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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have initially been mortified but now a bit annoyed by call from school?

927 replies

8bitgame · 10/02/2021 11:22

I've named changed for this as it will be outing.

DS is 9. He is home schooling with lessons over Zoom.

This morning he had connection issues with Zoom - getting kicked out, camera freezing etc. I had to sign him back in a few times and he showed me that the video feed of his teacher kept freezing up and going very blocky. He commented that she looked like an 8 bit game - as in an old computer game where the graphics were pixel blocks.

About 30 minutes after his morning Zoom finished I get a call from the Head Teacher at the school. She is far from happy and it transpires that unbeknown to me DS had repeated his comment in the class discussion chat channel. He was saying he was having connection problems and then wrote "Miss X looks like an 8 bit game".

The teacher and then the Head have read this as him saying that Miss X looks like and 8 out of 10 and looks "a bit game".

I was mortified and explained this is of course not what he meant and that he was referring to the connection problems and the video feed being blocky and pixelated - like the graphics on an 8 bit game. Head was slightly mollified but still very stern and angry and I got a bit of a telling off. I apologised profusely and then had a chat with DS about not commenting on people's appearance and only using the group chat for stuff about work.

But now I've reflected I feel a bit put out as he hadn't really done anything wrong, he was commenting about his connection issues which were preventing him seeing the lesson and he's bloody 9 years old so who would read that in the way the school did??

AIBU to think it's a bit of a strange way to read that in that way and once they had the explanation maybe the tone could have changed a bit as he really hasn't done anything wrong?

I appreciate he could have found a better way to explain the connection issues and they might not be au fait with retro gaming but the only comms channel open to him was the chat feed he used and he's 9 so not always the best at explaining things.

When I told the Head he was having connection issues as were a lot of the class she said she didn't believe anyone else was (implying he was messing about and didn't have problems) WIBU to send a screenshot of the class discussion where several children were saying it had frozen and / or they had been kicked out and AIBU to think they've jumped to a bit of a conclusion here and gone a bit OTT especially by not backing down or changing the tone once it had been explained?

It feels like he's in a lot of trouble for something that is largely a misunderstanding on their part.

OP posts:
Sheleg · 10/02/2021 11:24

What a ridiculous situation! The teacher and Head need to give their heads a wobble. I swear, this pandemic has sent a lot of people doolally.

Cactusowl · 10/02/2021 11:26

That's a bizarre conclusion they came to from an innocent comment. They completely overreacted and should apologise for doing so.

Original poster
8bitgame · 10/02/2021 11:27

Thank you. I was just really embarrassed at first that he'd inadvertently upset his teacher but now I am thinking - what an odd conclusion to jump to - that a 9 year old would be rating his teacher's attractiveness...........

At a push you might get him to rate his favourite Pokemon or pizza toppings........

OP posts:
suspiria777 · 10/02/2021 11:27

it's hardly a criminal record, OP. don't dwell on it.

Surlyburd · 10/02/2021 11:29

I think its not so much what he said, but the fact that he was disrupting the lesson and the chat afterwards.
Its really annoying having children type silly comments and observations, but for him to be in trouble seems a bit harsh, I would have just reminded all of the children on the chat that use of silly comments arent welcomed. There was no reason in my opinion to get the head teacher involved after one incident.

AppleKatie · 10/02/2021 11:29

They over reacted and didn’t back down when it was pointed out to them how stupid they were being.

In a ideal world that wouldn’t have happened and I bet they are quietly mortified now. The pandemic combined with live lessons and the back end of a HT had left stressed and anxious teachers. It shouldn’t have happened but it did and at least they had a go at you not your son who might be less able to shrug it off.

Nothing to be gained from dragging it out now though I’d let this one go and let everyone move on.

Original poster
8bitgame · 10/02/2021 11:30

I'll have a cup of tea and a biscuit and move on @suspiria777

I just feel like they think we are some strange 70s sitcom family where DH leans out of the widow shouting a passing "birds" for having cracking knockers and DS has clearly picked up on this behaviour.........

OP posts:
Original poster
8bitgame · 10/02/2021 11:31

I have had a long chat with him about only posting about work in the chat channel and not disrupting lessons if he is having issues. But.........just such an odd thing to think about a 9 year old.

OP posts:
DreamingInColours · 10/02/2021 11:34

I think this is so funny and they should be the ones who are mortified. They took an innocent comment and made a mountain out of a mole hill. What a waste of everyone's time!

LApprentiSorcier · 10/02/2021 11:34

I haven't heard of an '8 bit game' so I would struggle to make sense of what your DS typed.

Happycat1212 · 10/02/2021 11:35

This made me laugh sorry! I’ve never heard of an “8 bit game?” Though but what they translated it to is hilarious Grin

Comefromaway · 10/02/2021 11:35

It's very odd of the school. I would say its a perfectly valid comment for a 9 year old to make to explain what the screen looks like. Surely the chat screen is there for exactly this kid of thing. To let the teacher know there are issues and what the problem is.

Original poster
8bitgame · 10/02/2021 11:37

I do get they might not have understood what an 8 bit game is but it's a bit of a leap to him rubbing his thighs and calling his teacher "a bit game" and rating her a solid 8. Hmm

OP posts:
CookEatRepeat · 10/02/2021 11:39

I'm flabbergasted that they'd both think that a child was passing a comment like that unless there is history, or that they don't have anything better to be worrying about. Good grief they need to get a grip.

Purplecatshopaholic · 10/02/2021 11:40

This did make me laugh, sorry op. The school are bonkers! If it was me I would say something..

TheQueef · 10/02/2021 11:40

They interpreted his comment quite randomly. I'm also surprised they didn't know what 8 bit is.
They jumped to the conclusion they should climb down.

IdesMarchof · 10/02/2021 11:41

I’d be quite flattered to be rated an 8. I think my natural level is about a 6. Is it wrong that my first thought was is the teacher a stunner?

It was a bonkers reaction by them. Cannot understand how they thought that and he’s only doing what most of my dd age 9’s class do. Deep breath and move on as no point raising it again.

I would just tell him school are very strict on chat and he must not type any comments

Shamoo · 10/02/2021 11:41

The head is kinda ridiculous as I am no gaming expert but it made sense to me - once you explained she should have accepted it and moved on! But I suspect she will reflect and realise that, so I wouldn’t take it further personally.

Original poster
8bitgame · 10/02/2021 11:42

He has never been in any trouble before and there's no history whatsoever of him making inappropriate remarks. I'm not going to make a thing out of it but I'm just a bit shocked this is the immediate conclusion they jumped to and a bit annoyed that he seems to be in trouble for their odd misunderstanding. I'm going to put it down to the stress of lockdown and move on but..........odd.

OP posts:
RonObvious · 10/02/2021 11:42

I'm just impressed that he knows what an 8 bit game is. When my son saw an old Indiana Jones game, he commented that I was playing "Minecraft Indiana Jones".

MedusasBadHairDay · 10/02/2021 11:43

I'd say that for a 9 year old that's a pretty good way of explaining the technical problems he was having - useful for the teacher to know that he couldn't see what was happening on screen properly. So wouldn't tell him off for saying it in the chat, it is relevant to the lesson in that it impacts on his ability to follow along. Don't know why they didn't ask him to just explain what he meant?

DavidsSchitt · 10/02/2021 11:44

I'd have to get back into them tbh!

Poor kid

Original poster
8bitgame · 10/02/2021 11:44

Loving "Minecraft Indiana Jones" :)

OP posts:
AbsitivelyPosolutely · 10/02/2021 11:44

Would a 9 year old even know what "bit game" means? Or am I being naive?

I think I'd feel the same as you. I'm not sure I'd be able to stop myself ringing the head back.

HunkyPunk · 10/02/2021 11:45

I wouldn't have known what an 8 bit game was, but would have googled it. Only people who probably aren't really cut out to be teachers would jump to such a batshit conclusion!

I think your ds comment is a funny, neat summary of the quality of the picture, not really about the teacher at all. If it were me, I know I would have to make sure they had accepted that they were wrong to say such a potentially worrying/damaging thing about my 9 year old son.

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