Wednesday, September 19, 2007

ADVICE

I don't think I have said anything about this but Claire's teacher this year for the 2nd grade is a guy and she was just thrilled about this. Bryan had taken the kids to open house and told me he seemed real nice and real young.

Things have been going swimmingly until yesterday when I asked Claire how her day was. She told me that today (yesterday) she got to eat lunch with the teacher. I asked her if she was the only one and she said yes, she was the only kid that got to. When I asked her if they ate in the cafeteria she said no that they ate in the classroom, alone - just her and the teacher. Immediately little red flags went up in my head so I tried to get as much info out of her as possible. She told me he wanted to eat the classroom because it was too loud in the lunch room and how she could eat with him anytime she wanted to. I asked her if he sat across from her or next to her and she replied next.

I was doing my best to act like I was just curious and not a concerned mother. I called Bryan at work and told him everything she had told me and he echoed my fear. He called his mom who is a retired school teacher because even though our first response was to go straight to the principle and demand what the hell was going on, we both didn't want to blow it out of proportion but not willing to overlook something that may turn into something terrible for our little girl.

So I am asking for some advice here, if this was your 7 year old little girl, what would you do?? Would you go to the principal or head straight for the teacher? Even if this is some sort of odd reward system (this is how Claire explained it) we think for her his sake and of course are daughter's, this is unacceptable. A grown man should not be alone eating lunch with one young female student. Bryan is going to the school a little later so I will give everyone an update. I am hoping this is all just some misunderstanding.

2 comments:

Hol said...

I'm concerned now as well.

I'm not for sure what the proper action would be. If you went to the teacher first, he might deny things or become defensive. On the other hand, if you went to the principal first, he/she might overreact or might not do anything at all.

I really don't know what to tell you.

If my mom was home right now, I'd ask her. She currently teaches 6th grade, but taught 4th and 1st as well in the past.

She's makes it a practice never to be alone in her room with a single child. If she has one in for behavior issues or a test, she will always tell the teacher next door about it, and leave her door open.

Mama en Fuego said...

Um that man is obviously not very intelligent.

How could any grown man in his position not realize that what he was doing could be perceived badly????

I would have been totally concerned as well.