It’s a tough job being a teacher because you never know when the kids are actually serious or when they are just pulling your leg. However, when you are aware of a student’s medical record, you would definitely be considerate enough when they come to you, wouldn’t you?
Well, that’s not always the case, for Reddit user Dangerousbean1984, expressed his annoyance when his son’s teacher was completely ignorant when the kid told her multiple times that he was unwell. In the end, he fainted and hurt himself, so his father lashed out against the teacher!
More info: Reddit
It's important for teachers to develop good relationships with students so they know if they're being honest or not
Image credits: Jack Sparrow / Pexels (not the actual photo)
The poster's 13-year-old son occasionally passes out, so they've trained him what to do when he feels like he might
Image credits: Dangerousbean1984
Image credits: stockking / Freepik (not the actual photo)
When the kid felt unwell, he told his teacher that he needed to go to the nurse, but she yelled at him instead and dismissed him thrice
Image credits: Dangerousbean1984
Image credits: Freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Even his friend tried to convince the teacher, but to no avail, so eventually the teen fell and hurt his head, and the poster was called to the school
Image credits: Dangerousbean1984
He was so furious with the teacher for dismissing his son that he yelled at her to the point that she started crying
Today, we dive into a story that would infuriate any parent because of how negligent this teacher was to the student. What happened was that the original poster (OP) has a 13-year-old son who often faints, so they have trained him on what to do when he does, to ensure he doesn’t hurt himself.
When OP received a call from the school, he went to get his son but found him holding an ice pack to his head as the teen had hurt himself. Confounded by what happened, the poster enquired further only to find out that the kid had asked the teacher to go to the nurse, but she had ignored his warnings thrice and also yelled at him.
She told him that he was just “making excuses” and refused to listen, even when a friend tried to tell her the gravity of the situation. The father was so furious by this that he went to the principal, who called the teacher, and the woman completely denied everything and claimed he had just collapsed.
This really triggered the father because he started yelling at her to the point that she started crying, and when he shared the story with his family, some felt that it was wrong of him to yell like that. However, when he posted it on Reddit, many users commented that they sided with the poster and the teacher was a bully for ignoring the kid and then crying about it.
Many netizens questioned whether the teacher was aware of the student’s condition, and the poster replied that she was, which further enraged people. They said that although it was wrong of him to yell at her, he is only human, and such reactions are bound to happen when kids are involved.
Image credits: gpointstudio / Freepik (not the actual photo)
To get expert insights, Bored Panda interviewed Anjali Abigail Vipparti, a teacher mentor at a non-profit organization, Enabling Leadership, who also works with kids. She believes that when a student is struggling with something, the school should be aware of it, and they should also inform the counselor and the teacher so they understand whether the kid is being honest or not.
“It’s very difficult for teachers to balance skepticism and concern, therefore, it’s crucial that educators develop a good relationship with each child. Now, with the rise in alternative education, building this relationship becomes mandatory for schools trying to ensure a more student-centric approach,” she added.
She stressed the importance of this relationship as it enables a teacher to build trust with the student, which might help them understand the physical health or mental condition of a student. Anjali Abigail expressed that trust plays a pivotal role here as children who are developing need trustworthy adults around them.
She also noted that to grow in a healthy environment, what's needed for any individual is stability and the absence of severe stress, and that happens only when there’s trust established between adults and children. As per her, it’s the school’s responsibility to educate teachers about it and enable them to create a safe space for students.
Speaking about this situation, she narrated that the student might face difficulty in communicating again as the teacher’s dismissal might affect the trust that he has for teachers in general. However, Anjali Abigail mentioned that the relationship can still be salvaged if the teacher apologizes to the student and they develop a system where they understand each other when the student is struggling.
Well, these pointers from our expert definitely sound helpful, wouldn’t you agree? Also, if you were in the poster’s shoes, how would you handle a situation like this? Feel free to jot down your thoughts in the comments below!
Folks sided with the poster and said that the teacher sounded like a bully who liked to yell at kids without knowing what they were going through
