I wanna keep this short as there were a lot of things that lead to my outburst, and I also want to respect the privacy of people involved. Also I am not a student at this school but I was. The situation happened between me and a close friend’s kids teacher.
So to keep a LOOOONG story short it was the end of the day, I was with the kid of a close friend on the day of a handover between parents. Child doesn’t like going with their father and often will run away at school to avoid him. In this situation the father was back inside the classroom where the teacher led the child and myself. (I want to note here I didn’t know he was in there, there also was a reason for me to go but like I said I’m trying to keep this short)
The child instantly tensed up upon seeing him and cuddled into me. The teacher informed dad we were on our way to change for after school activities which he than denied knowing anything about (lies) and that the child couldn’t go, claiming he already had plans (more lies)
The child became distressed saying she had to attended. After a few minutes. While I stood there only really hugging the child and sharing what info about the activity I knew (what time it started and ended) the teacher than tried to push me away claiming that they would deal with it.
At this point this kind of stuff has been going on for too long with teacher and all school staff enabling the father in way too many way and I had enough and lost my cool at the teacher. It all happened in the moment and while I don’t remember word for word what I said I know it was in response to the teacher saying she sees the child everyday so she can help her, I followed her comment saying she’s not doing anything and asking how she is clearly ignoring how upset the child is. I then told the teacher that I would be leaving as the situation was upsetting me and I wa going to cry.
The teacher has now informed the school principal (who has been involved in all, as like I said there are ongoing issues) the teacher has claimed that I coerced the child when I didn’t say anything in the room except like I said earlier sharing what information I knew about the out of school stuff PLUS being the only one in the room to ask the child is she was okay.
I know in some capacity that maybe I shouldn’t feel bad about my actions. But I really do, like are my actions justified? Should I be feelings as embarrassed as I am?
I think part of my embarrassment is that (while I finished school many years ago) it happened at the same school I attended and I hate to think that my principal thinks I would do something like that. I feel temped to send my own email, recounting the events as a way to ‘clear my name’ but I don’t want to put more woon on the fire?
My main reason for posting is I feel so sick about my actions and I think I just need some outside, 3rd party to tell me if what I did was right?
I’m a firm believer that a teacher should never have to be yelled at by another person but man I was so mad how she could sit there and happily send this poor child home with someone who is so obviously abusing them.