To correct this?

[TrainsandDiggers]

If your title was Dr and your child’s teacher kept referring to you as Mrs (a fair enough assumption on their part), would you correct them? And if you did, would you sound like you’re a bit up yourself? I’m aware of people correcting to Ms, Miss or Mrs, but not to anything else. TIA

If they are insisting on titles it's only fair that you ask them to use the correct one.

Its your title - use it. If they want to use titles instead of first names they can use the correct ones. I noticed our male Vicar had no problem correcting a new staff member who called him 'Mr' - because that wasn't his title. And it helps the normalisation of women having power and authority in their own right rather than a marriage title.

I really don't understand how using one title (eg Dr) can be seen as pretentious when using any other title (eg Mrs) is not. My title is Dr. That's not saying I'm better than someone with a different title - that's just saying that I am eligible to use that title and I personally prefer it to ones that carry information about my marital status. I would introduce myself as Jam, or Jam Pasty if being formal (no title). Titles get used if I get asked what my title is, but if you ask, then it's Dr, not anything else. How is that pretentious?

I really don't understand how using one title (eg Dr) can be seen as pretentious when using any other title (eg Mrs) is not.

I agree. I worked for a qualification which gives me a legal right to use that title. If you take the dictionary definition of pretentious as "trying to appear or sound more important or clever than you are, especially in matters of art and literature" then it's hardly pretentious to use a title you've worked for. I'm not pretending to be other than I am.

For me it's the existence of the titles that is pretentious.
The idea that certain professions or qualifications merit a title but others don't seems to me to be a system that promotes a sense of superiority.
I similarly dislike the system of titles assigned to women that signify marital status. And choose not to use such a title.

It is not necessary to use a title to announce anyone's marital status and it is not necessary to use a title to announce anyone's qualification or profession.
Working hard to achieve something is not limited to doctors.

You do realise that your username makes that a double whammy of irony!?!?

I'm Lady Justice Picasso. No way would I ask to be addressed as such. I'm just Bryn

not a cabin pressure fan I see Curious

I raise you one and tell you my kids school refer to me as ‘Mrs Kid’s surname’ even though I’ve told them about 75,950 times that I’m ‘Miss My Own Surname’

My ex would sympathise with you TheDark He gets called Mr 'My last name' because DD has my name not his

My husband has the title Dr but never uses it. Every time I see it written down I get a little rush of pride for him (no idea why he's has the title for years!!) But I feel it's important. He doesn't see it's importance so doesn't use it really.

I volunteer at a school but have no children there and have asked that everyone uses my first name as my surname is a bit tricky. I went on a school trip yesterday and the volunteer parents were called “Jack’s mum” and “Bob’s dad”.

not a cabin pressure fan I see Curious Nope! Never heard of it

I grew up going to hospital every 6 months. The REAL doctors were defined by my childhood self as the ones who introduced themselves as Mr / Miss / Mrs. When did consultants start hanging onto the Dr moniker?

I am minihow's Mum on school trips - she has her Dad's surname and teachers know mine is different but can't remember it. I really don't care but do appreciate and respect the formality and make sure the teachers are clearly seen to be in charge.

It is not necessary to use a title to announce anyone's marital status and it is not necessary to use a title to announce anyone's qualification or profession

In general I agree with that MrBirling (also not a scooby about Cabin Pressure, so found your name ironic). If I can get away without using a title at all, I will. But where I'm asked for one, I don't want to use one that reflects my marital status. Or my class, or anything else much. I tend to feel with the PhD that I did at least work for it. Yes, sure, lots of other people work for other things that don't necessarily bring titles with them. But this one does, and it's gender neutral, so I use it.

I grew up going to hospital every 6 months. The REAL doctors were defined by my childhood self as the ones who introduced themselves as Mr / Miss / Mrs. When did consultants start hanging onto the Dr moniker?

Do you mean surgeons versus physicians?

Surgeons.

Gabilan unfortunately if you use Dr to signify a Phd to a lot of people it just sounds like you're a wannabe professor who hasn't made it OR worse still you're still smarting at not making it to Med school - obvs different if you are actually in an academic setting (not a primary school)

Howabout IME what you actually have to watch is the assumption that you might be clinically qualified. A lot of people don't realise that there are degrees called doctorates that do confer the title "Dr" but have nothing to do with medicine (no reason why they should really). So I tend not to use it in those situations or if I do, I clarify that it's a PhD not an MD. I often use the title at work, because although I work outside the university system, I work in an area my PhD qualifies me for.

I've never come across anyone who appears to think I'm a "wannabe professor" or someone who didn't make it to med school (especially since I've taught in medical schools). I'm not sure why anyone would think either of those things, and can't control it if they do.

As I've said, I'll avoid using a title at all if I can. Where I have to, I tend to use Dr. Would I use it at a primary school? Probably not. But then again, I utterly fucking loath being called "Mrs".

I taught in a well-known, very academic girls school in the early 1980s where the Head referred to male members of staff with a PhD as "Dr" but female members of staff with a PhD as "Mrs/Miss"!! And the Head was a woman! When someone eventually challenged her, the reason given was that the students "might find it intimidating"

OR worse still you're still smarting at not making it to Med school

This makes no sense to me - why would anyone assume someone with a PhD wanted to go to med school but couldn't? It's not even as though all PhDs are in biological subjects!

Never understood the angst over Mrs/Ms/Miss? I didn't bother to change my name or my title when I got married out of laziness more than anything. Although on reflection, I am glad I didn't and it certainly complicates things for people who get divorced and /or remarry etc - even worse if you go for double-barrelling.

A lot of posters on this thread appear to have chips on their shoulders...

Oh well of its just for school trips then surely Mrs is better unless you are there to administer first aid. Otherwise there would be the non stop question about why you have a doctor on the school trip. Unless you kids have passed that stage. I don't think it really matters but if the children are a young group I can imagine it may cause inconvenience.

So you're not even a real doctor?

They are using the correct title, Mrs, Ms, Mr are perfectly fine. If they're calling a male doctor 'Dr' but not you, then you would have a right to feel aggrieved.