Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Unresponsive Catholic School
Dear Guidance Guy,
I have a child in fifth grade at a Catholic school. Several other parents and I have complained to the principal of the school about the verbal abuse that the teacher is inflicting on our children. We have also complained that her cell phone goes off constantly in the classroom throughout this entire school year. Our complaints met with "I'll look into it".
The teacher is not returning next year which was a relief to all of us however she is constantly belittling and berating our children who will have to remain in her class for two more months! The principal basically has told us well if you put two and two together you will see that I have done something about the problem. Just last week the teacher got into my 11 year old's face and said, "If I get in trouble (by the principal) for the class misbehaving I will ride you so hard you will not see tomorrow."
When I went to the principal to complain she told me she would talk to the teacher. Her solution was that she (the principal) apologized for the teacher's behavior while the teacher sat in the room and said nothing. My child is so upset by this and other things that have happened to her and her classmates all year while the principal sat by and watched that she no longer wants to attend school there.
I am heartbroken and wonder what my recourse is. I have called the pastor and have not gotten a call back. I was told by another parent that she complained to the diocese last year about the same teacher and they offered her nothing. I really feel like these children will have post traumatic stress syndrome after a year with her. Please give me any advice you can.
Thank you,
Dina
*** *** ***
Dear Dina,
If this were a public school and you were paying taxes into the system I would recommend you climb the chain of command until you felt the problem was resolved. That would include going to the press and speaking at open Board of Education meetings as a last resort. This is a different situation because it is a private school in which you're paying tuition. That makes you more than a parent. It also makes you a paying customer.
When you talked with the principal, did you explain how the classroom situation was making your daughter feel? Leading with the emotions of a hurt child is often the fastest way to get a reaction, usually much faster than anger. That's one way to handle the issue.
I don't know what the situation is that had your family decide to place your daughter in a Catholic school. Are you willing to act like a customer and change schools if you feel this isn't resolved? It seems as if you went up the chain of command here as well. Maybe there was something more you could have done or someone else you could have spoken with. My experience with many Catholic schools (not all) is that they are slow to repsond to parent complaints for several reasons. They often have a hard time filling teaching positions. Some of them also have a very insular quality... they don't like change and don't like being challenged. And many just know parents prefer Catholic schools to public schools no matter what.
Please don't write angry letters. I know I'm generalizing and this is NOT the rule for every diocese.
That brings us back to the same place. Are you willing to orgtanize other parents, even volunteer to teach and observe yourself if you have to? Are you willing to remove your daughter from the situation altogether? If you are commited to this school no matter what, work within the system to make the class better for her. If you're not 100% behind this school, it could be time to look elsewhere.
Best of Luck,
The Guidance Guy
I have a child in fifth grade at a Catholic school. Several other parents and I have complained to the principal of the school about the verbal abuse that the teacher is inflicting on our children. We have also complained that her cell phone goes off constantly in the classroom throughout this entire school year. Our complaints met with "I'll look into it".
The teacher is not returning next year which was a relief to all of us however she is constantly belittling and berating our children who will have to remain in her class for two more months! The principal basically has told us well if you put two and two together you will see that I have done something about the problem. Just last week the teacher got into my 11 year old's face and said, "If I get in trouble (by the principal) for the class misbehaving I will ride you so hard you will not see tomorrow."
When I went to the principal to complain she told me she would talk to the teacher. Her solution was that she (the principal) apologized for the teacher's behavior while the teacher sat in the room and said nothing. My child is so upset by this and other things that have happened to her and her classmates all year while the principal sat by and watched that she no longer wants to attend school there.
I am heartbroken and wonder what my recourse is. I have called the pastor and have not gotten a call back. I was told by another parent that she complained to the diocese last year about the same teacher and they offered her nothing. I really feel like these children will have post traumatic stress syndrome after a year with her. Please give me any advice you can.
Thank you,
Dina
*** *** ***
Dear Dina,
If this were a public school and you were paying taxes into the system I would recommend you climb the chain of command until you felt the problem was resolved. That would include going to the press and speaking at open Board of Education meetings as a last resort. This is a different situation because it is a private school in which you're paying tuition. That makes you more than a parent. It also makes you a paying customer.
When you talked with the principal, did you explain how the classroom situation was making your daughter feel? Leading with the emotions of a hurt child is often the fastest way to get a reaction, usually much faster than anger. That's one way to handle the issue.
I don't know what the situation is that had your family decide to place your daughter in a Catholic school. Are you willing to act like a customer and change schools if you feel this isn't resolved? It seems as if you went up the chain of command here as well. Maybe there was something more you could have done or someone else you could have spoken with. My experience with many Catholic schools (not all) is that they are slow to repsond to parent complaints for several reasons. They often have a hard time filling teaching positions. Some of them also have a very insular quality... they don't like change and don't like being challenged. And many just know parents prefer Catholic schools to public schools no matter what.
Please don't write angry letters. I know I'm generalizing and this is NOT the rule for every diocese.
That brings us back to the same place. Are you willing to orgtanize other parents, even volunteer to teach and observe yourself if you have to? Are you willing to remove your daughter from the situation altogether? If you are commited to this school no matter what, work within the system to make the class better for her. If you're not 100% behind this school, it could be time to look elsewhere.
Best of Luck,
The Guidance Guy
# posted by Larry Hochman : 4:14 PM
