Think Before You Speak

15 January 2014
Dear Ms. Art Teacher,

You teach junior high kids, so I'm sure you know they can be mean, petty little creations who think nothing of tearing down each other's self esteem. You also know that my daughter has a birth defect that makes my daughter look a little different than everyone else, something that kids are not generally kind about. Self esteem is very important, surely you know this too. So, I'm absolutely baffled as to why you felt the need to ask my child if she'd bothered to brush her hair before coming to school and why you felt the need to do it in front of the whole class. She was mortified.

I saw her hair this morning, I assure you she brushed it. Admittedly, she needs to have it trimmed up because the back is being a little bit hard to manage. She was already bothered by this and was trying to keep it looking okay with bobby pins, which had fallen out by the time she arrived at your class. See? Simple explanation. She hadn't spiked it our dyed it or done anything to purposely make her hair a distraction. I've seen her have a bad hair day, at it's worst it wouldn't distract a classroom full of kids, but I'm willing to bet your public humiliation of her got more of it's fair share of attention.

One might say I am taking this a little too seriously, but I'm not. This child has been treated differently by her peers all her life. I've held her in an effort to comfort her for hours and dried countless tears. Why would a mature woman, a grandmother, not think before opening her mouth? Why make it harder when she goes through phases when she despises going to school because of the way she's treated?

I hope you are proud of yourself,

One Ticked Mama

Before you speak THINK

T = Is it true? 
H = Is it helpful?
I = Is it inspiring?
N = Is it necessary? 
K = Is it kind? 


1 comment:

lynette355 said...

so a bully of a teacher, huh?