So At my sons school assembly this morning he and his classmates had to read out a sentence each. When it was my sons turn he said it a bit jumbled and everyone laughed at him. The students laughed, the teachers laughed, the parents... I don't think any of the other adults realised the kids then started to mimic how he said it. My son has a speech delay and sometimes he says things different. This isn't the first time he's been laughed at for his disability and I'm sick of it.
10 Replies
Now this is a reason to change schools!
How horrible...I'd report the teachers who laughed!
That's awful!
My daughters best friend has some learning delays and struggles to read sentences in assembly too, but her classmates always come to her aid and the audience is always very respectful. I don't think that's too much to ask.
Sometimes kids don't understand but the teachers do, I find that appalling. I'm so sorry you guys had to endure that!
The students - fair enough. It's a normal reaction from kids. They laugh at anything.
The parents - potentially excusable as it was just joining in with the kids laughing.
The teachers - inexcusable.
How did your son react when he muddled it up? Did he smile, do a funny noise to rectify or get upset? Because the way he reacted would have a lot to do with how others reacted also. Did it upset your son that others laughed or only you? If it hasn't bothered him, I would try and relax about it and just tell him how proud you are of him and he is improving, or just don't make a big deal out of it with him present.
I'd approach the principal and have a chat about the other teachers laughing and maybe request them to discuss the following assembly with the parents/children there about differences and why we shouldn't laugh at people who make a mistake or are hurt.
I would rip them a new one!! Change schools asap!!
I am a teacher aide. We have a little girl who has speech difficulties and if I laughed at her I would get into a lot of trouble and rightly so! Possibly fired even. Stuff like that is zero tolerance. I would be reporting all of the teachers who laughed asap and yeah I'd probably look at changing schools if that is a possibility...the school should be encouraging your son, not making fun of him.
I think this is something that needs to be brought to their attention, and it needs to be done with a cool head. I get that youre hurt, but sometimes it just takes some education or perspective to completely change the way you see a situation.
I can totally understand your hurt I can also see situations where a friendly laugh is ok and breaks the ice but mocking is not acceptable and asyou said they didnt notice that.
FFS what's with the public speaking!!!! Forcing kids to do the most feared thing of adults???? And a kid that struggles with expressive language, that's just cruel!
Sounds like the school is full of assholes.
It'd be a different matter if it was your boy who laughed at himself, and then others joined in, but laughing AT him and then mimicking him is just fucked!
I'd write a letter to the principal but wait til you're still angry enough to be forceful but not so angry that you're too overwhelmed. 💔
I'll say it again, raising special needs kids, our hearts break for them all too often.
Is it possible they thought it was cute and don't know your child has difficulties?
I find it hard to believe the teachers would laugh at your child especially if they knew they had an issue with speech.
I think maybe they thought it was cute.
I'm a teacher and I did a play with my kindergarten class. One of the students had to say her name and that she was a piglet. I knew everyone would laugh when she said this so I warned her she wasn't fazed it was funny.