Inappropriate response from teachers at Elementary School Summer Program

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let’s all be honest: the teachers were laughing at the kid and the dad. The kid sounds like a piece of work and the dad talking him down from an anxiety attack was probably hilarious to them. OP was it an actual teacher or a para?

That is a HUGE stretch. Not everything a teacher does is about ONE KID and it sounds like unhealthy mental processing to assume it was. OP’s DH was there handling the kid, are the teachers supposed to stand around staring at him and looking concerned all day? That is absurd.

And yes, a kid kicking a metaphorical hornet’s nest and then having to deal with repercussions is called “natural consequences” and can be well-deserved and funny. Some kids act like like sh1ts at times, believe it or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You make no sense. The teachers don’t sound inappropriate. Is no one ever suppose to laugh around your kid?

DS was having an anxiety attack. DH was called to calm him down and was in the process of doing so. Why would the teachers be in the room laughing and giggling while DH is trying to calm DS and then make up a totally inappropriate reason as to why they are giggling. Are you saying that it is okay to tell an 8 year old that another child get stung by hornets is funny?

Do none of you speak native English? “Kicked the hornet’s nest” is just a phrase for doing something that blows back a negative outcome onto you. No kid was really stung by a hornet.

What are you going to report - inappropriate use of metaphors!

This was my thought. They weren’t actual hornets. It’s another way to say “f—- around and find out.”

[Anonymous]

OP is not asking if she should continue sending her child to summer school -- she's asking for help in holding these teachers accountable for their deplorable actions towards a student in their care so it goesn't happen again. Jeez, people, not everyone thinks only of themselves!!

I don't have advice, OP, other than to say call MCPS directly, not just the school. I would follow up a million times until I was confident something was going to be done.

I do know MCPS was begging for people to work this summer. Hopefully these are not teachers who usually deal with special needs kids.

Good luck, OP. You're doing the right thing for your own DS and everyone else who could come into contact with these horrible teachers.

[Anonymous]

I would not send a child who was threatening suicide to a mainstream school, supports or not. He needs a lot more specialized help. Teachers are not mental health professionals, they have a completely different (serious and stressful) job to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let’s all be honest: the teachers were laughing at the kid and the dad. The kid sounds like a piece of work and the dad talking him down from an anxiety attack was probably hilarious to them. OP was it an actual teacher or a para?

That is a HUGE stretch. Not everything a teacher does is about ONE KID and it sounds like unhealthy mental processing to assume it was. OP’s DH was there handling the kid, are the teachers supposed to stand around staring at him and looking concerned all day? That is absurd.

And yes, a kid kicking a metaphorical hornet’s nest and then having to deal with repercussions is called “natural consequences” and can be well-deserved and funny. Some kids act like like sh1ts at times, believe it or not.

Laughing at someone is never acceptable. MCPS spends loads of money teaching kids simple social lessons like this. Most of the kids get it. It is not appropriate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You make no sense. The teachers don’t sound inappropriate. Is no one ever suppose to laugh around your kid?

This. The teachers were talking amongst themselves, found something funny, and laughed. Your kid took their comment extremely literally, which is understandable for him, but you as an adult must know that that is just a turn of phrase and that no kid was actually hurt. The teachers were not going to disclose the actual details of their conversation about another student to your child, which would have been unprofessional, so they used a colloquialism. You need to explain this colloquialism to your child instead of blame the teachers.

And, you also should have known that summer school was not a good fit for your child. Don’t set him up to fail just because something is free.

I'm surprised what low standards you have for teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You make no sense. The teachers don’t sound inappropriate. Is no one ever suppose to laugh around your kid?

DS was having an anxiety attack. DH was called to calm him down and was in the process of doing so. Why would the teachers be in the room laughing and giggling while DH is trying to calm DS and then make up a totally inappropriate reason as to why they are giggling. Are you saying that it is okay to tell an 8 year old that another child get stung by hornets is funny?

Do none of you speak native English? “Kicked the hornet’s nest” is just a phrase for doing something that blows back a negative outcome onto you. No kid was really stung by a hornet.

What are you going to report - inappropriate use of metaphors!

This was my thought. They weren’t actual hornets. It’s another way to say “f—- around and find out.”

Yep: I think they were referring to your son OP. They were laughing at him. He was the one who “kicked the hornet nest”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would not send a child who was threatening suicide to a mainstream school, supports or not. He needs a lot more specialized help. Teachers are not mental health professionals, they have a completely different (serious and stressful) job to do.

Approximately 10% of elementary school kids have suicidal ideation. That's a lot of kids. They, and their parents, need compassion.

This discussion would probably be better on the special needs forum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Will your child attend this school in the fall? consider first emailing the teachers involved and/or cc principal. Why go over everyone at the school? That won’t look good for you or help solve anything.

This is the best advice OP. Your son is 8, so going into 3rd grade? Your family has 3 more years at the school. Escalating to the superintendent before addressing it with the principal is a bad look for you. Add to that that there is a very good chance that, as others have suggested, the teachers weren’t actually laughing at your child or anyone else’s. Honestly, if your husband was there with your son and there were no other kids in the room, the teachers (why was there more than one?) shouldn’t have even been in the room.
Unless this is the beginning of you trying to build a case for mcps to pay for private school (whole other issue), I suggest you bring it up to the principal and move on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Then do something about it besides post here, which actually accomplishes nothing.

No. It does accomplish a lot. Most importantly it informs the community and tax payers on how MCPS is wasting their money on these incompetent and these crazy teachers who lack sympathy and compassion for children. I have observed instances where para eats cherry, pullout the see from their mouth and drop it on child's desk. This is gross and remind you we are in the middle of COVID pandemic. Unacceptable behavior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Summer school is voluntary and only 4 hours a day. I would pull your child.

So what happens to recommendation? Why can't MCPS do their job properly?

[Anonymous]

Your child's needs sound serious OP. Shouldn't he have an aid in class?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You make no sense. The teachers don’t sound inappropriate. Is no one ever suppose to laugh around your kid?

This. The teachers were talking amongst themselves, found something funny, and laughed. Your kid took their comment extremely literally, which is understandable for him, but you as an adult must know that that is just a turn of phrase and that no kid was actually hurt. The teachers were not going to disclose the actual details of their conversation about another student to your child, which would have been unprofessional, so they used a colloquialism. You need to explain this colloquialism to your child instead of blame the teachers.

And, you also should have known that summer school was not a good fit for your child. Don’t set him up to fail just because something is free.

I'm surprised what low standards you have for teachers.

Does anyone know hat are the basic qualifications for a para educator at MCPS?
Also for a teacher, do you have to be a para first? What are the basic qualifications for a teacher?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You make no sense. The teachers don’t sound inappropriate. Is no one ever suppose to laugh around your kid?

This. The teachers were talking amongst themselves, found something funny, and laughed. Your kid took their comment extremely literally, which is understandable for him, but you as an adult must know that that is just a turn of phrase and that no kid was actually hurt. The teachers were not going to disclose the actual details of their conversation about another student to your child, which would have been unprofessional, so they used a colloquialism. You need to explain this colloquialism to your child instead of blame the teachers.

And, you also should have known that summer school was not a good fit for your child. Don’t set him up to fail just because something is free.

I'm surprised what low standards you have for teachers.

Does anyone know hat are the basic qualifications for a para educator at MCPS?
Also for a teacher, do you have to be a para first? What are the basic qualifications for a teacher?

I would say maturity, compassion and a basic level of caring for your fellow man are basics these teachers don't seem to have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You make no sense. The teachers don’t sound inappropriate. Is no one ever suppose to laugh around your kid?

DS was having an anxiety attack. DH was called to calm him down and was in the process of doing so. Why would the teachers be in the room laughing and giggling while DH is trying to calm DS and then make up a totally inappropriate reason as to why they are giggling. Are you saying that it is okay to tell an 8 year old that another child get stung by hornets is funny?

Do none of you speak native English? “Kicked the hornet’s nest” is just a phrase for doing something that blows back a negative outcome onto you. No kid was really stung by a hornet.

What are you going to report - inappropriate use of metaphors!

This was my thought. They weren’t actual hornets. It’s another way to say “f—- around and find out.”

Yep: I think they were referring to your son OP. They were laughing at him. He was the one who “kicked the hornet nest”.

That's the entire point.