For the second time this year I have just been to speak to my Yr 5 DD's teacher about bullying. I told her that a particular girl makes my daughter's life a misery on a daily basis. The response?
"OK, I'll make sure they don't share a dorm on the school trip. Next?"
I mentioned that the bully repeatedly calls various boys in the class "gaybo" or makes comments like "No one's listening to you anyway because you are GAY" & she said she could not act on my comments, as the comments are not aimed at my child.
Leaving aside the fact that she really doesn't seem to care about the bullying, & has not promised to take any measures to address it (last time I went in she asked me what I expected her to do about it), is it really OK for her to refuse to address offensive/homophobic language, simply because the child bringing it to her attention is not a boy?
I'm stunned. Of course I need to address my daughter's issues, and the fact that the teacher does not appear to be interested in them, but what do people think about her response to the specific issue of calling boys gay as a way of insulting them? Is she right to refuse to act unless a boy complains?
Thanks.