How would you handle this situation?

AU_Girl

I teach high school. Today during my first period class, I had 3 students at my desk waiting patiently for their turn to get my help as I worked with each of them in the order that they approached. A student in a later class walked in unannounced, cut in front of them, and preceded to talk at me about an assignment she has known about for over a week and was due today. I told her I was busy, I would deal with it later, and to go back to class. Here's the issue: later that day, I saw that her mother had posted to facebook blasting me for being disrespectful to her child. I sent her an email telling her what actually happened, to which she hasn't responded, but since then, I see that she is busy building a small army. Some of these people I don't even know. Part of me is saying to let it go. The other part is saying to defend myself. What would you do?

Altagracia220

Let it go. If she is aggressive enough to build said 'army' she's the type to take it to the next level. Your'e in the right and what happened wasn't even that serious. Eventually she'll move on especially if you ignore her and keep on keeping on.

LovingLifeInCalifornia

Parents can get crazy and can take things way out of control.

Here's my advice...which may make sense or not. Hard to judge without more info:

Make sure your principal knows your point of view first...before the parent gets to the principal.

It's a political game nowadays...and it's important you can play the politics. Your principal will appreciate the heads up before the army arrives in her office.

Depending on your ground rules set at the beginning of the term...I might go ahead and reiterate the policy...to all students - Even making them sign a paper stating they understand that they are responsible for the work and being respectful...and having parents/guardians sign it as a homework assignment.

That way everyone should be aware of the policies. What seems to be common sense to some..,never is to all.

Hope this helps..,

Bill8855

^^ this

pechepanda

What lovinglifeincali said
tell the principal before the parent gets to the principal,
and send home a list of classroom rules policies for assignments and general rules,
probably include that students should not come into your classroom while youre teaching another class if theyre not in said class, etc and get parents to sign it,
and dont respond to anything the mother does online, just leave it.

AU_Girl

Thanks for all of your input! I did go to the principal, so he is aware of the situation. At the beginning of the year I send out a classroom rules and regulations form, which has to be signed by the parents & students for a quiz grade. Honestly, though, parents and students never read them, but it's good to have in case something comes up.
For those of you asking, the issue she had was that she had not followed the directions of a major assignment and was told by her mother to talk to me about it so I wouldn't take off points.
I don't believe she'll storm the school. I believe she just wanted validation, but it stinks that my name is dragged through the mud and I can't do anything about it.
Anyhow, thanks again!

EZDUZIT68

The first thing you should do is get off facebook. It sucks but some professions don't mix well wil social media. As upper management in my company I eventually had to gife up facebook because of all the crap people I had friended at work would post: things aboutwork, peopke we work with, etc. - I knew one day I'd see something that (a) I couldn't ignore and have to bring to HR or (b) say sonething stupid and get in trouble for it. It just wasn't woth the stress or the risk.

SugarBabyGirl

take the high road

Unknown

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xeno8604

If it gets really out of hand then get the Principal (other faculty) involved to prevent this from escalating. Or you can talk to the parent about the situation with the presence of a mediator to prevent any backlash.

TavistockToad

Does your school have a policy on how to deal with social media? It doesn't sound like a situation you should have to deal with yourself.