This is a case of a teacher’s regrettable actions towards my child; she is Ms Theresa of Zoo-phonics Serangoon branch.
The incident happened on 5th July 2016 during class. Ms Theresa singled out my son to stand in front of the class for sporting “long hair” which by the way is NOT a violation of any standing school regulations. Subsequently, she used a female hair clip and clipped my boy's hair up as if he was a girl, much to the amusement of all the other kids. Then she threatened to repeat such an action if he did not cut his hair by the next school day. This very act of clipping my boy's hair subjected him to the laughter of the entire class.
This incident was narrated to me, thereafter by the next teacher who has taught him for 4 years, Chinese teacher Ms Peng. She noticed his abnormal and despondent behavior and asked him and the class what happened. My son did not answer; his classmates filled her in with details of the earlier incident.
My son later revealed to me after we had left the school compound, that during the period of time he was been humiliated, he was too scared and traumatized to cry out or even somewhat react. He feared more punishment and humiliation if he was to be seen as defiant. Only after had Ms Theresa left the class, did he started to weep in his seat.
I brought my son home, settled him down and tried to reassure him. His response to me on what happened, in a very firm tone, was "he wanted to die". He said he felt like dying when entire class laughed at him.
The handling of the incident to me was absolutely unbecoming and unacceptable of an early childhood development teacher.
Firstly, I will like to seek clarification on what grounds or standard did this teacher define my son’s hair as being too long, or it merely her own interpretation on what a young boy’s proper hairstyle should be. If no existing rule governing such matters has been established in the school thus far, this act itself of pushing through her "brand of discipline" is no different than a thug holding one at knifepoint.
More at 5 year old son felt like dying after being humiliated by teacher
The incident happened on 5th July 2016 during class. Ms Theresa singled out my son to stand in front of the class for sporting “long hair” which by the way is NOT a violation of any standing school regulations. Subsequently, she used a female hair clip and clipped my boy's hair up as if he was a girl, much to the amusement of all the other kids. Then she threatened to repeat such an action if he did not cut his hair by the next school day. This very act of clipping my boy's hair subjected him to the laughter of the entire class.
This incident was narrated to me, thereafter by the next teacher who has taught him for 4 years, Chinese teacher Ms Peng. She noticed his abnormal and despondent behavior and asked him and the class what happened. My son did not answer; his classmates filled her in with details of the earlier incident.
My son later revealed to me after we had left the school compound, that during the period of time he was been humiliated, he was too scared and traumatized to cry out or even somewhat react. He feared more punishment and humiliation if he was to be seen as defiant. Only after had Ms Theresa left the class, did he started to weep in his seat.
I brought my son home, settled him down and tried to reassure him. His response to me on what happened, in a very firm tone, was "he wanted to die". He said he felt like dying when entire class laughed at him.
The handling of the incident to me was absolutely unbecoming and unacceptable of an early childhood development teacher.
Firstly, I will like to seek clarification on what grounds or standard did this teacher define my son’s hair as being too long, or it merely her own interpretation on what a young boy’s proper hairstyle should be. If no existing rule governing such matters has been established in the school thus far, this act itself of pushing through her "brand of discipline" is no different than a thug holding one at knifepoint.
More at 5 year old son felt like dying after being humiliated by teacher
