Concern About Teacher’s Behavior Should Be Aired

QUESTION: I am bothered by what I’m hearing about my daughter’s middle-school English teacher. I hear about kids arguing or having long conversations in class, and I’d say “Where was the teacher?” The answer is that she was on the phone, or outside the classroom talking to someone. I don’t want to complain because my daughter is afraid it would affect her grade. But isn’t there anything I can do?

ANSWER: In most situations, school officials and parents recommend that you first approach the teacher directly. In this particular case, you may want to request a meeting with the teacher, along with other parents who share similar concerns.

“Parents should be advocates for their children,” said Ann Beavers, Anaheim City School District’s assistant superintendent of personnel.

Before the meeting, Beavers recommends that you write out your concerns so that you will be able to state them succinctly. If you cannot contact other parents, you may want to bring your spouse or a friend for support, and to help alleviate potential tension.

John Palacio, a member of the parent rights group Schoolwatch SENTRY (Student Education Toward Non-Violence on Campus and Teaching Respect for all Youth), said a common cause of classroom conflicts is misunderstandings between the teacher and the student.

“More often then not, the matter can be resolved by clarifying the teacher’s expectations of the students or homework assignments,” Palacio said. “Sometimes, teachers are so overwhelmed that they can’t always identify a potential problem in the classroom. That’s why it’s really important that the parent, student and teacher have a rule of cooperativeness.

“It’s always been my experience that, when you have an issue at the school setting, it’s far more important that you try to resolve it with the person closest to the issue.”

But in more serious cases, other school officials and authorities may need to get involved, Palacio and administrators said. If fear of teacher retaliation is a major issue, you can start with the school guidance counselor or principal. Ask either one to investigate the matter without revealing your child’s name. That will protect him or her from any backlash.

“The principal can keep the issue confidential and try to work with the teacher without giving specifics or naming the child,” said Jennifer Huff, assistant superintendent in Saddleback Valley Unified School District.

However, the instructor is entitled to know who is complaining about his or her performance, Huff said. Sometimes, identifying the child can help the teacher to address the problem better.

The proper resolution depends on the circumstances, officials said. Most cases are resolved at the school with a teacher apology or by moving the child to another class or school, Huff said.

But Palacio said moving the child might not be the best choice. For instance, if the child is in the school’s only honors English class, would you want him or her to return to a regular English course?

Those are factors to consider when you address the issue. Try not to enter the conflict with an antagonistic attitude, Palacio said. As a parent himself, he said, he knows that it is difficult for parents not to defend their children.

“But the bottom line is the interest of the child,” he said. “It’s when adults play games with children is when it becomes harmful. As a parent advocate, I always tell parents to put personalities on the side.”

If you are still dissatisfied with the results, you can file a formal complaint with the school district. The director of personnel or superintendent will investigate the matter and draft a report to you and school officials. In very serious cases, the issue can be addressed at the school board level or even by the state Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

Very few cases go beyond the school or even reach the district level. For example, only two cases were filed last year at Saddleback Valley Unified, where there are 1,500 teachers.

If the matter is so serious that you seek to have the teacher dismissed, legal action is usually taken. Then, the court determines whether the teacher has violated the education codes.

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