What would you do if a teacher pushed your 7yr old off a chair?

Question

He is a bright student and was talking to his friends in class - the teacher lost it and caled him a Silly Boy and pushed him and his chair over. I have taken it to the school and the teacher appologised but never admitted pushing him. According to other parents she has had complaint letters written about her before. A few other parents said that their children told them that he had been pushed. Do you think I should take this further. NSW Australia

I wrote a letter to the principal. She arranged a meeting that morning. The teacher runs the school band and the word is that the school will not do anything about her because they do not have another band teacher. I am a bit wary about taking it to the department as she is the sort of woman who will pick on kids and be really nasty. I have already changed schools once as a teacher targeted another child of mine.

Answer 1

I don't know what the guidelines in Australia are, but I can tell you that if she did push your child she needs to be removed from the teaching enviroment. What did your principal say? Was he the least bit remonstrative? He is there to protect your child, not the teachers. If your principal didn't solve anything, go to his supervisor. Make sure you have statements from parents and children as to what happened and anything you can prove has happened before. Keep talking, writing, calling, until you get some reassurance.

Answer 2

I think you should take this much further, I am in the military and currently serve as a drill sergeant. The school is trying to take care of this internally and does not want it to go to the school board. I know because we do the same thing. If there have been complaints about this teacher or staff member before then that individual needs attention. Yes contact the school principal or headmaster and if you are not satisfied go up the next level. I don't know about Australia but in the U.S. we pay the teachers salary through taxes and I am not paying a teacher to push around my kids.

Answer 3

You have followed the appropriate steps by raising this with the school principal. Seeing as though they're are merely sweeping it under the carpet, if I were you I would write to the Education Department in NSW stating what measures you would like them to take against the teacher.

I would add that you should not feel pressured into changing your children's schools. This can be a traumatic event for your child to cope with at 7.

Best of Luck.

Answer 4

I understand how political it can get - I'd be hesitant to create a situation that would get my child more negative attention from the teacher. On the other hand, the band teacher doesn't have any pull with the district attorney, who can prosecute her for misdemeanor assault on a child. Personally, I would press charges, because clearly being civil and expecting the school to handle it isn't going to work.

I'm right now imagining my daughter's dad laying that teacher out, I'm angry just thinking of a teacher doing that. I wish you the best of luck with this.

Answer 5

Omg! That teacher should not be teaching! The best thing you can do for your kid and the rest of the kids is to file a complaint and speak to an attorney. A person who snaps like that around children is completely unstable and dangerous to the kids he/she is with. Your child needs to know that you will do whatever it takes to protect him/her and if she's going to be nasty it will only be until she's booted out of the school. You may want to call your local news station too. If she's being watched carefully she'll be less likely to take it out on the children. If you're child knows they can trust you to protect them they'll feel safer to come to you in the future for any other problems/situations that can be dangerous to them.

Answer 6

Yes,that teacher is doing a very wrong thing, not only by not addmitting but also by giving a very very wrong punishment.I definitely think you should take further.Think about it, what kind of a teacher pushes a student off a chair for talking in class,and that too such a young boy.Take it further this is your child you are talking about.Rest is your desicion.

Answer 7

Yes, you should. For the sake of your child as well as for his whole class, ultimately also for the teacher in question. Why put up with such behaviour? You can take it further by being strongly assertive, and securing that everybody knows you put your child's benefit first. I know how you feel; I've been there. But remember it's your duty also to protect your child and represent him in cases such as this one. The teacher will rethink her conduct when faced with multiple complaints. And after all, your son deserves a loving, caring teacher to guide him and not a problematic one.

Answer 8

File a complaint and schedule a meeting with the school's principal. No teacher has the right to touch your kid.

Answer 9

Yes if it was me there is no way in the world i would let her get away with it, She has assaulted your 7yr old son and this is not appropriate behaviour for ANYONE let alone his TEACHER an apology is not acceptable in this instant especially as this is obviously not the first time she has caused call for complaint! She should not be teaching if she cannot control herself.

Answer 10

I would take it as far as possible to get that teacher out of there- she should NOT be working with children all day if she doesn't have the patience to treat them with respect. Could you press criminal charges against her for assault?

If the school environment becomes too hostile, I would pull my child out of school and homeschool.