The Debut of Movie Monday: Cheerleader Coach vs. The Parent

I have an announcement to make, everyone I have an announcement! I think I am going to post an xtranormal video every other Monday, hence the name Movie Monday!

Today I am going to focus on an exchange I had with a parent during my first year of teaching. Remember when I said I would tell you why I just couldn’t cut it as a teacher? Well, why rehash that in a blog post when I can make it funny in an xtranormal video. (Anything is funny with those awesome little actors and voices, right?)

So let me set up the scene: I coached seventh grade cheerleading my first year of teaching. It was . . . challenging. The girls were, well, very confident with them. And the parents were, how can I say this nicely, uppity? No, that’s not it. Bossy? Not quite either. My-princess-can-do-no-wrong-toddlers-and-tiaras-crazy? Yes, that is more like it.

The demographic of the school is mostly white, middle to upper-middle class students that harbor a great sense of entitlement.

This is key because the incident involved an African-American, special-ed student.

So without further ado, I bring to you Movie Monday:







End scene.

I was stunned that she had the audacity to wag her finger in my face. It was my first year of teaching, I was only 22 years old, and I was scared shitless that this lady was acting so aggressive towards me. For upholding school policy.

And just so you know, I did get a talking to about not using the word “shut up.” The cheerleader and her mother in question, to the best of my knowledge, were never reprimanded.

Yikes, right?

Got any stories of injustice in the workplace you’d like to share in this public forum?