my 7 year old's teacher has been thumping him on his head and?

Question

she grabbed him by the arm and made him fall out of his desk. i talked to the principal and he got very defencive with me. i asked that my son be moved to another teacher,he said it was impossible, and that i could find another school. i dont really want to do that, as a parent, do i have the right to move him to another teacher? the teacher told me herself that she had been thumping him on the head when he wasn't paying attention. and i refuse to send him to her class until this problem has been resolved. the school is acting like im over reacting,but i saw a change in him since this september since school started.he will cry when i drop him off in the morning and say i dont want to go to school. hes never done that before. so am i over reacting? ill be dammed if some lady who i trusted with my child evoryday is going to treat my child this way ,and destroy his self asteem. since i found out he's been alot happier and it seems like a big weight has been lifted off his sholders

we have a meeting with the principal and my sons teacher tomarrow

the principal suggested that i leave my son in her class and hell make her promise never to do it again. but thats not good enough for me. wuld you sen you child to school with a teacher like this?

Answer 1

Threaten legal action. Contact a lawyer and explain the situation. Most schools will do anything to avoid this type of thing. Threaten to go to the papers and news outlets. Threaten it, and if they don't rectify the situation, follow through.

Contact the other parents of the kids to see if this is just happening with your son or with other kids too. It is not ok that she is laying her hands on your son. Contact the super-intendent. They will listen to you. This is not ok. Fight for your son!

Answer 2

I would be pissed and would raise hell. I don't care what the principal said. I'd confront the teacher and tell her the next time she lays a finger on my son she have my fingers on her. Call the cops. I'll be damned of some twit of a teacher thinks that she can continue to make my son feel unsafe or scared to attend school. Even if my son was being disruptive that is no excuse to lay a hand on them. Children can be bad, we all know, but that give us the right to physically show them how to behave. She has a mouth, so use it. Isn't that why the principal is there? Once the teacher has tried all she can the child is sent to the principal and the parents are notified. Don't let them make you feel that can walk all over you. I had a teacher like this when I was about 9 or 10 and she made school hell for me. I never told my mom b/c I was so scared of the teacher. If this happened to my children, knowing firsthand how it feels I would do everything I can to fix the situation. Let the school board be aware of this situation if the principal refuses to help. Go to your local tv station and report this woman. I'm sure there are other children/students who are afraid/having problems with this woman as well.

Answer 3

As a parent you have the right to request a different teacher. You also have the right to take your child out of school and homeschool. Not only is homeschooling a better education for your child, but it also creates a bond between the two of you. If you are a little scared of the thought of homeschooling, have no fear, it's easy and tons of fun. Most museums have free days and science experiments become a blast. When you go to your meeting use the threat of taking your child out of the school district entirely. This will usually get you the results you want, because with all schools it all comes down to the money. Each child that walks onto the campus has a dollar sign above their head. They may act like the child comes first, but your situation just proves that wrong. If the principal is standing up for the teacher, then your child's future at the school will continue to be a problem with any teacher. You may want to also contact local T.V stations. They are always eager for a good story and the school will hate the bad rap it gives them. Stand up for what you believe is right and don't back down. You child will be thankful and love you even more for it.
Good luck and love to you and your child!

Answer 4

that is absolutly not acceptable behavior for a teacher. I would flip out if that was happening to my kid. Regardless of weither or not he is paying attention, she has no right to thump him on his head. Not only is that mean but, it is embarrassing him in front of all the other kids in the class. Have you talked to other parents? Does the teacher do this to all the students? Other parents may have a problem with her doing this too. I would spread the work among the parents. School is supposed to be fun and a great experience for a child especially as young as 7, he should not be upset about going to school. That is really sad. Why is she grabbing him by the arm? What is that about? Unless he is hurting himself or another child she has no right to grab him! I would go over the teachers heard and the principal as well. Go to the superintendant or someone with a higher authority in the school. This is not acceptable. I would fight to have him placed in a different classroom with a teacher who loves her job and actaully deserves their teaching license. Obviously this teacher does NOT. Stay stong and fight for your son! Good Job!

I had to add more now that I saw what you just added....That is not good enough that the principal is going to say that he will make sure that she never does it again. Is he going to be in that classroom everyday with her? I don't think so. Do not agree to his terms. You need to let that teacher know tomorrow that she is not going to get away with treating your son like this or any other child for that matter! Unbelieveable!

Answer 5

Oh wow! What I would want to do to that teacher! It would be illegal, I'll tell you that much. I'm mad just from reading that! I would suggest calling the media in on this. They love this type of thing. You will get your message out. The teacher may be doing this to all the kids and in part, you need to protect them. I know first and foremost is your child. Can you send him to another school? I know for many parents that's not really an option. You could also contact your local Legal Aid [if you are low income] and ask them for help. This teacher should be fired. I think if you got the media involved the school might feel the need to either fire her or do something about this behaviour. I would not let my son go back to that class either. I can imagine how angry you must be. I'm angry with you!!!

Answer 6

I would turn both the principle and the teacher in to the department of education as well as the board of education. Have you talked with the superintendant? I would also consider homeschooling. I homeschool my children and it has many benefits. I do not have to worry about the teacher my child has every year, or the mounds of homework that take away childhood, or the bad influences, or peer pressure...you get the idea. All you need to homeschool is a highschool diploma or its equivalent. You do not need to be a teacher or anything even close. It does not need to be sitting down to books all day..you can intertwine life and learning (the un-schooling method) as most do. It is easy, makes the day go by more smoothly and you decide what your child learns in particular subjects. Look on this site. It is based for Pennsylvania but should be similar to basic guidelines. You can check into your state for more thorough details that may vary. www.askpauline.com

Answer 7

This is definitely wrong. You shouldn't have to change schools just teachers. Nobody is allowed to lay a finger on your chid. If they aren't causing real physical harm, they are causing emotional abuse. A child who has been emotionally abused may:

• Display behavioral problems or changes such as shunning a parent's affections — or, alternately, becoming excessively clingy — or acting angry or depressed. Abused children often show extremes in behavior: A normally outgoing and assertive child may become unusually compliant and passive, while a generally mild child may act in a demanding and aggressive manner.

• Become less talkative or stop communicating almost completely, or display signs of a speech disorder such as stuttering.

• Act inappropriately adult or infantile. For example, a child may either become overly protective and "parental" toward other children, or revert to rocking and head banging.

• Be delayed physically or emotionally, walking or talking later than expected or continuing to have regular temper tantrums. But since every child develops at a different rate, it can be difficult to determine whether a developmental delay stems from abuse.

• Complain of headaches or stomachaches that have no medical cause.

You are doing the right thing. If the principal won't move your child, I would write call the board of education and ask them who you need to talk to in order to switch classes. Good luck

Answer 8

Go to the principal and demand that something is done about the violent teacher and that your son gets moved to a nicer teacher. If that doesn't work go to the school board and complain. If that is not working, get a lawyer and sue the school and if that was my kid, I'd be pressing charges against that teacher and that teacher can face jail time.

Answer 9

I have sort of a problem with my son, too, and I too feel like the school is putting the blame on me, the parent. He doesn't want to go to school, there's a lot of crying and, honestly, I have felt like a failure. I have seen other kids not happy about the school but somehow it is more intense in my son's case. I am doing all I can, they suggested social worker, WTF ? I was like OK, let me think about it. Until, I started to read books. And you know what, I don't care if other kids are more independent, I don't care if other kids don't have to go to the loo every five minutes ( after he had 'an accident' at school, because of some stupid rules about going to the bathroom), I am not going to apologize for anything anymore. My son's problems are because of the teacher, she 'broke' him, she's to fix it. All kids are different, the mature emotionally and physically at different times, they acquire things at different level at different times. Somehow, the school forgot all about that. I am so pissed. Don't be a victim, if you have to change the school - if the kids is stressed because of the teacher, then the problem is with the teacher.

Answer 10

That teacher is a total B*tch. I would be furious. Get your son outta that woman's care....she will only get worse and treat him even more badly once you talk to the principal. You have every right in the world to move him to a new teacher. Just be sure to talk to the new teacher and tell her/him what the issue was with the other teacher so that she hears your side of the story.

Answer 11

As a mother you have every right to be upset and to bring it to the schools attention! As a teacher I am saddened that a teacher would resort to a childish behavior! It's one thing to tap him gently on the head or shoulder to get his attention, another to thump him on the head or grab his arm- that is crossing a line! I'm sorry to hear the school is so nonchalant about it and unwilling to work with you. I don't see how it is impossible to switch him, esp. at the beginning of the year 2008. I would pursue it to get some justice because you have every right to. I wish you the best of luck!