Primary-Cap-3147 OP t1_j8ibj7r wrote on February 14, 2023 at 3:01 PM

Reply to comment by ilagitamus in Vermont Public School Teachers- What Are Your Concerns? by Primary-Cap-3147

As a parent, is there a way you would go about handling a bullying problem? Like if your kid was getting targeted, and the administration refused to do anything about it- how would you handle the situation? Or if your kid felt like they couldn't learn in a classroom where the teacher had to constantly divest their attention from teaching to address the specific behavioral problems of certain students?

These seem like extremely common scenarios, but admittedly most of this comes from what I'm reading online, or the occasional conversation with parents in public play areas/teacher friends. It's all anecdotal, but I've really not heard a single positive thing from anyone's experience. I'd mostly be worried about my kid thinking the real world operated like these schools, where the most outlandish behaviors receive the most resources with no accountability.

I guess I'm hoping that the horror stories I hear about are just the most extreme examples being expressed by the most dissatisfied teachers. Like the Teaching subreddit would make you think public schools are some dystopian hells cape. I've not read a single positive story coming from it.

ilagitamus t1_j8ppwdl wrote on February 16, 2023 at 1:38 AM

For bullying if no progress is being made I’d force an in person meeting and ensure that when the meeting ends specific action will be taken or that my child is separated from the one in question. If it’s bad enough, legal action. Bullying has a very specific legal definition in VT and schools can be held very liable if they’re aware of it and do nothing.

Academically, any areas I had concern on for my child I’d find ways to work on at home or over the summer. I’m privileged enough to have the means that I’d be able to make up the difference in ensuring my child has the academic skills required to be successful moving on, at least within grades K to 6.

Within my school though, and from other teachers I talk to in my district, the kind of stuff worst case scenarios and hellscapes I’m hearing being described aren’t happening. That doesn’t mean they aren’t, but from my own perspective, things are maybe a little rough, but are still perfectly manageable. Learning is happening, fun is happening, social development is happening. Teachers feel supported, behavior response has to be triaged, but is still within the scope of being managed within the classroom and in a way that generally isn’t disruptive.