What about the next child that causes a distraction? Are you going to keep requesting separations? Children should be taught they are the ones responsible for their own actions. Period.

Another teacher might handle their behavior differently, in addition to the new dynamic of the classroom. Bottom line tell your kid to behave and enforce consequences at home if he doesn't.

I would give the teacher a heads up via email, written form. With 20 plus kids, if you only talk it will get lost in the translation.

You don't need to say that the other child has behavior problems. You can just indicate that when the two of them are together, they can get carried away, even though they are both usually good kids. Teachers are very familiar with this phenomenon. Even if you don't bring it to the teacher's attention, if it does happen again this year, she will quickly figure it out. I do think that there's a good chance that both kids have matured over the summer and it is possible it won't be as big an issue this year.

OP,
Do the other kid's parents know about the issues in the past between the two, and do they agree that they need to be separated? If not, please be careful about contacting the school and please do not bring up the other child's name. If I was the other mom, I would be quite angry that someone was telling the new school and new teacher that my kid had behavior problems. Give the kids a chance to have a fresh start. They may just surprise you.

At this point, just let it go and give the new teacher a chance to deal with the situation. He/She may have more effective strategies than the last teacher.

Anonymous wrote:Are you going to follow your child to college and select their professors? How about to work to select their boss?

OPs child is 8. There are plenty of things I do for my child that I don't expect to do when they are older. I changed his diaper, cut his meat, washed his hair, and held his hand crossing the street and now that he's 11 I don't. Now I still drive him hone from practices that end late, help him edit his papers and share insights with his teacher. One day I won't do those things either.

Are you going to follow your child to college and select their professors? How about to work to select their boss?