To make a complaint about this head of year

[Newfoundzestforlife]

Today in assembly at my child's school...
Child tells head of year that he has foxes in his garden at night and they sound like a child dying. Head of year replies "If only!" Then she apparently smirked at another teacher saying "Yes I did just say that".
My 13 daughter knew how wrong that was.
This head of year has form for saying really inappropriate things, very odd woman, but wishing death on kids? Why work with them if she hates them that much?

Why not open up a conversation with your daughter around why the HOY may have said that. What school life is like for them as a job. Rather than going on the defensive

i do agree though it is a rather near knuckle thing to say in school assembly

after acknowledging her upset of course

Oh lord, no wonder schools struggle to recruit. My children would have laughed at the HoY’s ‘joke’.

YABU.
Child made an inappropriate comment. HOY (perhaps poorly) tried to cover this up by making a joke out of it.
I highly doubt they wish children dead and if your child is level headed which I think you say they are then they would realise this.

Seriously???

This ^
Why must everyone take offence at everything these days, and then complain? It’s exhausting.

pathetic!

It’s a JOKE.

Complain all you want but you will be placated to your face and mocked behind your back.

WTF? Your Year 2 child knew what sex was? In year 2?? That's disturbing. More disturbing than anything in the OP.

The child who made the 'like a chid dying' remark was actually accurate. That's what I thought when I first heard foxes mating behaviour which happens at this time of year. The HOY was incorrect in her response: she should have responded to the child making the statement something like, 'Yes, that is what foxes sound like and it is frightening/disturbing. But you don't need to worry because nothing bad was happening.' What she actaully did was use it as an excuse to express her supressed (but not deeply enough) feelings and frustrations about schoolchildren, which was unprofessional. And as far as the 'traumatised' replies go: someone doesn't have to be traumatised by a remark for it to be a bad thing. That teacher's remark was poorly judged and in bad taste and she knew it, because she tried to 'style it out' to another teacher.

So NOT something I would be complaining about.

Teen was inappropriate and teacher made sarcastic joke back.

I’m a secondary teacher and there are lots of jokes like this between kids and staff- they look terrible in print but are actually a sign they get on well- today my lovely year 8 class and I were joking how I was going to swing them round and kick them over the fence ( we have an ongoing joke about the chokey and how one year 8 has to be sacrificed every year) sounds awful on paper - but is v funny in real life and some parents even mentioned it positively at parents eve!

You've got too much time on your hands.

I agree with this, sounds like pretty standard sometimes near the knuckle humour used to build connections with some teenagers.

You need to unclench OP but it sounds like you have a bone to pick with this teacher so am guessing you won’t listen to the sensible voices on this thread.

Sadly some people look to be offended. The op is one. You sound like a great teacher.

When we transferred to the "upper school" , which really was up the hill from the "lower school" our new form tutor said " Girls cover your ears..Boys if you mess about in any of your classes, I'll give you the biggest bollocking you've ever had". Inappropriate yes. But instant respect from the whole class.

Most Teenagers love it when teachers make off colour jokes

I was a teacher and I would have pulled up the kid who made the first comment, or at least given a "no, thank you".

The HOY was inappropriate and I can see why your daughter would feel sad about it. I wouldn't personally have the courage to complain about it.

Bloody hell, everyone’s got a stick up their arse! Nothing wrong with what the kid said (foxes mating sound awful) and while what the teacher said wasn’t great, it’s not the end of the world, move on.

@Fstt1978 You sound ace!

Only it’s not. It’s completely age appropriate and in fact reproduction starts in the curriculum at that age.

Curious, your 6/7 year old asks how baby brother was made. What’s your answer…?

We know what kind of teacher you were 😂

Out of all the things kids say, that comment really doesn't stand out. Some people must live a life sheltered far away from budding teenagers!

The HOY has a sense of humour. I told my class the other day that the copious amounts of caffeine I consume is the only way I get through the last lesson of the day with them. A few years back I sent a kid to get a long weight from the technician. When they tell me they're dying from hunger I ask them to do so quietly. A bit of laughter can go a long way in forming a relationship.

I'd be happy to have you teach my child. You sound great!

Don’t be that parent.

I seriously feel sorry for teachers. They are humans and those who can have a sense of humour with the students are usually the best and most respected teachers.

Seriously, stop clutching your pearls and move on.

Please don’t waste the school’s time with this, they’ve got plenty of important stuff to be getting on with.