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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think this teacher was very rude indeed!!!

201 replies

TheLadyEvilStar · 20/10/2010 12:20

OK DS1 is not the easiest pupil at times but the Monday he asked his french teacher if he could take his blazer off as he was hot. She told him not unless he asked in french, and apparently other pupils told him as well - I didn't think they had a right to tell another pupil what to do. Anyway - DS1 told her he felt dizzy and was too hot but she told him no he couldn't, rightly or wrongly he did anyway.

Yesterday I spoke to the head of house and expressed my concern that he had already informed the teacher he was feeling unwell and yet she wouldn't let him remove his blazer unless he asked in French. She said she agreed with me that it was wrong and she would have a word with her.

Roll on today the said french bitch teacher called me not 6 minutes ago and basically repeated what DS1 had said to me, I explained my feelings which are - and I quote "Some children are so much quicker at learning languages, I am 35 now and have never been brilliant at it"

The bitch teacher then replied "Now be quiet and listen to me, I am older than you"

I replied "Excuse me, I am not a pupil, I am the mother of a pupil"

She didn't like that and ended the call.

I am fucking furious, I have left a message for the head of house to call me ASAP.

OP posts:
PerpetuallyAnnoyedByHeadlice · 20/10/2010 12:52

it was rude and unprofessional, unacceptable to address an adult in that way WHOEVER you are and whatever your position in relation to them

just as i would never speak down to my kids' teachers because i am older than them

let us know what response you get, i bet the teacher is dreading you reporting her, she knows it was inexcusable herself

HannahHack · 20/10/2010 12:52

My mother is a teacher and has to try very hard sometimes to snap out of 'being the teacher' mode.
There has been many an embarrassing incident where someone's mobile has gone off in church etc and she has spun round with angry, head teacher face only to realise it is an old lady! To be fair she is embarrased by it.
This french teacher probably hung up because she is mortified. I have seen other teachers do it to parents too, and then go bright pink and grovel an apology. Or just hide.

Rentaghoste · 20/10/2010 12:53

Madame Affreuse. Est-ce que je peux enlever mon blazer si ca ne vous derangez pas?

booooooooooyhoo · 20/10/2010 12:54

definitely unacceptable for her to speak to you like that. the head needs to know she is doing that and she needs to be told not to.
call teh head now and tell her/him exactly what was said. don't leave it til later. do it staright away.

Original poster
TheLadyEvilStar · 20/10/2010 12:54

Not the main concern, I know, but I did smile at your indignation at the other students telling your DS that he had to take his blazer off - "I didn't think they had a right to tell another pupil what to do."

It was the way she said "The other pupils and I told him to ask in french"
All very well and good but not helpful if you freeze up is it? if you have 30 people telling you what to do you will panic more.

OP posts:
FingonTheValiant · 20/10/2010 12:55

that's a rubbish translation by google!

Puis-j'enlever ma veste? would be better, but I'd be astounded if a yr 7 came up with that! I've tutored GCSE candidates who couldn't manage it.

Totally unreasonable of the teacher, I always give them the phrase and then get them to write down and repeat.

Outrageous that she spoke to you like that, I assumed she must be French until you said not!

FingonTheValiant · 20/10/2010 12:56

x-posted by loads sorry! Am one-handed at the mo

phipps · 20/10/2010 12:57

YANBU.

Respect has to be earned. It isn't a right because you have had more birthdays than someone else.

Original poster
TheLadyEvilStar · 20/10/2010 12:57

I was dialling the head of house before she had even hung up due to the way sehe spoke to me.

Rentaghoste - SHOWOFF

OP posts:
Rentaghoste · 20/10/2010 12:59

Ha, I'm sure its not quite right - and I called her Madame Horrible!

Original poster
TheLadyEvilStar · 20/10/2010 12:59

Sorry, I should have said he has just gone into yr8. He is just not good at languages. Bet he would whoop her ass in English hehe

OP posts:
biteydracson · 20/10/2010 13:01

Please can I take off my blazer: Puis-je enlever mon blazer, si vous plait? (Google version is rubbish - too literal)

I am too hot: J'ai trop chaud.

I also had to make all requests in French in French lessons at that age. Was a long time ago though at a school that was old-fashioned even then!

FingonTheValiant · 20/10/2010 13:02

Even for a year 8 that's quite an ask. They have to have studied school uniform, how to form questions, and know the verb "to take off" - and then put it all together under pressure. Hideous!

Beb · 20/10/2010 13:03

My old school was very strict on blazer-wearing, and we always had to ask our teachers before we took them off. In french class, you had to ask this in french. Its "Puis-je prendre mon blazer". Phonetically its "Pwee-jay prondray mon blazer", or something along those lines.

I think the teacher is perfectly reasonable in asking your son to make the request in french - it would be something that is expected of ALL year 7 children, and probably has been for many years. If a child is hot enough, they will at least attempt to say it. So I think your son was wrong to remove his blazer, and you should have acknowledged this, but still, the teacher's phone manner was rude.

Original poster
TheLadyEvilStar · 20/10/2010 13:03

It is ridiulously hard isn't it.

I don't knwo what else I can do to help him speak french he just doesn't pick it up.

OP posts:
Original poster
TheLadyEvilStar · 20/10/2010 13:04

Beb, so what if a child just doesn't "get it" and freezes when put on the spot? they should remain too hot?

OP posts:
Rentaghoste · 20/10/2010 13:08

Its one thing if its established practice and the children regularly do this, having learned the phrases, its another to thing if one child is singled out for ridicule when feeling ill and then the teacher is rude to the parent.

Original poster
TheLadyEvilStar · 20/10/2010 13:09

It is a new thing since they went into yr8. so a month

OP posts:
Beb · 20/10/2010 13:10

Its not ideal, of course not. But if he can manage it in English, he's only being asked one sentence, so surely he can manage it in french. Get him to practice it 10 times a day, so this problem doesnt occur again. If public speaking is his problem, then surely asking to take your blazer off in front of the class is no different than answering a question or asking to go to the toilet, so I would personally thing that in High school, this is just something he needs to accept and deal with (harsh as it sounds).

I'm not disagreeing that this teacher was rude, she was. But I think the rule that children must ask in French is reasonable, and your son has to abide by this.

ZZZenAgain · 20/10/2010 13:12

what have you done about it/are you going to do about it?

ColdComfortFarm · 20/10/2010 13:12

I do think a minority of teacher cannot switch out of teacher mode, but ooh, that was rude!

Original poster
TheLadyEvilStar · 20/10/2010 13:14

ZZZ, I have called the school already and also emailed the head of house.

I am just writing a letter to post.

OP posts:
CommanderCool · 20/10/2010 13:14

I think your son was probably being a PITA. She got fed up. She is probably fed up with having to talk on the phone to you about this ridiculous incident when she has a million other things to do.

He got a bit hot. So what.

SpookyMousePink · 20/10/2010 13:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ZZZenAgain · 20/10/2010 13:17

what kind of thing did you say abut it(Email, call)? Did you just relate what happened?