Have to speak to daughter's teacher

So my chicklet came out of school yesterday with a face like this  I thought for sure she had dealt with another child asking her about Americans and cheeseburgers (she gets a comment like that at least once a week). Nope, she said mom, I can deal with the kids being silly and making ignorant comments...but not when its my teacher. I asked her what happened and by the time she was done...she was in tears. Not sure if they were just angry tears like I get when I'm overly emotional or what...but tears they were. The story is this
Geography class, new teacher that she hasn't had until yesterday. She walks in and see flags from all over the world and she gets really excited. She loves other cultures, countries, languages, and learning about new ones. She thinks to herself...oh I'm going to like this guy. She sits down and they start talking about climate change and in the middle of the discussion, the teacher makes the statement about the "Rich Americans" not believing in climate change. Now, several children turned to look at my daughter and she was really kind of shocked that he made such a broad statement about Americans like that. So I asked her...did he happen to mention any other countries that have people that don't believe? And she said no mom, that's the problem, I know there are Americans that don't believe, but there are people all over the world that don't believe and he didn't mention any of them. I asked her if she mentioned this in class and she said no. So then, she notices this laminated piece of paper on the wall. On it is a quote by Ambrose Bierce. "War is God's way of teaching Americans geography". That's when she totally turned the guy off and decided she'd had enough.
Now I know that Bierce was an American and the quote was made more than 100 years ago, but the kids don't know this and it is just ANOTHER way of promoting the false fact that all Americans are ignorant, war mongers. Its bad enough from the kids in school but this is a teacher. She's learned to deal with the kids...she either ignores them or gives it right back....but she can't do this with a teacher. I'm sure he isn't meaning to promote a sterotype and I'm sure he doesn't even realize chicklet is American, but I figure its going to be a long year if she needs to look at that sign every day.
So opinions...do you all think I'm doing the right thing by going in to speak to the teacher or the head teacher? I don't want to cause problems....I just want him to be aware that his comments REALLY upset her.

Teachers are there to instruct, not indoctrinate.  Sounds like this guy is a real jerk and needs someone to tell him his actions aren't acceptable as a teacher.  He is there to encourage ALL students including those from different cultures and when he degrades one culture (of whom your daughter happens to be a member) he's being racist and ignorant.  You have a duty to speak with him on behalf of any other students who might have felt offended, not just your daughter!  If you don't get any satisfaction from speaking with him, you should PROMPTLY go to the head teacher.  No one should ever make a child feel bad about who they are and their nationality!  Please keep us updated!

I'd speak to him definitely.  Teachers are supposed to be supportive and understanding to ALL students- From every background or religious/ethnic persuasion.  If he had made these similar comments or had posters up and replaced American with blacks or Muslim.... Well, I don't think he'd dare frankly.  

I had a run in with a teacher in high school-- only he made some very nasty comments about my parents religion. I was so embarrassed and hurt, I couldn't speak up or defend myself. He didn't know I was, but my best friend told him later on that he had offended me.  The next day he announced to the class he had spoken out of turn, and should not have said those things.  He did apologize to me in private as well, however felt that he needed to let the other students know comments like that were not appropriate and he needed to be a better example.  

I hope things work out, your poor daughter.  She seems like a very strong girl.

I'm not a parent, so... pinches of salt and all that!  

But your child sounds like she's intelligent and articulate, so I think that *she* , rather than you, should be the one to have a quiet word with the teacher.  It seems to me that the teacher would have more respect for that approach.

I'm not a parent, so... pinches of salt and all that!  

But your child sounds like she's intelligent and articulate, so I think that *she* , rather than you, should be the one to have a quiet word with the teacher.  It seems to me that the teacher would have more respect for that approach.

I would have her do this,but she is only 13. She is afraid she'll burst into tears (hormonal teen). On top of that, she is terribly shy. I'm just going to see if I can speak to him quietly before classes and make him aware of how she felt when she left yesterday.

Definitely say something. I'd say speak to the teacher first - even an email would do, as long as you received a courteous and timely reply.
If you didn't receive a satisfactory reply from the teacher, I'd send an email to the head teacher, ccing the teacher into it.

If I had guts, I say something along the lines of:

'I can see where you're coming from, America doesn't have the best track record - but the comments, whilst (hopefully) said to encourage students to take pride in intellectualism were, in themselves, quite small-minded. I know its easy to take a stab at America here and there, and trust me, I understand, I'm the one who emigrated from it! - but I wonder if having an American pupil in your class makes comments and views like 'rich Americans who don't believe in climate change' go from 'not a big deal' and pretty mainstream to being framed it in the context of what they really are, ie judging whole swathes of people, inaccurately, in a somewhat bigoted fashion (ie there are many MANY wealthy Americans who believe in climate change).'

Best of luck to you and keep us updated!

-Eliza (mother, american, brit resident 7+ years, secondary school history teacher trained in the UK)

Just back from the school.I ended up speaking to the head of my daughter's year. I would have rather spoken to the teacher himself...just to let him handle it first before bringing someone else into it. BUT, I wasn't given the option. Back in the states, all the teachers had their own emails at the school so I never had a problem getting in touch with a teacher if I needed to. Anyway, he was very understanding and apologetic. He agreed the sign needed to come down as it was inappropriate and just one more reason for the kids to have a go at chicklet for being American. He also said he would discuss the whole "Rich Americans" and climate change thing as just pin pointing one group is not right. Chicklet will be getting an apology.
I'm hoping the actual teacher will sit and talk with her and they can reach an understanding about the whole thing. She goes to a really great school that everyone tries to get their children into, so I'm just going to assume that the teacher made a bad judgment and he's not a bad teacher.

kbeech06, Good job!

I have been reading the thread, but not commenting, as I am not a parent and therefore do not feel qualified to make any suggestions...

But, I am so happy that they were nice about the issue, (and I was appalled by what had happened!) and impressed that you stood up for your daughter, in a smart, sensitive, intelligent, productive way!

I imagine it was not easy. Well, for me, it would have been really hard.

xoxoxooxoxooxxooxoo

'I can see where you're coming from, America doesn't have the best track record - but the comments, whilst (hopefully) said to encourage students to take pride in intellectualism were, in themselves, quite small-minded. I know its easy to take a stab at America here and there, and trust me, I understand, I'm the one who emigrated from it! - but I wonder if having an American pupil in your class makes comments and views like 'rich Americans who don't believe in climate change' go from 'not a big deal' and pretty mainstream to being framed it in the context of what they really are, ie judging whole swathes of people, inaccurately, in a somewhat bigoted fashion (ie there are many MANY wealthy Americans who believe in climate change).'

I like that!

I'm glad it went so well, kbeech06!  

If it makes you feel any better, I had a problem with a teacher in high school and I tried to handle it myself. This just fueled the fire and he picked on me further. One day I heard him making fun of me to other students. So, I told my parents and my Dad went up to the school to handle it. I never had a problem with him again. In fact, he treated me like royalty for the remainder of my high school career. 

Saying that, I do agree with what Tracey said. I think it can be more beneficial for some kids to handle the situation for themselves, but like your daughter, I was (still am) really shy and the situation with this teacher caused me a lot of distress and anxiety. So, hopefully your speaking to the head teacher will nip this thing in the bud.  


Eatoomey, great suggestion. It's similar to how I respond to the "Americans are all fat, stupid and rude" comments.

As a university instructor, I sometimes had parents contact me about their adult children's grades. Can you believe that?!

At 13, YES, a parent can, and if they feel they want too or need too, they should totally step in, but, at 20? Ummm... No.

One parent said, "My daughter cannot get a B in the class. I am an alum!"

Anyway, I think parenting is the hardest, most important job in the world.

As a university instructor, I sometimes had parents contact me about their adult children's grades. Can you believe that?!

 

As a university instructor, I sometimes had parents contact me about their adult children's grades. Can you believe that?!

I can believe it actually. Part of the reason is children aren't taught responsibility. If chicklet had been a bit older and attending the school a bit longer, I would have encouraged her more to speak to the teacher herself. As I said, she handles the other kids herself, rather well actually, but she wasn't quite confident enough to speak to the teacher on her own.
I'm glad I spoke to the school...I'm confident I did the right thing.

I would donate a poster to his classroom:

"The reason the sun never set on the British Empire because God did not trust the British in the dark." -W.B. Brown 

I can believe it actually. Part of the reason is children aren't taught responsibility. If chicklet had been a bit older and attending the school a bit longer, I would have encouraged her more to speak to the teacher herself. As I said, she handles the other kids herself, rather well actually, but she wasn't quite confident enough to speak to the teacher on her own.
I'm glad I spoke to the school...I'm confident I did the right thing.

Think you did the right thing too, and I am usually against parental over-involvement. Your DD is still at an age where teachers are supposed to educate them and support/protect them- and it seems like he was failing to do both properly (if at all). Hope things get better for her soon!

I am just catching up with this thread now...glad it went well, hope the teacher responds well. I think you were absolutely right to say something- I am just curious, how were you not given an option to speak to the teacher? Did you ask and they say no? I just find that concerning personally. I just personally would have wanted to talk to the teacher directly to get a feel of how they felt about it all.