Teachers are a special group. They spend their time educating other people's children for little pay. So naturally, they love kids.
Not only do teachers have to educate and care for children, they also have to deal with parents. Most of the time, parents work with the teachers to make sure their kids are getting the best education possible. But sometimes when parents are getting different stories from their kids, they instantly blame the teacher.
In the parent's haste to defend their children, they can say pretty outrageous things to the teachers who care for their kids... especially if their kids are in the wrong.
Here are some of the most outrageous things teachers have heard from parents.
Don't forget to check the comment section below the article for more interesting stories!
#25 He Said What Now?
That clearly the reason their son was making inappropriate comments towards me was because I was "enticing him with flirtatious private meetings." They were referring to the times I had to keep him back after class to lecture him on his behavior. I actually said "Are you kidding me?" which, I admit, was also an inappropriate comment.
#24 Don't Know Much About Science Books
Well, she wasn't smart and she wasn't pretty, so there goes that.
[Deleted]
#23 Racial Grading (Not)
Student and parent emailed trying to get me fired. Recipients? Principal, board of education, and Barack Obama.
Edit: The student was half black. It was over a minor grading issue. And to top it off, the essays were graded by student ID number and not name. Even if I had wanted to treat her unfairly, it was impossible to.
#22 You're Just Like Me!
Ridiculous parents. This was towards the end of the year, so I didn't have to interact much with them after that.
#21 Caveman Say Ugh
I don't know what kind of bull story he told them in order to make me look like the bad cop -- I was actually appalled when his father had the audacity to call me a "fu**ing neanderthal" for whatever the son told them I did to him. His mother wasn't much better either, saying that I was a buffoon for my actions. The punishment I gave him stuck, and I'm still questioning what kind of parents they were to this day.
#20 But It's Not Homework
I was the parent (actually, uncle backing up the parent) in this story. During a parent/teacher meeting, we spent quite a while ranting and raving about the amount of homework being sent home with the child every night (several hours worth), which we felt was a teeny bit excessive for a 10-year-old. We were going to take him out of school and start homeschooling him, since we were basically doing that already. When they finally calmed us down, they showed us the school policy which basically forbade homework at that grade level, then explained that our kid was lying to us and his "homework" was actually a bunch of worksheets he was supposed to complete and turn in by the end of each class. They were actually doing my nephew a favor by letting him take them home to work on them.
#19 A Masters In What?
I teach math in an inner-city middle school. I once had a parent tell me that I "need to treat her with respect" because she had a "master's degree in typing" and is not "your typical girl". Needless to say, she was.
#18 Um, You Left Something Out
I nearly hung up on that one... Before explaining that I didn't find it that "ridiculous" that her son might have forgotten to mention that he hit another child around the face, called me a "witch" and threatened to punch my lights out.
This was the same mother who told me that I was denying her child's "student voice" ... I told her he was allowed a student voice when used appropriately, not when his "student voice" was aggressively threatening me.
I'm finding that I'm understanding my students a lot more once I've spoken to their parents.
Teacher training does not place enough emphasis on advice for handling difficult parents.
#17 I Am Not A Crook!
#16 The Apple Doesn't Fall Far
#15 Stranger Than Fiction
I had a helicopter parent get extremely aggressive and threatening when his daughter was given a B on her progress report. Whatever, dude. It's not a real grade, chill. The student later earned an A because it was deserved, not because dad was bullying me.
Fast forward about a year, he was arrested while on the family vacation to the home country for arranging and paying for his wife's murder.
I wasn't that shocked, honestly.
#14 Careful Grading Those Papers
#13 Time For An Update
#12 Too Much Leeway
#11 Well, Aren't You Full Of Yourself
#10 Denial Isn't Just A River In Egypt
#9 Not Your Mama
But my favorite (from a different mom, also of a high school freshman) was "Can you [the teacher who has 130 students every day] make sure he puts his homework in his homework folder every day? I want him to be better organized, but I just don't have the time. I have 5 kids!"
#8 I'm Good Here. Thanks
#7 I Gotta Be ME
Anyway, the other teachers and I immediately set up a parent-teacher conference. We state his behavior and our concerns with his grades. The parent sits there listening to us tell story after story how her child is from he** and she responds with "Well, I don't want him to be a robot!" This woman didn't care about one thing we said, she just didn't want him to sit in class and "act like all the other kids."
I'm so glad to be done with that school.
#6 Changing The Past
#5 Exercising Self Control
This year, I was asked if I work in special education because I couldn't get a job teaching "regular kids." Took everything I had to not shout at this idiot.
[Deleted]
#4 Remember Who You're Talking To
I'm currently a piano performance major and teach piano part-time.
During a trial lesson, one mom said, "I want my son to learn piano but I don't want to buy a piano. It'll be a waste of money." I explained that she could buy a cheaper electric keyboard.
She then proceeds to tell me, "But I don't want to waste too much money on this small hobby. I don't want him to become a musician and waste his life away."
It hurt as I sat there, shocked by this insensitive woman, telling a musician that her life is a waste. Thanks, lady.
#3 Fish Leads To A Higher IQ?
She told me, "My son is only allergic to shellfish, so I know for a fact he is not slow!"
And then sent me several messages on Facebook, after he was suspended later on and failing all of his classes, begging me to call her and help them.
#2 Tell Me What I Want To Hear
Her eldest two sons were in jail. I suspect my student may have ended up there, too.
#1 Call The Orkin Man, Maybe