Do you think teachers have a right to...

[Talia]

Say their kids are bad students? My aunt just happened to call while I was trying this so I told her about it and she doesn't think so. I've had problems with this teacher before, he seems to always pick on me for little things. I've said before to other teachers that he hates me (and that's why I didn't want to have him this year) and none of them believe me. But any of my friends that are in his classes with me would tell you it's true. And I cannot remember ever doing anything to provoke him to repeatedly bother me.

Today he said 4 things that were directed at me. First, there is this 'contract' that a bunch of us needed to get signed and return. I know that it's my fault that I keep forgetting, and I knowledge that. He says very clearly (and very exaggeratedly, if you ask me) that if I don't bring it tomorrow he's going to try and remove me from this program I'm in. And he repeats a few more times to the class that I was the only one who didn't turn it in. Later when he was talking to us about what we were reading I was making pen marks on my paper, and then he goes off about why I'm bored and I should go to another class. I don't get why doing that = 'I'm bored.' I was listening to everything he said, just because I don't look at him doesn't mean I'm not listening. And especially in a big class. It's not like I was talking to someone else while he was saying stuff. Then he put on this music thing of the piece we were reading, and I was following the song with the words on my paper. He comes over and kneels next to me and tells me I'm a bad student, just because I didn't write down what he'd just written on the board, literally 10 seconds before. And I'm taking intercession because I'm a 'bad student' so I can 'graduate from highschool.'

I honestly don't see what the intercession has to do with anything. I know I was stupid in my freshman year, and I should have retaken my classes earlier, but he should know what he's talking about before making statements like that. Technically speaking I can graduate highschool without retaking that class because I only got D's which still count for my credits. But I actually want to go to college so I'm making it up to do just that.

Anyway... this is long winded. I don't think I'm exaggerating in this, but it is my perspective. My main question is does he have a right to call me a bad student? It actually kind of hurt when he said that.

[ylllek nivyer]

that's not right :( sorry you have to go thru that. i would go to some one higher in authority and report him and say that you have witnesses.
btw, you have my name in your signature :D lol.

[tripolar]

Trust me the same thing happened to me last year in biology, why teacher hated my guts? no idea why. she would call me out all the time, ok the bell rings at 7:25, well i came in at 7:26 and she yells go to the office your late, someone else comes in the next day at 7:30 and she lets them off, she always thinks i do nothing in group projects and i do work, I never gave her a hard time but i was getting real fed up, then we had a project a big one, she said right in front of the whole class "make sure Tony actually does work", the next day we go up to present it and she tells me to sit down because she said i did nothing and she said i will get no credit, my partners and i said, i worked on it well she called me a lair and on the way back i say "what a bitch" well she freaked out and i got tossed. See im cool with the assistant Principal and sense it was the end of the year i got in barely any trouble, and i could spend her class in ISS for the period.

[Bougainvillea]

That's unacceptable. If he has a problem he should see you after class. He could have tapped on your desk and pointed to the board. What? Does he expect you to have your eyes on him all the time? Calling you a bad student can cause self esteem problems. I wonder if he acknowledged that? Probably not. Like said before, I would let higher authorities know.

[INFERNO]

Legally, he has every right to say whatever he wants. Ethically or morally, it's more debatable. Sometimes some teachers just don't like a certain quality in you no matter what you do, even if there isn't something you did directly to him. I've had certain teachers be at my ass more than others and simply put, the teacher just never cared for me. I got pretty high marks in the class (not the highest but it was around a 88 or 90%).

Anyways, you can just try to muster through it. You can try to bring it up with the higher-ups although you're going to need evidence of what he's doing and frankly, the admin and other teachers would likely believe the people on their side, hence, the teacher.

What I did for the teachers that were at my ass (one in particular) is I just mustered through it. Initially I attempted to report it a few times but found it was little use because the admin were too stubborn to even listen. Just use his words as words of encouragement to keep doing better and each time you get high grades, be proud, you can think of it as a victory over him.

[Cromm]

Define the word "right". Inferno is correct when he says you teacher has the legal 'right' to say almost anything he wants. The question shouldn't be does he have the 'right' to call someone a bad student, but rather, is a teacher calling someone a bad student acceptable in any case.

Ofcourse, it's not.

Even if it were true it's not something any teacher should say to a student. Teachers need to be encouraging, especially if they think a student is struggleing, for whatever reason. They're supposed to provide direction and, on rare occasion, disapline; never hallow put-downs.

If he called you, verbatim, a "bad student" he has the 'right' to do that, but from a teacher, that's something that is unacceptable; and could probably get him in a little bit of trouble. Not a lot, mind you... since it's something he'd probably just get a warning for; but trouble, nonetheless.

[Modus Operandi]

No, this shouldn't be happening. Your teacher should be unbiased.
The problem with attempting to report him/her to the pricipal or whatnot, is that the admin will see this as you hating on the teacher, no matter what is actually the case. Even if you say you have witnesses, this teacher will get a slap on the wrist at best, and be all the fouler toward you for reporting him/her.

Just try to muddle through.

[nickings07]

A teacher calling someone a bad student is just an opinion in which they have voiced, but it is labelling and 'belittling' and school has the largest part in a child’s life and so teachers have the trust of parents / careers to 'help' raise their child to an acceptable standard and by calling students 'bad' is kicking the students confidence down which is a hinder rather than a boost for the child’s upbringing.

In other words, teachers are not meant to 'directly' label a student bad so they don't have the right to ether, but at the end of the day unless this teacher is inappropriate or rude then he or she may say whatever they like and it is just something you have to put up with.

[Mikey]

When i was in elementary school my teachers said I was worth nothing and would get no where and was stupid.

Now im an A and B student.

My second grade teacher also told me that there is no santa :[

[just-another-guy]

now im not to sure about the "right" to call you a bad student legally prob but i don't think it makes the school look great and also it does hurt i had a prob like that in 7th grade my teacher would always call me gay for some reason now i can sometimes talk out of turn not in a bad way or anything just give my opinion. i never made any sexual comments to teacher but he would inquire to the class that i was bi or gay sometimes (not saying that being bi or gay is a bad think few of my close friends are and my relatives are) and it just bothered me so i told my mom and dad about it and one day he did it and i wrote down what he said as i started to cry because he was doing it more and more and when he asked what i was doing i said i was writing down what you just said because that's what my mom told me to do and i have proof of it. after that he took me out into the hall said he was sorry and asked me if he would like to get my parents involved or just keep them out of it of cores i said i wanted my parents to know after he talked with my parents and the principal of the school it never happened again and the next year he left and got a different job.


in short i would say deff go to higher authority and bring a friend that's in that class with you

[JackOfClubs]

My 7th/8th grade math teacher said, and I quote, "You are all a bunch of stupid country bumpkins." That was wrong. It sure is funny now though when I think of it :D

[Jagador]

He shouldn't do it, but he can. If it really bothers you, report it to administration, most preferredly the vice principle. They are the ones who take care of the teachers. And if they can't do anything for you, go to your principle and complain. Make sure that you bring your friends as witness's so that they believe you more than the teacher. If all else fails, there is always the board of the school. Who manage almost everything that the school has.

[INFERNO]

In all honesty, you'd be better off not to report him. Consider what happens if you do. He's not going to get fired, he'll probably get a slap on the wrists, especially if he's a well-loved teacher by most others. You'd probably also end up pissing him off a good amount for dragging him into the mess and that won't help you in any way.

If you do go with some friends to verify your story, the principle or admin. has to decide, does he/she listen to the teacher who they've known for a while, has had no complaints and is a great teacher, or does he/she listen to a few kids where one was called a "bad student"? The person would probably side with the teacher and may even tell you that you were a bad student or that the comment wasn't offensive and to live with it.

Either way, getting it solved is going to be a hassle and when you do, if it goes all in your favour, the teacher will get little punishment and other students and possibly other teachers may view you in a different light.

So if it were me, I'd grin and bare it. I've had some pretty lousy professors and complaining the the admin is such a mess I didn't even bother and just went through.

Perhaps if the teacher said more offensive things to you, such as insulting you, saying racist jokes, swearing at you, etc..., then that'd be worth it. Although calling you a bad student isn't good on the teacher's part, it could be a lot worse. Don't let it get worse by causing a big mess.