PTA Meeting 2013

This year's Parents' Orientation Day at my sons' school was uneventful except for one moment when Dale's adviser told me that his teacher in TLE made him cry.  She said she found Dale looking like he was about to cry and when she asked why he said that he cannot cry because I will get mad at him (referring to the first tantrum).  When she said that it was okay, tears started falling.  He said that his TLE teacher told him she hates him!  When the adviser asked the TLE teacher, she said that she was really tired that day and Dale started making noise in the classroom.  The adviser then asked me to understand the TLE teacher because she was old and her class with Dale was the last class and she was tired.

Dale wants everyone to like him.  He doesn't want enemies.  His archenemy, Tony (his brother who I cannot control), likes to tell Dale "I hate you!" whenever he's angry at him.  That's why Dale prays for Tony every night.  His classmates also bullies him with that sentence because they know that Dale hates being told that.

So, I was dumbstruck when she told me that.  I asked her "Between the two of us, do you think that what the teacher said was right?"  She asked me for my patience.  I told her the school accepted my son knowing what his condition was.  We have been patient with the bullying from his classmates.  I have told Dale to be patient with them, and he is coping with it.  But, this is a teacher we are talking about!  Hate is a very strong word for us, let alone for Dale. If she doesn't have the patience, then she shouldn't be a teacher.  Maybe she should retire!

Nonetheless, I told Dale to tread lightly with this particular teacher.  He should be extra careful on what he does.  He cannot just stand up or make noise.  Some of his teachers tolerate his "behavior" because they know that Dale still listens to the lesson even without looking at them.  A handful of teachers already testified to this. There was this one teacher who told me honestly that he wanted Dale to feel ashamed that he wasn't listening (because he was drawing on his notebook), so he suddenly asked Dale to recite.  When Dale was able to answer all questions correctly, he said he was the one who felt ashamed of himself.

I plan on talking to his guidance councilor about this because we want this on record that this happened.  I fear that this might result to the teacher making it harder for Dale, but we also do not want to let her think that she can get away with harsh words.  Teachers are second parents.  Parents shouldn't hate their children.