Teachers comments

[Schoolofchristmas]

Prepared to be flamed but am looking for thoughts more than anything as to what you would do if anything. Have name changed.

Dc has a teacher who has been making comments recently which my dc feel uncomfortable, I understand that they are entitled to their opinion but there have been comments that I feel don't need to be brought up in an unrelated class.

The comments made have been things about the teacher disagreeing with gay marriage and not getting married in a church and being quite forceful about it. From what I can gather the children were cross about this (secondary and there are gay and bi children in school) and the teacher stuck to their guns and argued about it with them in lesson which is a completely unrelated subject.

The teacher has also denied Hitlers plans for an Aryan race too.

I don't want to get the teacher in any bother and other than this they are a great teacher. If this was a history or even personal studies lesson I would think the teacher was trying to get them to debate but I really don't know.

Such topics have a time and a place for discussion in a school. Maths class or whatever isnt it

The gay marriage thing is an opinion (not one I share) but we need to be careful that people can still express an opinion without fear of reprisal.

The Hitler thing is batshit and I would complain about that on the basis that he's denying history

Bloody hell, some people really shouldn't be teachers! I'd be talking to the school ASAP.

I think both of those things are wildly inappropriate for a teacher to talk about with students (or at least, fine if it’s an ethics class and they’re explaining what some people think, but absolutely not to say ‘this is my opinion’). I also think they’re both very offensive, and the one about Hitler is bordering on Holocaust denial. If you’re sure it’s as your DC say, I’d complain. And if you’re not sure, I’d go to the HOD and say ‘DC think teacher said these things and I’m assuming they must be confused, but I’m concerned...’

I agree with @Oscha and with her approach to contacting the school.

The gay marriage thing is an opinion (not one I share) but we need to be careful that people can still express an opinion without fear of reprisal.
Whatever your feelings; a classroom in which an unrelated subject is being taught is not an appropriate place for this discussion.

Yesof course she's entitled to her opinions.
However in her line of work she should be keeping them to herself and acting partial.
Theres plenty of time and places for heated debates a classroom where some of the children or indeed their parents could be in same sex relationships is certainly not one of them

Thinking white people are superior to black people, or men are superior to women are also opinions but they have no place in the classroom. Neither does homophobia or anti semitism. I have no idea why you don't want the teacher to "get in any bother" - I'd want them to get in plenty of bother. But if you don't then just don't do anything.

It's something I would absolutely raise with the school. Apart from stimulating critical thinking and debate in a lesson where that's part of the curriculum, those sorts of beliefs don't belong in the classroom. There are very likely kids there who have gay parents. Can you imagine if a teacher made similar comments about single parents being morally wrong or whatever? I would get details from your dc and bring it up with the head teacher and leave them to decide what steps they take next.

Yes I do agree that a classroom isn't the place

I would get in contact with the SLT, that's discriminatory at best, but more accurately holocaust denial, all of which is a criminal offence. I would normally echo what PP have said about voicing their opinion in ethics classes etc but there's a difference between opinion and offensive.

What was the context of the conversation?

No one suddenly just makes a random statement in a lull in conversation ... The BODMAS acronym is for - Brackets (parts of a calculation inside brackets always come first) - Orders (numbers involving powers or square roots) - Gay marriage is sinful ya hear - Division - Multiplication - Hitler and the Aryan race - Addition -Subtraction.

^^ simply doesn't happen.

Holocaust denial IS NOT a criminal offence in the UK - where on earth do you get such a ridiculous idea let alone promote it? It is in several European countries but not the UK

I'd report it.

It wasn't in maths and it is two different days and conversations as far as I know. There is at least one child with two Mum's in school.
Dc is very reliable usually in repeating what they remember was said but aren't able to tell me the context.
Just that they were very cross and argued with the teacher which is very out of character.

My only saving grace for the teacher would be if the teacher is trying to encourage them to debate.

I'm not sure if the teacher was denying the holocaust happened rather than saying Hitler wasn't trying to make a race of Blonde hair blue eyed Aryan people. My dc said another child argued with this and said he did and was trying to get rid of people who were different and the comment from the teacher was that everyone was different.

Would nobody speak directly to the teacher? That way if the aim was to get them to debate then it saves the fallout but assuming they are actually the teachers views I would presume they would show themselves as such and I could raise issue above them from there.

I've googled as dc doesn't usually have this teacher and the teacher teaches nothing in the slightest related to anything history, politics or such normally.

So what subject were they actually supposed to be teaching when they made these comments?

As a teacher myself I think you should definitely follow this up but I also think you should contact the teacher directly.

Allow the teacher to offer some context first and decide if you are happy with it from there.

I've googled as dc doesn't usually have this teacher and the teacher teaches nothing in the slightest related to anything history, politics or such normally.

If he or she hasn't taught them before how do you know they are a great teacher, as you said in your OP? They don't sound anything like a great teacher from what you've posted on here! It may actually be a good idea to talk directly to the teacher as you'll gauge how they come across to the class when you confront them about it i.e. would they argue directly with you as well over it?

I agree with the above poster about contacting the teacher first to get some context. It's doesn't have to be in a confrontational way

They have taught them before but only ever as a cover teacher as dc don't do their option. I googled as I didn't know what they normally taught as their own lesson if that makes sense. Dc have said they they really like them and their friends who do do that option have said they were great.

I will speak to them direct.

Maybe he was deliberately being provocative to stimulate debate? Even if he was teaching something unrelated it might be a technique to engage the kids

It's not a technique that should be used! It's really inappropriate.

This teacher has been a cover teacher then, when having these conversations with your child?