Talk to your principal first. Document the issue in an email.

Call the parents and give them the facts as they stand. Ask
them if they could help you out and explain that you are trying
to teach the class respect for others and that the age of the
students in your class is not appropriate for a discussion
about deep matters of war. Have a discussion and see what the
parent says. You know you are right and they are wrong and
make them own it. Stand up for what is right and do it with a
professional tone. You might teach the parent a good lesson
that saves the kid more embarrassment in the future. What's
the worst that could happen? You could have a harsh discussion
and then EVERYONE would back you later because you are correct
on the issue. If nothing else, tell (don't ask) the principal
to make the call so that this doesn't happen again. Kids are
first, not the feelings of the parents (in this case).

Steve

On 11/05/09, bec wrote:
> After an intense week of practicing for our Veteran's day
> Program, we were sitting down and discussin why we are
> saying Thank you. A first grader raised his hand and said
> that his mother told him veterans just kill people, and
> that he doesn't worship government. I was pretty upset
> and rather shortly said that I don't worship government
> either, I worship God, but it was because of veterans that
> he had the freedom to go to the church of his choice, and I
> chose to thank them for working so hard to protect me. I
> know it is not my place to intefere with his religion, but
> he was calling the fathers and grandfathers of his
> classmates killers! As class discussion continued, he put
> his fingers in his ears. There must be a better way to
> handle that, but I am just so deflated. Funny, his sister
> refused to sing her classes song: (entire text, Freedom,
> freedom, I am free, I'm Amercan) but sang all six verses
> of T-E-X=A=S.
> Then I came home and heard about the shooting at Fort
> Hood, just an hour's drive from here. Sad day.

Share This Post | Report This Post

Next Post >>

Posts on this thread, including this one