Unfair treatment of my daughter by class teacher

[Mummy20192]

Need some opinion please... my 9 yr old dd was very excited since summer holidays to return to school and to be able to run for the class eco monitor.. she did research on oceans, pollution over the lockdown all ready for election of the year. Anyways she won the ecomonitor role in class by democratic vote of her peers. She was super proud and excited.

Today she goes into school, and her teacher tells her that a senior member of staff has said that she has to share her role with the eco monitor of PST year as that child is very passionate about the environment.

My port dd is sad and embarrassed as she thinks her teachers think that she’s not good enough to be eco monitor even though her classmates voted for her.

I explained to her that’s it’s ok to share the role, but now I’m thinking that it’s completely unfair on the part of the teachers to put my child in this situation when no other children in the school is having to jobshare apart from my dd. Am i overreacting?

I suspect the other girl's mum was more of a Karen

To the pp who posted this, I didn't read any further as anyone who posts such mysogynistic crap, doesn't have anything intelligent to say.

The teacher could have chosen this child to help them

then don't have a class election... it's not difficult

I think “Karen” should be a banned term on mumsnet.

Ah didn't see that about the ASC @ElizabhMainwearing thanks.
Yes a bit of a drip feed

Honestly, if this is the stuff teachers have to put up with on a daily basis (from parents alone) then there's no wonder they're leaving the profession in droves.

Try and do something nice and inclusive, a little extra role within the school, and a parent comes in to say their child shouldn't have to share. Absolutely ridiculous.

I'd revoke the role and not be offering it again. More hassle than it's worth.

Honestly, if this is the stuff teachers have to put up with on a daily basis (from parents alone) then there's no wonder they're leaving the profession in droves.

Honestly , if a teacher can not cope with a parent querying why the ‘election’ results were changed, then they shouldn’t really be a teacher!

Op you risk being to precious and ruining it for future pupils.

Wtf is an eco monitor... 😬

Maybe the teacher is trying to encourage a friendship between the two girls?

I wondered this too.

Totally sympathize OP.
Nothing you can do to change it. Best to use it as a learning opportunity for DD. Might turn out to be a beautiful thing for both girls!

But, if I were you, I would ask the teacher about it - some time in the future in a low key way, perhaps at a parents evening or when talking to her about something else. I'd just be curious what her thinking was, and I'd also v v gently make her aware of the hurt it's caused. Might help when this situation arises in future. Or the teacher might explain why she did this and you may be surprised that it makes more sense than you think.

My child wants to have a specific role in school this year and is extremely passionate about it, he would very much benefit from the responsibility and very much needs the focus etc but have explained that actually, just because it's the most favourite subject for them, other people need to have a chance. Yours is not the only child in the school

Of course🙄

Then don't hold "an election".

Hilarious! Poor teachers.

@roarfeckingroarr

Wtf is an eco monitor... 😬

I did think the same - my ds was paint brush monitor, light monitor and register monitor ( all none elected btw ) 🤣

Try and do something nice and inclusive, a little extra role within the school, and a parent comes in to say their child shouldn't have to share. Absolutely ridiculous.

Nope. do it. But don't hold an election.
^
^
I'd revoke the role and not be offering it again. More hassle than it's worth.^
^
🙄

Making a point that they both are very bright and capable of the role.

Jeez. YABVU. You don't need to be Brain of Britain to be Eco monitor (or pencil monitor or board monitor). This is a massive storm in a teacup. The girl from last year missed out on loads of her year of being eco monitor, so she's being allowed to do it with your dd. Seems fair enough. Did your dd want to do this because she's passionate about the environment or because she wanted to win? If the former, she'll still be able to use her passion for the environment, just with a friend to help out.

Honestly , if a teacher can not cope with a parent querying why the ‘election’ results were changed, then they shouldn’t really be a teacher

Election results! It's a token class position for a 9 year old, not a general election. And rarely do teachers have to deal with 'a' parent, its usually a cabal of a dozen or so arse clowns constantly challenging teachers on everything they do be it why their kid is only shepherd number 3 in the school play through to why is their kid on detention for poor behaviour. They can't win half the time.

I'd revoke the role and not be offering it again. More hassle than it's worth.

Are you a teacher?

There are some really bitchy replies on this thread.

I understand your irritation at all this - an election is an election and not abiding by the result is a pain - sounds like our Donald!); but I also think it could be a learning experience for your child, partly about how the world is not always fair, and partly about how to accept these things with a good grace.

Suggest that this other girl is probably in need of a bit of support and that your DD is the ideal person to do that. Tell her that having the backing and confidence of her class mates is a huge achievement and you are proud of her.

She needs to learn how to deal with life's knocks and you can be the one who helps her to do that by telling you are proud of her, but also guiding her in the best ways to handle this. She cannot get in a fret about all the setbacks that life will throw at her, and this is a chance to help her to develop strategies of self-preservation that will stand her in good stead in the future.

Election results! It's a token class position for a 9 year old, not a general election.

Of course🙄

But why do an election if it's irrelevant?
It wasn't irrelevant to DD?

Do her feelings not count?

@TinkersTailor

Honestly, if this is the stuff teachers have to put up with on a daily basis (from parents alone) then there's no wonder they're leaving the profession in droves.

Try and do something nice and inclusive, a little extra role within the school, and a parent comes in to say their child shouldn't have to share. Absolutely ridiculous.

I'd revoke the role and not be offering it again. More hassle than it's worth.

I was a teacher for 8 years. I worked in secondary for the majority of that and primary for 2 years. Never, ever again. Primary school was hellish. The parents were a much bigger part of the job than I was anticipating. They’re much harder work than the children. More demanding. More entitled. They were falling out with each other on WhatsApp and expecting teachers to sort it out. Absolute madness. Give me stroppy teens any day of the week.

The teacher acted very unfairly making the job as share after the election. Your daughter does not need to suck it up. She needs you to defend her. Teachers should not be able to manipulate things.

The girl from last year missed out on loads of her year of being eco monitor, so she's being allowed to do it with your dd. Seems fair enough.

Of course it's fair enough to share! No problem.

Just don't have a bloody election. And then add the other kid in.

Do it Differently.

It’s not a fair situation at all for OP’s DD. Or for the other children who put themselves forwards for the eco monitor role.

There may be some very good reasons why the school feel that last years eco monitor should have another go this year.
But if that’s the case, then they shouldn’t have had an election in the first place, they should have told the kids that this year the teachers would be choosing.

And it sounds like the teacher has handled the change badly as OP’s DD has been left feeling upset about it.

I’d be inclined to have a quiet word with the teacher about it given how the DD feels about it, maybe the teacher can reassure her that it’s not about her not being good enough or whatever.

It's quite possible that the teacher held elections, as they usually do at the beginning of the year, then someone else has reminded them that the previous monitors didn't get to fulfil their role because of the school closure and that they should therefore continue in the role. The teacher has then probably done what seems to be the fairest solution all round, which is to let the 2 girls share the role. It won't have been done to be deliberately unfair to your child, or to favour the other child or whatever other reason you're imagining.