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To make a complaint that at an awards ceremony at school, the head teacher commented on every single girl, that got an award looks, yet didn't say one word regarding a single boys looks?

139 replies

Beefybaby · Yesterday 15:05

I mean I feel ungrateful but it made me feel so uncomfortable,so it was a special assembly that parents attended where one boy and one girl from each class wo an award for the previous year

the head that's usually pretty good in general, yet in every mini speech he gave about the children, every single girl had some sort of comment about being gorgeous...just made me rage
Alongside all the other comments about how hard working they are, their good values like kindness etc yet there wasn't one single comment regarding any of the boys looks

It's just so insidious and depressing

OP posts:
Hoppinggreen · Yesterday 17:49

butterpuffed · Yesterday 17:25

Did he describe the boys as fantastic or amazing etc.? If he did, I'd imagine 'gorgeous' for the girls was meant in the same way .

So why use different words?

BillieWiper · Yesterday 17:51

SabrinaBricklayer · Yesterday 16:56

It almost sounds like a beauty pageant. And now the winner of the history prize is the gorgeous Debbie, next is our Science winner the gorgeous Annabel. And now we have our gorgeous sports winner Lisa. The geography winner is Alan, the Computer science winner is William, the football winner is Greg.

Yeah, how strange?! Unless he somehow got himself into a trap by blurting out one of them was 'lovely/looks pretty' as they'd clearly made a big effort with their outfit/costume.

Then thought he'd better say it for all the girls so not to look favouring of this one?! Not realising he was not thinking of the boys at all. Or he could've just said a positive attribute about each of the kids that wasn't reliant on looks or sex.

He sounds inexperienced at best!

Boreded · Yesterday 17:52

scienceteachersarefun · Yesterday 16:12

Isn't it a primary school?

Yeah apologies, misread. Logic still stands though

scienceteachersarefun · Yesterday 17:54

Not really, because of what the HT is accused of.

Delphiniumandlupins · Yesterday 17:58

Can you contact the Headteacher, rather than making an external complaint about him? If he's generally well-intentioned he might take feedback well (although it is depressing that this is still seen as a good way to praise girls, even unconsciously). Sounds like he just needs to be a little more aware.

scienceteachersarefun · Yesterday 18:00

Delphiniumandlupins · Yesterday 17:58

Can you contact the Headteacher, rather than making an external complaint about him? If he's generally well-intentioned he might take feedback well (although it is depressing that this is still seen as a good way to praise girls, even unconsciously). Sounds like he just needs to be a little more aware.

Being aware is part of his job, he's got no excuse.

powershowerforanhour · Yesterday 19:32

"Yeah, how strange?! Unless he somehow got himself into a trap by blurting out one of them was 'lovely/looks pretty' as they'd clearly made a big effort with their outfit/costume.
Then thought he'd better say it for all the girls so not to look favouring of this one?"

"They all have lovely bottoms!"

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Enjoy the videos and music that you love, upload original content and share it all with friends, family and the world on YouTube.

https://youtu.be/KnYoFmBagmk?si=rcmYbmhnaYokcWb5

ApronSprings · Yesterday 19:53

DadDadDad · Yesterday 16:58

That's in no way the implication of what I said. If a teacher is behaving in ways that are inappropriate then hopefully most of us have heard enough about safeguarding to know it's the responsibility of all us to make sure that behaviour is raised and that we should expect it to be dealt with seriously. But spreading rumours and speculation is not the way to raise, is it? That's why I was expressing caution about discussing it with another parent.

If by creepiness you mean something that's crossed over into gross misconduct or a crime, then yes his career should be brought to an end, but that's not decided by parents.

Rumours and speculation?
Your comments are giving mens rights vibes.

Scout2016 · Yesterday 20:16

It's fine to raise it. Something like
"I don't know if you realised you were doing it, but you commented on the appearance of every girl and none of the boys. You will be aware girls already face a lot of societal scrutiny and pressure over their appearances, far more than males do. I fear comments such as yours inadvertently contribute to this climate. Perhaps for balance either compliment both the boys and the girls, or neither."

A few years ago my work had a joke awards ceremony OP, and one of the awards- in our 99.9% female workforce - was for "most smiley." And no, we weren't auditioning for Miss World. Apparently no one had thought it might be a shit idea. Call it out OP, people just don't think. I'm guesding he will realise he wouldn't feel right saying the boys are handsome and he might stop and have a think about why.

scienceteachersarefun · Yesterday 20:23

Scout2016 · Yesterday 20:16

It's fine to raise it. Something like
"I don't know if you realised you were doing it, but you commented on the appearance of every girl and none of the boys. You will be aware girls already face a lot of societal scrutiny and pressure over their appearances, far more than males do. I fear comments such as yours inadvertently contribute to this climate. Perhaps for balance either compliment both the boys and the girls, or neither."

A few years ago my work had a joke awards ceremony OP, and one of the awards- in our 99.9% female workforce - was for "most smiley." And no, we weren't auditioning for Miss World. Apparently no one had thought it might be a shit idea. Call it out OP, people just don't think. I'm guesding he will realise he wouldn't feel right saying the boys are handsome and he might stop and have a think about why.

*"I don't know if you realised you were doing it"?
What? Unless he was having a strange episode, of course he knew!

ExhaustedEvie · Yesterday 20:25

This sounds really bad OP. I wouldn’t like this at all. I would complain as it was witnessed by loads of people. I remember I had a boss when I taught who winked at me and students and I did not like this at all.

VividPinkTraybake · Yesterday 22:19

Hoppinggreen · Yesterday 15:29

Happened at my DD's leaver assembly at primary too so I DO believe it
It was a few years ago so I would have hoped it had changed but maybe not

More fool you then

scienceteachersarefun · Yesterday 22:36

VividPinkTraybake · Yesterday 22:19

More fool you then

I know. Imagine putting up with that.

Wotsupmog · Yesterday 22:45

Agatha1989 · Yesterday 16:16

Surely gorgeous is a description, not necessarily related to someone’s appearance?

So why only applied to the girls?

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