update on school situation

[NicoleRussell]

Ok---yesterday was show and tell.
Amanda brings the certificate that came with the new Blue Rock Iguana and the egg it hatched from, and some info and pictures from Cyclura.com. She was very excited about this....
I think all this is pretty good for a 6 year old show and tell (especially when most of the children are bringing in Barbie Dolls). At the very least it's educational from a teacher's perspective right?
The director just looked at the stuff---cleared her troat and said "well I guess we don't want them to be extinct ...." and just starred like I brought in a severed body part or something
Well her teachers (I walked her in and gave them all the stuff for later) sarcastically said "Wow we are sooo jealous" as if to say "how discusting"...and I just stopped what I was saying and glared at them.
This was done while my daughter was with her friends, so she was not there and did not overhear any of it---I said:
If any administrator or teacher makes my child feel anything but special for being a part of herpetoculture or these wondeful conservation efforts (we contribute to the cyclura fund) I will pull her out and make that person very very sorry they were so vocally narrowminded.
They apologized, of course.
After school I questioned her and everything seemed to go ok....she even drew a valentine for her teacher's and drew a snake on it----
so I doubt anyone made her feel bad.
I am really thinking about going somewhere else next year though

[thetupak]

It sounds like the teacher might be a little jealous about you and your daughter for doing what you love and she doesnt love what she does it sounds like if she doesnt like what she does than she should find something else because children are the future and she seems not to care about what the kids are interested in

[Ed_r]

Unfortunately your not alone with teachers looking down their noses at you.

Last year right at the parent teacher confreces, the kids were getting ready for a zoo field trip. The teacher was discussing what they would be talking about, and herps was actually part of it. I instantly offered any aid I could give to the teacher. I told her I have some nice shed of the snake, some slugs, some bad eggs, and even offered to bring in one or a couple of the pets for the class.
All she does for like a couple minutes is sit there with her mouth open in disbelief, asking me if i was serious and actually had such things. Then she says Oh I guess David wasn't exadgerating when he said you had some snakes and lizards. I told her nope he wasnt. She just shhok he head like she had the willies ,and quickly changed the subject.

One thing i wonder is how can you educate children specially in science, and be so closed minded? Its really a shame.

[schatzie001]

Way to go Nicole - it sounds like you kept your cool during what could have become an inflamed situation! Your daughter gave her classmates a very special gift - you helped her educate and show them that these creatures are not yucky and not to be feared!
GREAT JOB

[louise]

at any of those given points i would have made devil horns and stuck out my pierced tongue at them. my poor kids! lol

[trinitywolf]

Props to Nicole! VERY NIIICE!
Believe me...it doesn't change until you get to college. It amazes me how much difference their tends to be, between primary and secondary teachers and those I found in college.
There are some VERY good high school teachers, but unfortunatly for me, it seemed most were as big a part of the popularity contest as most of the students.

[LdyDrgn]

Good going Nicole. Keep up the good work.

[gemisnake]

I dont have any kids but I know that if I did and any teacher seemed to put down their interest (reptile or anything) I would be so mad. You are raising your child with respect for nature and all creatures, that is great and dont let any teacher or administrator say otherwise. Some 6 year olds are growing up in homes where they already know the horrible details of a life of drugs, violence and sex, but they are putting up a fuss about a little kid who is growing up with love for all living things and feelings for conservation and preservation. I would definately look into a new school, who knows what may end up happening if she stays there. A teacher can possibly completely ruin a kids self esteem if they start putting her down for what she likes and believes in. How horrible.