When is it legitimate to ask for a change in teachers?

[Anonymous]

What does a teacher have to do before it's legitimate to ask for a change? I know it's late in the year, but I'm thinking about asking that my child be removed from a teacher who has been giving her grief all year. I think it was a personality difference to begin with, but now it's an ongoing grudge on the part of the teacher where my DC is constantly criticized and treated differently from other kids in the class. It's getting so bad, she's having physical stress symptoms. She does not want to go back to school on Monday, and is already having stomach cramps.

I know schools frown on changing classrooms, but I've tried talking with the teacher and trying to improve things in the classroom for my little girl. The teacher denies everything and makes light of what my DC says, but other kids confirm that she is treated differently, as have parents who have volunteered in the classroom.

What can I do?

[Anonymous]

Your child has 2.5 months left in the year. They are not going to make a change.

[Anonymous]

I asked for and received a teacher change for my kid very early in the year.

Actually, the school offered it.

There were specific, concrete things that the teacher did and said, including talking in a disparaging way about diagnosis like adhd to my kid that made my kid believe that adhd kids are bad (other kids).

I don't know how you would swing it at the end of the year.

What grade OP?

[Anonymous]

I have worked in an elementary school in a classroom support capacity for many years. I have seen teachers treat students like shit. Like deliberately make them cry and then laugh about it, for instance. Sometimes the whole class, but more often they single out kids they don't like. I, and others, have brought this to the attention of admin and gotten nowhere with that. Often admin are either intimidated by teachers like this or actually think they have no power. Or they throw a bandaid on it.

It baffles me why parents don't scream loudly about this crap every single day and demand a change. If you can, fine other parents whose kids are experiencing the same, maybe some from previous school years. About the only thing that might work is parents who won't take no for an answer. Also, sometimes admin is just waiting for the complaints because they've been told to document.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have worked in an elementary school in a classroom support capacity for many years. I have seen teachers treat students like shit. Like deliberately make them cry and then laugh about it, for instance. Sometimes the whole class, but more often they single out kids they don't like. I, and others, have brought this to the attention of admin and gotten nowhere with that. Often admin are either intimidated by teachers like this or actually think they have no power. Or they throw a bandaid on it.

It baffles me why parents don't scream loudly about this crap every single day and demand a change. If you can, fine other parents whose kids are experiencing the same, maybe some from previous school years. About the only thing that might work is parents who won't take no for an answer. Also, sometimes admin is just waiting for the complaints because they've been told to document.

It is so sad that administrators who don't do their job, and begin the process to get rid of teachers like this, are allowed to keep their own jobs. I am a teacher and we had a sub last year who left notes for the teacher. In it, she described the kindergarten students as animals. Not only did my principal make sure that sub wasn't ever allowed to sub anywhere ever again in our district, she filed a formal complaint with our state certification agency. I've been teaching a long time, and in all those years, I've personally heard or witnessed 4-5 teachers say horrific things to kids. The things they said were so bad I had to speak up to my principals. All took action, one teacher lost her job, another was pushed into early retirement and the others were sanctioned in other ways. Don't stop speaking up. And if you work in a school where the above quote happens, you have a professional responsibility to go over the principal's head. Superintendents have a responsibility to do something if their principals do not.

[Anonymous]

I have no firsthand experience with my own kids, but I can tell you that a child just got transferred into my DC's classroom from another class a couple weeks ago.

[Anonymous]

If you have documented, solid reasons, then it is legitimate.

But, think carefully before requesting it. Will things really be better? Remember, that your child will be placed in another class that is already stable and that has established routines. It is very likely, that the new teacher will not appreciate the disruption--especially if her class is already larger than the other class. That does not mean your child will be treated poorly, but, the teacher may be resentful.

I taught once in a situation like this--it was not at my grade level. Of course, those teachers who received kids from the other class just felt the principal should solve the problem instead of transferring kids out. I think at the end of the year, the troubled teacher had a very small class. She was fired at the end of the year--but, should have been let go much earlier. (She was placed at our school on probation from another school in the system. She did not improve.)

[Anonymous]

The year is nearly over. Logistically, this would be a nightmare, and frankly fairly unreasonable to request. If you wanted a change, you should've acted earlier. At this point, she needs to suck it up and just get through the rest of the year. Besides, it's a good life lessons and should give her a bit more true inner strength and grit.

[Anonymous]

We went through something similar, and were so unprepared for it, that we did try to just wait and let things work themselves out, empower our child to say her truth both to us and to her teacher, we tried to reframe the teacher’s words and actions in the most positive light for our child...we talked to the administrators and we had a few more one on one meetings with the teacher trying to resolve things in as supportive way as possible...it didn’t work. By the time we were in full on protective mode the school doubled down on it being too late in the year to change things up. We regretted waiting so long to make a stink, and things did just get worse till the end of the year. Next time, we would react at the first sign of trouble and not be so willing to work on things.

[Anonymous]

The truth is that if you're this unhappy with the teacher, then the teacher is probably just as unhappy with you and your daughter. But while the teacher may request that your daughter be moved to another classroom, it is very unlikely to happen. If you want it to happen, then you should get into the Principal's office tomorrow morning first thing and demand that it happen. Then all three of you (you, your daughter, the teacher) will be happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The truth is that if you're this unhappy with the teacher, then the teacher is probably just as unhappy with you and your daughter. But while the teacher may request that your daughter be moved to another classroom, it is very unlikely to happen. If you want it to happen, then you should get into the Principal's office tomorrow morning first thing and demand that it happen. Then all three of you (you, your daughter, the teacher) will be happy.

You forgot about the new teacher--who will not be happy.

[Anonymous]

They can certainly make the change. Put your concerns in writing and let the principal know if the request isn’t honored you will appeal over their head. They don’t want that. You stick up for your kid and reference your kid’s mental health. Ask if they want this on the front page of the Washington Post. If you have already tried to resolve this with the principal’s knowledge I would alert their supervisor, too. Bullying cannot be tolerated, and your child is suffering. I’m getting a new kid in my class this week. It happens. Not a huge deal.

[Anonymous]

My son’s 4th grade teacher definitely singles out one student in particular in the classroom. I have witnessed it on multiple occasions. It’s terrible. The boy’s parents are aware of it but he remains in the class. I don’t know if they tried to change the teacher but I would definitely stop at nothing to have my child moved if it were me. The worst part is the other students now ostracize this one child and say he’s bad. He is most definitely not bad.

I had my other son’s teacher changed mid-year when he was in 2nd. The teacher refused to follow the IEP. The principal was very quick to move him once I showed documentation of the refusal. The new teacher welcomed my son with open arms. I’m so glad I spoke up.

[Anonymous]

Can you move a child if they are being bullied? It's not the teacher, it's the students in the classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They can certainly make the change. Put your concerns in writing and let the principal know if the request isn’t honored you will appeal over their head. They don’t want that. You stick up for your kid and reference your kid’s mental health. Ask if they want this on the front page of the Washington Post. If you have already tried to resolve this with the principal’s knowledge I would alert their supervisor, too. Bullying cannot be tolerated, and your child is suffering. I’m getting a new kid in my class this week. It happens. Not a huge deal.

Yes, throwing up the escalation, mental health and media cards won't get you showcased on the Loony Mom Wall at the school. We welcome such emails, especially when one email contains all 3 cards