Kindergarden Horror!

Ducky was really looking forward to going to school today until his kindergarten teacher snapped at him for no good reason!


And for no good reason it was, I was there! This teacher was transferred from a grade 3 classroom to the kindergarten class and at first I had no problem with her until yesterday.


We get to school and I go over the drill with Ducky: take your rain boots off, hang up your coat and backpack, put your indoor shoes on sign your name (or scribble, whatever...).

Ducky starts doing exactly that. While he is doing this I noticed the teacher snapping at another child. Yelling at her about how she need to put her mail bag in the proper place and reprimanding her like a dog, "No!".


OK, I say nothing because like every other person in the world, we all have bad days. But the girl was 4 and all the kids are new to the school environment, calm down! They will get it!

Then I hear her with my son.


Teacher: "NO Ducky don't do that?"


Don't do what! I can't see where they are because they are hidden where the cubbies are.

Teacher: "Go get your mail bag and sign in"

Ducky: "I don't have a mail bag"


Let me first explain the "mail bag". I don't know if all schools do this or not but we get a mail bag, a Ziploc back that we provide in the beginning of the year, with his name on it where homework or information comes home in. We then return it with notes and permission slips so they are in one place. A great idea!


Teacher: "You do have a mail bag. GO GET IT!"

Ducky (frustrated and scared): "I don't have a mail bag


Me: Teacher, I'm sorry Ducky did not come home with a mail bag on Monday.

Teacher: Yes HE did! They are supposed to have it in their backpacks at the end of the day, I GAVE him his.

Me (embarrassed and a little irate that she is insinuating that my son and I are lying): I understand, but there wasn't a mail bag in his backpack on Monday.

Teacher: Well maybe one of the other kids put it in their bag by mistake.

Me (getting pissed off with the attitude I'm getting but being the bigger person): It happens, I just wanted to let you know the reason he doesn't have one was because one was not brought home on Monday.

Teacher: OK, Ducky go sign your name on the list.

Me: Oh, Teacher, Ducky also came home with a blue hat, it's not his, but we brought it back. It's in his backpack if one of his friends is looking for it.

Teacher: Ducky TOLD me it was his.

Me (amazed that she is giving me such a tone!): Maybe he did, but we brought it back.

Teacher: This is the SECOND time that this hat has been brought back.


Not my problem lady!

Me: It happens, Ducky's things have his name on. I just wanted to let you know that it's there if someone is looking for it.

Teacher: OK, Ducky, GO sign yourself in.


When my son turned around to walk away, I was mortified to see that he had his head slumped down and slowly walking towards the clipboard. He felt like he had done something wrong and he could not fix it! I never want to see my son hurt like that by his teacher again!


Luckily, the custodial staff at the school is a friend of mine and kept me composed whispering behind me to "walk way!".


I called out to my son to come back and ran towards me. I gave him a huge hug and looked him in the eyes and said "You did nothing wrong". I could tell it made him feel better.


No one has ever talked like that to me! At least without reason! Snapping at kids about a plastic Ziploc bag is insane! If I was my son's age and some treated me like that I would have pissed myself! And not only that she hollered at me in front of other staff, parents and children! NO NEEDED!


I decided when I went to pick Ducky up I was going to have a talk with her because I had stuff to say to her, and I had a whole day to stew! Instead, my son saved me from myself and ran towards me and said "Let's go home, mommy".

(Ducky at 2 years old)

This talk can wait.




Update: Had to point out that my husband was the best about the entire situation yesterday. He got so upset and yelled " No one talks to my wife like that". I fell in love all over again!

Even Better Update: Teacher called today to talk about the reason why my son feels like he is not being listened to (read about the blue hat above). We had a great chat and she is now been taken off my "shit" list. Bonus points for the principal for dealing with the issue in such a timely matter!