5 Yr old Bullied by studets & Teacher. Help?

[Willow1622]

Hello. I am new here and to the idea of homeschooling. I am trying to find out what my options might be. I live in Summerville South Carolina. So please bare with me while I explain my situation.

I am a disabled mom. My youngest child is 5 and in Kindergarten. She had a wonderful time in child development last year. This year, however, we have had several problems with other students and mainly, her teacher.

Her teacher has told us that we have to buy a whole new wardrobe for her with only pants. No dresses. And all she will wear is dresses. (This is not the school policy. Just the teachers policy.) Then she asked that I send in snacks for the entire class several times a month. My daughter says each child will get only 1/2 a cookie or cracker, or 2 small pretzel sticks. And the teacher will serve herself, a large pile. (I am on a fixed income, so buying snacks many times a month mainly for the teacher herself, is really not something I am too happy about.)

She has also sent home a plastic bag with "Lunch Money" written on it, and told my daughter that she got lunch free the first day, but I owe "her" (the teacher) money for the last 3 weeks. (We called the cafeteria and they know nothing of this. THEY are the ones who would ask this. Not the teacher!) Again, since I am on a fixed income, my children are on the Free lunch program. We made several complaints on these issues, to the principal. The school has ignored it and all the other issues!

Last week, 2 little girls sitting behind and beside my daughter touched her in a very inapropriate place (and left scratches on her privates.) My daughter told the teacher, and the teachers reply was: "Oh well! You'll get over it." (I heard her say this statement to a child on Meet the Teacher Day, so I believe that is her own words. -That my child is telling the truth.)

-I KNOW when my daughter is lieing, and I tried several different ways to trick her. But she said the same story every time. And just yesterday, the 2 little girls punched my daughter. She again told the teacher, and she said to tell the student teacher. Nothing was done.

The teacher is also not letting my daughter use the restroom or have snack like she does the other students. I feel she is being singled out because of my complaints. I went to the principal again today, to have my daughter transferred to another class.

The principal called my daughter an outright liar, and said that she will not transfer her, because she is a liar, and she had the highest testing score for the pre-kindergarted testing in all the CD classes last year & this year. I told her that I did not care if she put her in a class with students that didn't test as high, as long as she would not be bullied by other students and her teacher. This way she CAN learn instead of worrying who's going to beat her up, touch her, or when she can go to the rest room.

My sister in law has wittnessed some of these incidenses and went to grandparents day yesterday, (as a fill in). She suggested I homeschool her. When I was 19, I was a volunteer teacher to a Child developement class my baby brother was in. -I had to be tested and was told back then that I could homeschool up to about 4th grade. Since then, the schooling system has changed a great deal! I am not even sure I will be able to go that far. Which I am sure next year will be better, and she can go back to school.

But what do I have to do to go through with this? I have NO CLUE as to what to do to get started. Also, would Social Services try to take my children from me, if I do decide to. The school my children are going to, have about 1300 more students than they had planned for, and it is extrmely overcrowded as it is.

My child is being bullied, singled out by her teacher, ignored & called a liar, by the principal. (Which we are calling the disctrict supervisor to make a complaint, but I know my child will get the blundt of the retaliation, which she already has.) And personally, I don't appreciate the principal calling my child a liar, when I KNOW when she is lieing. And she is very affraid of her teacher, and classmates.

Since they refuse to switch her, and have the overcrowding as well, I really feel that homeschooling would be best for her this year.

Can you tell me what I have to do to get started, and as I said, what are my rights, (as in Social Services) -I will not do anything to jeopardize them with taking my children. But I will not let my daughter continue to be harrassed because *I* complained to the principal about the teacher.

Thank you,

Crystal Atkinson

[Dianna]

Crystal, I answered you via email about this since you emailed me privately. However, if you have more questions, please let me know. Also, others here may have advice for you, so be sure to check back here from time to time.

Dianna

[shae128]

I, too, homeschool. My son was bullied by a teacher. You would never think that could happen. Well, children learn to bully from following an adult example. After a whole year of dealing with the abuse, my son had to write a handwritten complaint to the school board. He signed it, as his parents, we had to signed it, too. I had complained to the principle about the teacher's inappropriate behavior. He denied that it ever happened. But, when other parents told me that their children had told them about the abuse, I knew that something had to be done. I went to the next in line, curriculum coordinator(we use to call them vice-principle), and off the record, she told me that she knew the behavior was going on, but could not report her. There is a standard that one teacher cannot report another. Some standard! Anyway, she recommended that I get my son to write the complaint in his handwriting, his own words, and sign it. We did, and the teacher was fired immediately. It was the last week of class, but my son did feel better. At least, someone had listened to him. You know your child, believe her. Believe your sister. Don't wait any longer. I think that you should homeschool, if you feel that is your calling. Only you know, if you are up to the task. Your child will face bullies for the rest of her life. If she is not able to stand up to them right now, as her mother, you have to do it for her... That being said, report the teacher to the school board. The principle does not have the authority to fire the teacher, go to the people that do. I can bet that the principle will be repremanded, too. Every child deserves the chance to a great education, whether it is at a public school or a homeschool! I hope and pray that this situation is resolved soon, for your sake and your daughter's.
Take care,
Sharon

[hh_spring]

HI,

I have had many problems with a particular school, principal, and on and on, that is why I Homeschool my 13 year old son! It is really sad when the Principal tells you that She doesn't want those retards at her school!

Anyway, I can tell you, if you are able to, you can go sit in your child's classroom, anytime you want to if it is a PUBLIC school and they have no right to tell you that you cannot! Also, you should have gotten a dress code when school started along with all the rules of the school, wearing dresses is not prohibited in Public School! I also have a fixed income as my husband was out of work for a year with health probs and just went back to work, They can ask for all kinds of things, like tissues, snacks, papertowels, etc. You are under NO obligation to send them! You also need to start documenting, EVERYTHING! If you go to school at snack time, and they tell you you cannot go to classroom, write it down! Volunteer to read to the kids, if they say NO, Write it Down! It's just what you want to do, Are you up for the fight, Cause you can watch there every move, if you decide to FIGHT!! You can go eat lunch with your daughter every day, if you want, You can go sign her out and sign her back in, to take her to the bathroom!!! They cannot say a word, All you have to do is write personal....They may say something, but remember this, THEY ARE PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS, you are the public, they work for you!!! Just like a plumber you hire, you pay their salary! And if you are not up for the fight, HOMESCHOOL.

My daughter has had terrible bully probs, but I think that goes with the territory, too many kids and one teacher, can't watch the sneaky ones! My principal immediately put a stop to it! Looks like you have no resource there. I can tell you that a bad principal is almost impossible to get rid of, no matter, how many complaints are filed!! There is not a public middle school in this town, Florence, that I would send my child too!!

I know its a horrible feeling to have nowhere to turn, or at least it feels that way. When the PE teacher threatened to have my son arrested, I took him out of school and never looked back!!! I have taught my child to respect Law Enforcement, as we have many friends in that profession, I was furious!!
My neighbors son was arrested for having a Rage, and that was not the steps that were specified in his IEP. My Friend, went through a horrendous ordeal, to finally get it all settled! I can tell you she was relentless and went through all the channels and even had very good friends(in the District office) that off the record, told her there was nothing they could do to solve her problem, no alternatives.

I hope that you can Homeschool and rescue your darling little girl from the abuse she is being forced to live through!! I need to work, but I have found other ways to supplement our income from Home and I will Homeschool my Children and not for a second think it is a sacrifice, It is a Gift for me and for
My Children!

And as far as DSS is concerned, I also have several friends, who work there...of course....LOL....They have kids in really bad situations....Homeschooling is not that! You haven't had problems with DSS before....you don't have to answer that....They are not a bad group either, just extremely overworked!!

We are a friendly group here and will never Bully you, May tease you some, :biggrin2: You are Very Welcome, and I personally will help you in the Mental Support department, as much as I can!!

Ok...I went on a RANT there:rotfl2: But as they say been there, done that, never gonna get pushed around again!!!


Welcome to the Forums!! Crystal:wave:

[Willow1622]

Thank you eveyone. I have been directed in the right place, and am faxing in my application tomorrow. I have already gotten several things to get me started with kindergarten wise and some 1st grade stuff.. Although she is well past most of the stuff in the one book. :biggrin2: I think maybe she will be able to teach me. :lol:

Well, anyway, thank you very much. I will be sticking around to get a lot of pointers. This is all so new to me.

Kali

[hh_spring]

. :biggrin2: I think maybe she will be able to teach me. :lol:

Well, anyway, thank you very much. I will be sticking around to get a lot of pointers. This is all so new to me.

Kali

Hi Kali,
You went from Crystal to Kali....My daughter's name is Cali....anyway...I am so happy you are joining our ranks!!!

You will be amazed at what your child can teach you!! My son ends up explaining Math to me....its a race to the answers and he often wins!:bounce: Which is quite a boost to his ego and mine can handle it with grace!!!

Best of Luck on the Wonderful Adventure of Homeschooling and if you need help, just HOLLER:lol: