I thought I was rid of her!

Shadow_Ferret · Nov 4, 2008

Last year if anyone recalls, I had several incidents with my son's first grade teacher. The most famous was the pencil sharpener incident which I blogged about and since deleted (unless you know my shadow_ferret word press blog, it's still up there) because I didn't want any retributions going on.

Anyway, now it's 2nd grade, new teacher, things are great, kid loves school, and all was thought to be well.

Except the school, because of class sizes, has sort of combined first and second grades in the afternoon for things like art and gym and music and such.

So he still has to see the 1st grade teacher.

My son has been a Barak supporter all this time, despite our plans on voting the other way. Well, funny, but over time we've changed to where we're now going to vote for Barak and yesterday at school they had a kid's election and he voted for McCain.

Why?

Because his first grade teacher told him that Barak is FOR ABORTION!

Shit. C'mon. Why are you telling 8-year-olds this shit? I understand it's a religious school, but that's crossing over the line. Now I'm pissed. Planning on writing a scathing letter (I'm good at those) because it's not any of her business to tell the kids that.

So I explained in the car that with all the problems with economy, Wall Street, mortgages, the war, foreign policy, and so on that abortion should be way down on that list. I thought it was better than saying, "You know, your mom and I are Pro-Choice and think your teacher is a fecking meddling idiot."

astonwest · Nov 4, 2008

Some days, I'm glad I don't have kids...

sassandgroove · Nov 4, 2008

You are right, it isn't any of her business.

I won't comment on your voting choice, however.

Shadow_Ferret · Nov 4, 2008

sassandgroove said:
You are right, it isn't any of her business.

I won't comment on your voting choice, however.

Good. We can still be friends then.

regdog · Nov 4, 2008

That teacher should shut her mouth and mind her own business. I don't know how much of an issue you want this to become but if it was my child(Not that I have any) I'd report her to the school board.

Shadow_Ferret · Nov 4, 2008

It's a private Lutheran school. We don't have a board. Just a Principal who likes to avoid confrontation. I already anticipated his response to be, "Have you discussed your concerns with the teacher?"

Thus the scathing letter.

Mr Flibble · Nov 4, 2008

Your school talks to 8 year olds about abortion? *boggle*

Religious or not that's just wrong. What in Hel's knickers happened to having a childhood?

Perks · Nov 4, 2008

That's just outrageous, SF. Someone would get a strongly worded letter. Now I want to know what happened with the pencil sharpener.

TerzaRima · Nov 4, 2008

Shit. C'mon. Why are you telling 8-year-olds this shit? I understand it's a religious school

Because it's a religious school, and the salaries are lower, you're going to get more than the standard dose of nutbars with poor boundaries and a desire to Mold Young Minds. I sat through many a sociopolitical rant about abortion or social justice or what have you when I was about your son's age, and none of the parents said anything because, well, nobody criticized nuns.

Honalo · Nov 4, 2008

regdog said:
I don't know how much of an issue you want this to become but if it was my child(Not that I have any) I'd report her to the school board.

Yeah, you know - that's the kind of thing that really has to be reported up through the ranks. It's a horrible comment, and how awful to make your child feel so uncomfortable.

A letter to the school board could possibly be made public - I've seen issues such as these blow up at school board meetings and then get into the local papers (via reporters such as myself), so if you fight the fight you might want to prepare yourself for more coverage than you're comfortable with.

But I say rake the woman through the coals anyway.

TsukiRyoko · Nov 4, 2008

I had many teachers like this when my parents made me go to a private Catholic school (I lasted one year there before they kicked me out for being too opinionated and willing to butt heads with every teacher there

). My science teacher was a terrible teacher- despite her subject, she taught "creationism". "There is no evolution, there are no crust layers of the earth, god makes tsunamis to kill the damn communists and Japs." AND THEY LET HER CONTINUE TO WORK THERE.

I don't mean to offend anyone who sends their kids to private schools (I'm sure some private schools are excellent), but... it's definitely not my choice of schools. There's no regulation of how they conduct themselves aside from the principals or headmaster/mistress, and that leaves too much room for corruption.

astonwest · Nov 4, 2008

TerzaRima said:
Because it's a religious school, and the salaries are lower...

Not sure about schools in your area, but around here, people pay big dollars to send their kids to private religious schools...so I'd say the salaries are adjusted accordingly.

Shadow_Ferret · Nov 4, 2008

Perks said:
That's just outrageous, SF. Someone would get a strongly worded letter. Now I want to know what happened with the pencil sharpener.

Ask, Perks, and ye shall receive.

http://shadowferret.wordpress.com/2007/10/25/teachers-kids-parents-and-pencil-sharpeners/

qwerty · Nov 4, 2008

I'm shocked that an eight-year-old kid is even educated to know what an abortion is.

That teacher is a bigot and should be removed from influencing minds that young with her own agenda. I can well sympathize with parents wanting to lash out, but it's the kid who has to go to school everyday, face this teacher and deal with any aftermath of a parent making waves. And I know from experience that bigots like that are not beyond taking it out on the child.

Unless you can go to some high authority to handle this, the best route may be to talk to your son at home and influence him with your own beliefs.

maestrowork · Nov 4, 2008

Ed, send that letter to the school, the school board, and everyone. It's not something a teacher should be talking to an 8-year-old about.

HeronW · Nov 4, 2008

Unless the 8 yr old in question is having an abortion--the teacher should shut the f--k up. Remind the blinder wearing twit that there is still separation of church and state, so if she wishes to voice her political opinion, do it on her own time, outside the classroom.

Backing you up on this one SF, jeez, *chewing nails and spitting tacks*.

astonwest · Nov 4, 2008

It would be interesting to see how many people are against a teacher talking about abortion in school, compared to elementary school libraries keeping tabs on the material they put in the stacks...

Or providing sex ed...

Shadow_Ferret · Nov 4, 2008

Honestly, I don't have context, just my son's brief statement that she said Obama is for abortion. So I don't know what the real discussion was about. If the school had some sort of sex ed. program, which I'm not sure they even do, I'd think abortion would be appropriate there.

So it's less that she mentioned abortion and more that she's trying to influence the kids on how to vote that got me upset. Especially when I think abortion is a much less important issue than the dozens of other problems facing us today.

maestrowork · Nov 4, 2008

I agree that the teacher should be teaching civil duties, etc. etc. and allow the kids to vote instead of trying to influence them one way or another. Plus the "abortion" angle is just icky to be saying to 8-year-olds.

Jaycinth · Nov 4, 2008

Well....you know what I would both do AND say...

...but I doubt that is legal in most of the United States.

Wear. A. Mask.

Shadow_Ferret · Nov 4, 2008

Jaycinth said:
Well....you know what I would both do AND say...

...but I doubt that is legal in most of the United States.

Wear. A. Mask.

Like a Halloween mask? Yeah, this is the same teacher that I"ve ranted about before who destroyed my son's love of Halloween and he refused to dress as anything that might "encourage the devil."

SHUTUP!

Thanks for reminding me of that JC, now my anger is really focused.

MissKris · Nov 4, 2008

astonwest said:
Some days, I'm glad I don't have kids...

Every day I'm glad I homeschool.

There was a similar incident with a teacher at a school in my neighborhood wherein a teacher verbally assaulted her LDS (mormon) students for their religious beliefs. Public school, not private or religiously affiliated. Amazing stuff.

writerterri · Nov 4, 2008

I would have already reported that freak to the main education office. That's just wrong.

CaroGirl · Nov 4, 2008

If your son is relating the information to you accurately, that teacher needs to be reprimanded for spreading falsehoods, at the very least. There is no such position as "pro-abortion". No one is PRO abortion. The opposite sides of this issue are anti-abortion and pro-choice.

This kind of thing makes a body want to homeschool.

Jaycinth · Nov 4, 2008

Shadow_Ferret said:
Thanks for reminding me of that JC, now my anger is really focused.

Don't mention it.

Now that your anger is focused, I suggest a latex full body suit to go with the mask.

Not only will it show off your rugged, manly attributes, but it will reduce the chance that you will leave DNA lying about.

I thought I was rid of her!

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