Father Supports His Daughter After The Teacher Took Away Her Book For Reading At Recess, Gets Called A Jerk
Many years ago, when I was in school, all we did was run through the corridors during recess, and the teachers would try in vain to persuade at least someone to sit down and read a book. I remember it well, because I was just one of those who managed to be persuaded…
Now, several decades later, the situation is quite different. And now the school staff makes the kids run around during recess, and teachers even confiscate books when they see that one of the students is reading too much. At least that’s what happened to user u/iguessimthatdad‘s 11-year-old daughter.
The author of the post has an 11 Y.O. daughter who is in the 5th grade
Image credits: Arthur Krijgsman (not the actual image)
The girl has lots of physical activities outside school, yet rarely plays with her classmates
Image credits: u/iguessimthatdad
The dad says that his daughter has ADHD and was even bullied at school several years ago
Image credits: RODNAE Productions (not the actual image)
Image credits: u/iguessimthatdad
One day, the teacher saw the girl reading during recess, so she confiscated her book and demanded she go play instead
Image credits: Pixabay (not the actual image)
Image credits: u/iguessimthatdad
The father went to the school to stand up for his daughter but was criticized instead
So, the Original Poster (OP) says that his daughter Cleo is now 11 years old and is very active outside of school. The girl plays soccer, takes swimming lessons, and enjoys playing with the neighborhood kids. At the same time, her friendships did not work out at school. Perhaps, the father reasons, it was because Cleo has ADHD and was bullied in the 3rd and 4th grade. Be that as it may, now in her 5th grade, everything is already under control, however, her classmates still ice her out.
Well, on the other hand, Cleo enjoys reading during recess, or just playing alone. The teachers brought this to the parents’ attention several times, but they simply explained that the girl had enough physical activity after school. But the OP’s daughter really likes reading, and she happily reads her mother’s books, and tries to treat them very carefully.
And so, one day, the girl came home from school incredibly upset. It turned out that the teacher had seen her reading her mother’s favorite book during recess and confiscated it. The girl needed to, firstly, be reassured that her mom was not upset, and secondly, her father decided to go to the school and get justice for his daughter.
The teacher, as the dad himself recalls, tried to somehow justify herself, although, as it turned out, she had no right to take away books from children during the break. So the OP just went to the school principal, and after a short conversation, firstly returned the book to his daughter, and secondly got a promise that her books would never again be confiscated if she read during recess.
However, the original poster’s cousin, who works as a teacher at the same school, later criticized him, saying that what he did is “hot gossip” in the teachers’ lounge, and that now he and his wife will be considered “one of those parents “. Be that as it may, the OP believes that he did the right thing by standing up for his daughter – especially since the girl will be going to another school in August.
Image credits: Max Fischer (not the actual image)
Of course, in the contemporary world, the importance of play for children, in particular, physical activity, is of paramount importance. “Our society knows this is a big contributing factor to the childhood obesity problem and is also linked to depression, yet most teachers comply with the demands of a test-prep-obsessed system,” Lisa Nelson writes in her blog The Innovative Educator. “Watch them. See what they love. See who they are when you aren’t telling them what to do.” And it was this wise advice that the teacher from our story did not follow at all.
“Certainly no one is going to dispute the importance of games during a recess,” says Volodymyr Nemertsalov, the principal of Veda private school in Odessa, Ukraine whom Bored Panda asked for a comment on this story. “On the other hand, if the child loves to read, and the parents have repeatedly said that she has enough physical activities outside school, then ideally there should be no problems with this.”
“However, it often happens that people try to force others to be healthy or happy. This comes from too literally following the recommendations ‘from above’. In other words, if children are encouraged to play during recess, then they literally ‘should’ play. This is fundamentally wrong and is solved, of course, by talking with the teacher. In any case, if the child is passionate about reading, this is nothing but wonderful and deserves every kind of encouragement, not punishment,” Volodymyr claimed.
By the way, many people in the comments also wrote that they experienced something similar in their school years – however, mostly when they read at an inappropriate time. But even in this case, as commenters recall, they always returned the book at the end of the same day. Here, it is the teacher’s behavior that looks inappropriate. “How can you actively discourage reading and call yourself a teacher???” folks in the comments wondered.
However, a school is a place where, quite often, one has to deal with lots of bureaucracy. For example, as it happened in this post of ours, where a newly-minted superintendent postponed the start of PTM in a rural school by her own decision – and was incredibly surprised when no one showed up. And if you also read at recess in your school years – please let us know how it all happened and how it all ended.
However, people in the comments sided with the author almost unanimously and reminisced about reading books during recess in their school years as well
I'm a teacher, the teacher is the AH. No reason to confiscate a book unless it's inappropriate material. In fact, I actively encourage reading at breaktime for children who want to read.
For that matter, it isn't the teacher's (or the school's) place to decide what is or isn't appropriate reading material for other people's children, and confiscating a student's personal property is crossing a line even if it's only temporary. If the teacher is concerned about what little Jimmy is reading during recess, he or she should contact the parents. If they don't see a problem, that should be the end of it.
Load More Replies...My son was an only child. He always needed quiet alone time. In preschool he would often take a book, find a place to sit with the book. It was during "free play" when all the children choose what to do. The preschool used this as an opportunity to teach about boundaries and respecting other's choices. I was one of those parents when he was in public schools. Reading at recess would definitely have been a problem. Too many unreasonable rules.
I'm sorry to say that Cleo not being allowed to read during recess isn't because one teacher had a problem. In primary school I'd try to sit by myself and read books at lunch time but teachers (several different ones) would come along and MADE ME MOVE SEATS to a busy table. Because I was supposed to be "talking to people". It's a common thing.
Yup, yup. They also wanted him to read certain books. He consumed books and started reading mine. Only once he proudly took the large hardcover novel to school. The teachers yelled, "We will call your mother!" He grinned, "It is my mom's book. She suggested I read it." It was a fun mystery.
Load More Replies...While in 1st grade (USA) a teacher tried to take a book a way from my son because it was above his grade level. He opened it and read to her until she walked away. I would have been labeled that parent if she had taken it from him.
I had a similar situation happen to me on 4th grade. Checked the book out from the school library. Teacher took it from me because it was above my reading level. I'm still upset that I never finished the book (been so long that I don't even remember what the premise of the book was lol). I just remember I was enjoying the book. Way to suck the fun out of reading.
Load More Replies...This made me smile because it reminded me how I used to break into the library and read over recess in grade school. I am an only child and while I am not shy or unfriendly, I have always enjoyed my alone time. The latches on the doors in that school were such that you could unlatch them with the bow of your glasses. Thing is, even when teachers caught me in there, I never got told off. They just let me do my thing.
As the daughter of a retired teacher, I can say that my mom would never have done anything like this. She would have let the child read and would have focused on the other active children. This little girl was not hurting anyone and was minding her own business. The teacher should have done the same. This teacher's lounge "one of those parents" kind of talk needs to be dealt with as soon as possible. This woman should not be allowed to educate children if she has no idea how to behave around them. The teacher's behavior is more juvenile than the child in question. You can't force children to interact with other children and then get upset when you are called out by the child's parents. If you can't treat children with respect, then you need to find a different profession altogether. No teachers don't get paid enough, however, that doesn't give them the right to be jerks.
As the son of a retired teacher, my mom would have teared a new one on that AH that is unexplicably allowed to teach
Load More Replies...As a child,I was the reader. Still am. At first grade, I was reading at a fourth grade level.
Me too. I read 4 grades ahead and got in trouble for doing so. One time in first grade, my teacher passed out a D**k and Jane book to each student. Everyone was to sit quietly and read. I finished in less than a minute. "I'm done" I say to Ms Beehive Hairdo and she says, read it again. Ok, so I do. "Ms Beehive Hairdo, I'm done." This time, in a low and threatening voice, she growls at me and says "read it again". At this point, I take a look around the classroom and I'm shocked that everyone is only half way through. I really felt like a freak at that moment and not knowing what to do, I just started staring out the window. That incident led to a pattern at school, but that is another story!
Load More Replies...NTA. Your daughter's teacher and your cousin are the kind of toxic teachers that have given so many childhood trauma. So many elementary school teachers were rude to me as a child, and also as an adult, that I have grown quite a grudge against the group as a whole. Many, many people in this world are stuck in a job that is not right for them and elementary school teachers are not immune.
I was reading after taking a test once. Substitute teacher tried to take my book. I, having siblings, instantly had a death grip on my book and I was willing to get physical to keep my precious book. Substitute awkwardly let go and went back to her seat. Not the first sub to try to power trip me and the first one was the last one I allowed to do so. I was often picked on by the other kids and the subs were easy to persuade into joining in with a simple he-said-she-said.
I'm a teacher, the teacher is the AH. No reason to confiscate a book unless it's inappropriate material. In fact, I actively encourage reading at breaktime for children who want to read.
For that matter, it isn't the teacher's (or the school's) place to decide what is or isn't appropriate reading material for other people's children, and confiscating a student's personal property is crossing a line even if it's only temporary. If the teacher is concerned about what little Jimmy is reading during recess, he or she should contact the parents. If they don't see a problem, that should be the end of it.
Load More Replies...My son was an only child. He always needed quiet alone time. In preschool he would often take a book, find a place to sit with the book. It was during "free play" when all the children choose what to do. The preschool used this as an opportunity to teach about boundaries and respecting other's choices. I was one of those parents when he was in public schools. Reading at recess would definitely have been a problem. Too many unreasonable rules.
I'm sorry to say that Cleo not being allowed to read during recess isn't because one teacher had a problem. In primary school I'd try to sit by myself and read books at lunch time but teachers (several different ones) would come along and MADE ME MOVE SEATS to a busy table. Because I was supposed to be "talking to people". It's a common thing.
Yup, yup. They also wanted him to read certain books. He consumed books and started reading mine. Only once he proudly took the large hardcover novel to school. The teachers yelled, "We will call your mother!" He grinned, "It is my mom's book. She suggested I read it." It was a fun mystery.
Load More Replies...While in 1st grade (USA) a teacher tried to take a book a way from my son because it was above his grade level. He opened it and read to her until she walked away. I would have been labeled that parent if she had taken it from him.
I had a similar situation happen to me on 4th grade. Checked the book out from the school library. Teacher took it from me because it was above my reading level. I'm still upset that I never finished the book (been so long that I don't even remember what the premise of the book was lol). I just remember I was enjoying the book. Way to suck the fun out of reading.
Load More Replies...This made me smile because it reminded me how I used to break into the library and read over recess in grade school. I am an only child and while I am not shy or unfriendly, I have always enjoyed my alone time. The latches on the doors in that school were such that you could unlatch them with the bow of your glasses. Thing is, even when teachers caught me in there, I never got told off. They just let me do my thing.
As the daughter of a retired teacher, I can say that my mom would never have done anything like this. She would have let the child read and would have focused on the other active children. This little girl was not hurting anyone and was minding her own business. The teacher should have done the same. This teacher's lounge "one of those parents" kind of talk needs to be dealt with as soon as possible. This woman should not be allowed to educate children if she has no idea how to behave around them. The teacher's behavior is more juvenile than the child in question. You can't force children to interact with other children and then get upset when you are called out by the child's parents. If you can't treat children with respect, then you need to find a different profession altogether. No teachers don't get paid enough, however, that doesn't give them the right to be jerks.
As the son of a retired teacher, my mom would have teared a new one on that AH that is unexplicably allowed to teach
Load More Replies...As a child,I was the reader. Still am. At first grade, I was reading at a fourth grade level.
Me too. I read 4 grades ahead and got in trouble for doing so. One time in first grade, my teacher passed out a D**k and Jane book to each student. Everyone was to sit quietly and read. I finished in less than a minute. "I'm done" I say to Ms Beehive Hairdo and she says, read it again. Ok, so I do. "Ms Beehive Hairdo, I'm done." This time, in a low and threatening voice, she growls at me and says "read it again". At this point, I take a look around the classroom and I'm shocked that everyone is only half way through. I really felt like a freak at that moment and not knowing what to do, I just started staring out the window. That incident led to a pattern at school, but that is another story!
Load More Replies...NTA. Your daughter's teacher and your cousin are the kind of toxic teachers that have given so many childhood trauma. So many elementary school teachers were rude to me as a child, and also as an adult, that I have grown quite a grudge against the group as a whole. Many, many people in this world are stuck in a job that is not right for them and elementary school teachers are not immune.
I was reading after taking a test once. Substitute teacher tried to take my book. I, having siblings, instantly had a death grip on my book and I was willing to get physical to keep my precious book. Substitute awkwardly let go and went back to her seat. Not the first sub to try to power trip me and the first one was the last one I allowed to do so. I was often picked on by the other kids and the subs were easy to persuade into joining in with a simple he-said-she-said.



























143
186