Teacher making SEN boy cry - what can/should I do?

[golfbuggy]

DD is in Y6. There is a boy in her class who is autistic.
DD said, suddenly and out of the blue, during the holiday, "I really hope the teacher doesn't keep making "Joe" cry".

After some gentle questioning it appears that, following interaction with the teacher, "Joe" ends up in tears most days. This wasn't the case last year with the Y5 teacher. DD's verdict is that the teacher "doesn't really understand Joe ".

Teacher has a reputation for being strict and liking her class to conform to rigid expectations, and has (school grapevine) apparently had "issues" with SEN children before.

I know this is not my child, and I know it's none of my business, but is there anything I can/should do? I guess I'm slightly worried that Joe's parents perhaps don't even realise what's going on, but I don't know them well enough to suddenly start talking to them.

If you can contact Joe's parents, I would - just pass on exactly what your DD said with no extra comments (even if you want to pass on info you've heard on the grapevine, it may actually be unhelpful even if you're just trying to help). It is then totally up to them to do what they want.

If Joe was mine, I'd want to know.

I would want to know too.

I would want to know

I would pass it on. I am not sure who to though.
I know our head well, so I may ask to see her and just say I am passing this on. She would say thank you with absolutley no further comment, but would deal with it.

I would definitely take if further, perhaps to the head. As the parent of a child with special needs, I would appreciate someone else standing up for my child. In addition, I think you have an interest on behalf of your child. It is certainly not a good model for a teacher to be behaving in a way that is harmful to any child in the room, especially one with special needs.

I really wouldn't go to the head, I would go to Joe's parents. It is up to them if they want to take it further, not you.

Depending on the school, it may also give the teacher a heads-up to get her ducks in a row that she doesn't necessarily deserve. Joe's parents might like to catch them on the back foot and get an honest reaction rather than a rehearsed one.

I'm aware this sounds really cynical and you might not have to worry about it with your school, but I'm speaking from experience. I was terribly bullied at my primary school and another parent reported it to the school instead of to my parents. By the time my parents found out, the teachers had brought in the other child's parents - who happened to be very active in the PTA - and had already formed an action plan before my parents could get a word in. It was far from ideal.