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Sunday, November 6, 2011

I Let This Get To Me

Have you ever had a parent say something so hurtful, that your entire week was ruined because of it?  This week, was my week.  Bear with me, because I need to get this off my chest.


I have been blessed with a co-teacher who is also my friend, so we pretty much teach as one person, which makes life so much easier.  She speaks Spanish, I don't.  We have several parents who don't speak English, so they tend to only talk to her and never, ever talk to me, even if I try to be a part of the conversation.  In fact, this one parent, won't even look at me if I am standing there giving my input.
When it came time for our Hispanic Heritage projects, we assigned countries to the students and gave them a week and a half to do the project.  This same parent didn't have her child do the project because it wasn't their country.  My partner spoke with her and told her he would receive "F"'s as his grade, but still wanted him to do it so he didn't feel left out.  He turned it in 3 days late and we accepted it, but gave him the grades that were discussed with the parent.
Well, it turns out that this parent told her groupies that I gave him the F's because I am.... wait for it.... A RACIST!!!!!!   She in turn told my partner the same thing, who told me.  I got so pissed, yes pissed, that I had to confront her to clear the air. 
So I did, with my partner, talk to the mother and inform her that I am no where near a racist and that saying such a thing about me, is unacceptable.  I have done nothing but help her child be successful and went on to prove the points, she was not happy with my partner for telling me, but the way I see it, TOO DAMN BAD.
She never apologized, but of course the next day she made it a point to smile at me and I smiled back.  So, as far as that, it is over.  But my heart still hurts and even writing this hurts.  I just wanted to put it out into the blogosphere in hopes that once I hit submit, the pain will be released.  It won't, but here's hoping.

Thank you, my faithful friends, for listening.


7 comments:

  1. UGH! How AWFUL! You just know she will ALWAYS blame someone else for her lack of parenting. I'm so sorry. It's not as bad as yours but on Thursday I saw a parent that has not treated me well all year, but I smiled and waved at him and he seriously looked right at me, ignored me, and turned the other way! Now both he AND his wife have done that. What is wrong with people anyway?!

    Rowdy in First Grade

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  2. I had a parent tell my Principal I was bullying her son. She threw a HUGE fit, and threatened taking her son out of our school. I taught at a Private School. I was so upset. :( I shed a lot of tears over that one! I wish the parents could be flies on the wall some days... A LOT gets lots in translation from school to home in the mouth of a child!!

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  3. Dear Janine,
    If you have been teaching long enough this will happen to everyone. I am so sad that you had this horrible experience and I wish I could hug you.
    Yup, we have all had parents say unkind, hurtful things but you behaved like a true professional and I really respect you for that. Stick to your guns and do not change your policy because she does not support it. It is still your classroom. I don't speak Spanish either and I know this turns our parents off but I am in there working my *ss off and so are you. Any student in your room is lucky to have you and I will continue to remind you of that. Just to make you laugh I had a parent call me a b**ch once and I called a meeting with my administrator present and he apologized and ended up thoroughly embarrassed by his own immature behavior.
    Fran@kindergartencrayons.blogspot.com

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  4. That is AWFUL. I can totally understand why you're upset and it would have gotten to me, too!!!!! I hope this week treats you much better!!!
    A Teeny Tiny Teacher

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  5. Oh Janine...
    You are such a SWEET blogger and it is hard to imagine that people can be so hurtful to you. I heard a saying that really stuck, "Hurt people, sometimes hurt people." Perhaps she has been hurt and in turn is hurting others?! No excuses...but I pray that your feelings are mended.
    Love,
    Annie

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  6. I'm sorry, Janine, that you were put in that hurtful situation. It's probably not worth it to waste your energy trying to change their negativity, but I am sending you warm thoughts to comfort your hurt feelings. I've had a few parents in my career that have said/done hurtful things, and I have known I still had to see them on campus. My solution: When you see them, sing "church songs" in your head. They won't know why you are smiling, but you will!

    Best wishes for a better week

    Kim
    Finding JOY in 6th Grade

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  7. My dear faithful friends,
    Thank you so much for all of your encouraging comments and soothing words. Even though I have been teaching for many years, having a parent dislike you for whatever reason after you treat their child like your own, stings to the very core. I have printed all of your comments and am posting them on the inside of my calendar so I can read them and remember that I am loved by ladies who don't even know me! God is good, all the time.
    Blessings always to each and every one of you!

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