely disgusting.

If you're talking about parents asking why they didn't just give their kid a smack when they misbehaved, then I think you might be mixing up "respect" with being totally old-school and backward.🥳

Rachel Jones8 said:If mistakes happen over and over, sure—something has to be done.

But threatening someone with termination over one mistake? Leaning toward punishment instead of cooperation? Honestly, that’s the wrong way to go about it.
If the person is decent, if they own up to what they did... and if they actually intend to do better next time... I think building a relationship based on mutual respect and solid communication is way more constructive. Nobody wins when you just go for revenge or try to get satisfaction by throwing around threats of being fired.
You gain so much more from a real human connection. And that’s what matters most for the kid.
Maybe this teacher will end up being way better than whoever replaces her, especially if she genuinely realizes where she messed up and works hard to fix it.
If she turns out to be a problem or keeps making these kinds of slips, then obviously there have to be consequences.

Btw, I wonder how many parents would actually rush down to the school to complain if a teacher made a "mistake" that actually ended up benefiting their student?

It really depends on which school we're talking about. And which subject.😁

See, my little one is still in elementary school. He has an A in physics, even though he barely understands enough to pass with a C. Honestly, everyone in his class gets grades based on whatever the parents want. This guy is one of those teachers who just doesn't give a damn about whether the kids actually know anything about the material; all he cares about is being liked by the majority and acting like a buddy to the rowdiest kids in class.😁

Of course, the kids absolutely adore him, but you wouldn't believe how many parents (myself included) are actually filing complaints against a professor like this. Some go to the homeroom teacher, some to the principal, the school board, or even the PTA... because the kids aren't learning anything in physics, and they're going to run into massive problems with that lack of knowledge when they hit high school.

Now, if this teacher were at my kid's high school, I honestly wouldn't have a problem with him, because physics isn't a subject my son needs for his future career path, but in this situation...

Justin Chavez6 said:I've read through this whole thread. I have the title of "teacher," but definitely not the actual job, thank God. I only ever did one single hour of student teaching with a group of fifth graders. Do you want to know what the very first thing I heard was when I walked into that classroom and caught a comment drifting in from the back row?

“Man, I’m gonna screw this up!”

Fifth grade.

Just a few minutes before that, I was standing outside the faculty lounge with some colleagues, just waiting for our mentor to assign us to our specific classrooms. In those five minutes, a couple of eighth graders drifted by with cigarettes in their hands; one kid was actually so bored he just swung open the door to a classroom where a lesson was already in progress. There was this teacher, probably in his sixties, standing there by a map of the world, and this kid just bursts in and yells, “Hey, Piksi, Piksi... how's it going today?”
The teacher politely asked him to close the door, but the kid thought it was hilarious and wouldn't budge. The teacher just looked exhausted—he basically gave up and just endured it until the kid got bored.

My lesson actually went pretty smoothly after that initial "greeting." Once my practicum was over, we sat down in my mentor's office to chat. She told me that when she was young, she used to cry a lot. Like, crying at night kind of a lot. She said she could always pick out the most problematic kids after class and would try to talk things through with them, but honestly, it rarely did anything. She mentioned that nowadays she’s tougher and just doesn't let it get to her as much.

A friend of mine from college is teaching in a school right now. She says it isn't terrible; she can manage the students well enough, but it's the parents that are the real headache. Someone else mentioned this earlier, too—how at the end of the school year, parents come storming in demanding better grades. She usually just gives them the grade they want because she honestly can't be bothered to argue, especially if the kid actually tried but the results just weren't great.

She told me about this one time a parent contacted the homeroom teacher accusing a specific instructor of not liking their son. The teacher basically had to explain that his job isn't to "like" the kid.

I could go on about pedagogical methods. Back in college, I sat through all these pedagogy lectures. While things like didactics are actually super helpful when working with kids, pedagogy felt like a joke to me even back then. All that stuff like, “If a student is restless during class, give them a task to redirect their attention toward something constructive, blah blah blah...” At the time, I seriously wondered if the author of that textbook had ever even stepped foot in a real school, let alone taught in one.

Someone asked why people in the profession seem to feel more empathy for the teachers than the children in cases like this. For me, my sympathy shifted toward the teacher the second I read that a mother wasn't just looking for an apology, but was actually looking for revenge.

Then you have people calling for private schools, imagining this fantasy where they’ll finally be the bosses of the teachers. Sure, but have you actually considered if you could afford that? You might end up in a situation where, due to lack of funds, you're sending your kids to public schools staffed by people who are way less creative and have zero drive.

All these insults claiming that people only end up in teaching because they aren't good at anything else are just nasty and completely untrue. It's mostly just shots in the dark from people who can't make a real argument. Look, not everyone who majors in English wants to be a novelist, and not everyone who studies Art History wants to be a museum curator. It's not like you don't realize how life works once you graduate and start hunting for a job. Some people find other opportunities and move on, some start as substitutes and eventually land a permanent spot, and others finish a totally different degree and just take a teaching certification course to get into the field.
My impression—and I'm not saying this is an objective fact—is that college doesn't really teach you how to be a good educator. They try, but I think it's something you either have or you don't. Knowledge and techniques are two different things. That's just how it is.

I really think funding is a massive issue in education. It's not just about teacher salaries; it's about having the resources to actually run a quality classroom. One of my colleagues literally buys supplies for her lessons out of her own pocket.

And finally, a story from my college days. We had this one professor who everyone called a dragon. She would absolutely shred you during an exam, often accompanied by insults. The material was huge, so the exam was split into four parts. Like everyone else, I thought passing this exam would be the end of my life. But you know what happened? Nothing. You just had to learn the material deeply. Since a few of us were always in her office, I had the chance to hear what other students were saying. Believe me, some of them were truly bottom-of-the-barrel. And yeah, she was cruel and bitter. She knew exactly how to make a student cry, and occasionally a mother would show up at the college too. “She was always such a perfect student, the professor must be the problem.” By the way, in terms of teaching quality, she was actually the best professor I had. Years after I graduated, I saw her in the news. A group of former students had banded together to try and get her fired because they claimed she was mistreating them.

See, the thing is, those teachers teaching your kids are someone else's children too, and their parents probably raised them to be precious little angels who can never be criticized, so if that means lowering the bar just to keep everyone happy, then that’s what happens, and now they’re the ones standing at the front of the classroom because nobody was ever allowed to tell them they were being slow or making mistakes.

P.S. Just to be clear, my comment about people being called stupid isn't meant to target the specific situation this mom described here, since I think we can all agree the teacher handled herself poorly, the mom did the right thing by going to the principal, and the teacher actually did the decent thing by apologizing publicly, so really the only debate left is whether an apology is enough or if she deserves to get kicked to the curb, but personally, I think the apology settled it.

It makes perfect sense why most people here are appalled by such arrogant, rude, and undisciplined kids, along with their lazy parents.

But have you ever stopped to wonder—and I mean all of you in the profession—how many of these students are actually the children of educators?

In my kid's school, there are an astonishing number of them.

Take my daughter's classmate, for instance; her mother is a math teacher at an elementary school on the other side of town. When the teacher told the girl to stop doodling (😲) because a new lesson was starting, the little one just coolly brushed her off, saying her mom would explain it to her later since her mom knows math better than the teacher does.
Second grade.

Then there is my son's classmate, an incredibly cocky and aggressive boy whom none of the teachers seem to take seriously. Perhaps it's because his father is a professor over at MIT? 😁

We mere mortals—the parents—can't help but feel that children of educators get special treatment in schools (whether they actually work there or not) simply because of what their parents do. Birds of a feather flock together, right?
And clearly, they are severely lacking in basic manners at home.

James Perez54 said:It really depends on which school we're talking about. And which subject.😁

See, my little one is still in elementary school. He has an A in physics, even though he barely understands enough to pass with a C. Honestly, everyone in his class gets grades based on whatever the parents want. This guy is one of those teachers who just doesn't give a damn about whether the kids actually know anything about the material; all he cares about is being liked by the majority and acting like a buddy to the rowdiest kids in class.😁

Of course, the kids absolutely adore him, but you wouldn't believe how many parents (myself included) are actually filing complaints against a professor like this. Some go to the homeroom teacher, some to the principal, the school board, or even the PTA... because the kids aren't learning anything in physics, and they're going to run into massive problems with that lack of knowledge when they hit high school.

Now, if this teacher were at my kid's high school, I honestly wouldn't have a problem with him, because physics isn't a subject my son needs for his future career path, but in this situation...

Total miss, if you ask me.
Look, the issue here isn't even about some specific mistake the teacher made with our kid once or twice. It’s about the overall teaching quality and the lack of actual care for the student... it's about the lack of expertise, not just that one grade on the report card. If that A actually reflected real knowledge, I don't think any parent would be this upset over one unearned grade, right?

Picture this... a parent storms in to complain about a C-grade their kid "didn't deserve." It’s got nothing to do with how the teacher actually runs the class, or the fact that nobody else in the room even understands the subject. Ever seen that happen?

wanderingbadger44 said:It’ll be the whole class traveling together, likely moving from a smaller rural district over to a larger hub like Chicago or maybe Atlanta.

If he hasn't even finished the entire school year yet, I just don't see how his mother could claim to be on such good terms with those parents. It feels like there simply hasn't been enough time in a single school year for that kind of bond to actually form.
Rachel Jones8 said:

I can't help but feel that none of these discussions would even be happening if the teacher had just been honest and owned up to her mistake from the start.

Hjao, I have to admit, I find myself completely captivated by this whole discussion.😁 How would you even go about measuring if her apology is actually genuine? I wonder if we’d need a polygraph test or something just to find out the truth.

Rachel Jones8 said:

It feels a bit like watching a rhinoceros charge through a glass house—all that heavy, unstoppable momentum just crashing into everything in its path without any regard for the delicate things it leaves behind. kaže: I’ve been scrolling through the threads for a while now, trying to find that specific post where someone was asking about getting married or dealing with a cancellation, but I just can't seem to track it down. But honestly, I just can't bring myself to do it. 🤷

I honestly can’t seem to find a single thread where anyone actually defends her actions or considers what she did to be the right way to handle things. 🤷 I feel like I could spend all day scrolling through dozens of different forums where people are constantly being threatened with termination.

It’s almost like there wouldn’t even be a need to offer an apology to a child who hasn't done anything wrong, because if the mistake never happened in the first place, you wouldn't find yourself in a position where an apology is necessary. In a perfect world, the kid would just look over what was written, spot the error themselves, and either fix it right then or reach out to talk about it.

It feels like there’s an underlying implication in what you’re saying, almost as if you’re suggesting she’s hurting the kids just because of the sports they play.
Rachel Jones8 said:

It’s funny how some things just strike you with such heavy, unmovable force, much like the sheer weight of a rhino charging through the brush. I'm not sure I follow what you mean by that. In my view, it’s perfectly fine if the boy didn't explicitly say, "I made a mistake because of my dyslexia," nor did his classmates step in to tell the teacher, "Just so you know, he struggles with dyslexia."😕 If she doesn't have that specific insight, what is she even supposed to do with it?

Following that line of reasoning, there wouldn't be any need for her to receive formal written documentation either. What purpose would that serve?

One can tell from a mile away, especially during an in-person encounter IRL.

James Perez54 said:It really depends on which school we're talking about. And which subject.😁

See, my little one is still in elementary school. He has an A in physics, even though he barely understands enough to pass with a C. Honestly, everyone in his class gets grades based on whatever the parents want. This guy is one of those teachers who just doesn't give a damn about whether the kids actually know anything about the material; all he cares about is being liked by the majority and acting like a buddy to the rowdiest kids in class.😁

Of course, the kids absolutely adore him, but you wouldn't believe how many parents (myself included) are actually filing complaints against a professor like this. Some go to the homeroom teacher, some to the principal, the school board, or even the PTA... because the kids aren't learning anything in physics, and they're going to run into massive problems with that lack of knowledge when they hit high school.

Now, if this teacher were at my kid's high school, I honestly wouldn't have a problem with him, because physics isn't a subject my son needs for his future career path, but in this situation...

I honestly believe we're witnessing a slow but steady shift in the cultural tide. It’s going to take reaching a certain tipping point where enough parents start demanding actual substance and real academic rigor from our schools for their kids. Right now, though, those types of families and students are still very much in the minority.

It feels like we’re watching a slow-motion train wreck when you look at how low American students' literacy and math scores have fallen lately. It’s honestly pretty alarming, and while we’re sliding downhill, you can already see certain parents starting to push for a shift in the system. There’s this growing idea that we need to move toward private education, but not just any private schools—we need ones that offer the exact opposite of what the current public system provides. Instead of coasting, these schools would focus on building deep, rigorous knowledge and instilling actual work ethic and a sense of responsibility, much like the high standards you see in successful educational models overseas.

It’s much like how some families choose to bypass the local public school system entirely, opting instead for elite private academies because they have the financial means to do so. We see plenty of students enrolling in our private institutions who might not have met the rigorous academic benchmarks required by the major state universities, or perhaps they simply find the intense pressure of a high-stakes public high school to be a bit too overwhelming for their learning style.

Right now, parents are essentially footing the bill for the privilege of just getting through high school. We’re going to have to hit an even lower point before we see a shift where parents actually start paying for specialized programs that prioritize real-world skills and actual expertise, but I truly believe that transition is coming.

It feels like we’re just moments away from finally hitting rock bottom.

Susan James said:Personally, I don't see anything positive or helpful about a child standing up in front of the whole class and saying, "I have dyslexia" just because they made a mistake.

In my view, it’s perfectly fine that the boy didn't say, "I messed up because of my dyslexia," and it's also fine that the class didn't go to the teacher and say, "Hey, just so you know, he has dyslexia." 😕
What would the teacher even do with that info?
Would she look foolish for not knowing?
Or would she just feel a wave of pity? Or worse, might she snap and say, "Why are you making excuses? That's not in my records"? 🥳
No matter how you look at it, it wouldn't help the kid, and I worry the backlash could be pretty damaging...

But yes, the teacher absolutely should have been informed about the basic needs and characteristics of every student.
She should have taken the time to get to know them before jumping straight into assessments and grading.

I don't see any benefit in having students perform on the board or take tests during the first week or two.
Unless, of course, it's just a way to assert authority. 🥳

And I didn't say I saw anything good or useful in it.
Honestly... I wouldn't find that weird at all. Not like there’s anything tragic about it, right?
Yeah, I don't think she would've even thought to ask a kid if they were playing dumb... especially not after finding out the truth. Would that kind of thing even slip out of her mouth then?
If that actually happens... then I’m totally on board with the final warning.
Quincy:

No matter how you look at it, that’s definitely not something you’d want for a kid. I'm worried the damage would just be too much...

Nah, I wouldn't bet on it. If that's how you see it, fine, but that doesn't mean you're actually right.
Quincy:

I mean, shouldn't the teacher have known the basics about every kid? Right?

Duh, obviously. No argument there.
Quincy:

Honestly, before she jumps straight into grading everyone, shouldn't she give herself and the kids a chance to actually bond first?

I'm with you on that.
Quincy:

I don't see any point in doing all those drills and tests during the first or second week. Why even bother? Besides just leaning on authority. 🥳

Since he was just scribbling stuff on the whiteboard, who knows if that was actually a knowledge test? Maybe there was a mention of testing later on, but I didn't catch any.
Maybe it was just some low-key way to break the ice? You know, just something casual to get to know each other?

Rachel Jones8 said:And I didn't say I saw anything good or useful in it.
Honestly... I wouldn't find that weird at all. Not like there’s anything tragic about it, right?
Yeah, I don't think she would've even thought to ask a kid if they were playing dumb... especially not after finding out the truth. Would that kind of thing even slip out of her mouth then?
If that actually happens... then I’m totally on board with the final warning.
Quincy:

No matter how you look at it, that’s definitely not something you’d want for a kid. I'm worried the damage would just be too much...

Nah, I wouldn't bet on it. If that's how you see it, fine, but that doesn't mean you're actually right.
Quincy:

I mean, shouldn't the teacher have known the basics about every kid? Right?

Duh, obviously. No argument there.
Quincy:

Honestly, before she jumps straight into grading everyone, shouldn't she give herself and the kids a chance to actually bond first?

I'm with you on that.
Quincy:

I don't see any point in doing all those drills and tests during the first or second week. Why even bother? Besides just leaning on authority. 🥳

Since he was just scribbling stuff on the whiteboard, who knows if that was actually a knowledge test? Maybe there was a mention of testing later on, but I didn't catch any.
Maybe it was just some low-key way to break the ice? You know, just something casual to get to know each other?

Interesting thought. Maybe. Or maybe that’s exactly why she said what she said. Now she’s gone and branded herself to her students as this super intense, even harsh teacher—the kind who has zero patience for ignorance and won't hesitate to call you an idiot right in front of the whole class. Like, "don't you dare show up to my period unprepared." 👍

And the kid in the story? Just collateral damage.

😁