I’ve put on my ruby slippers and will be clicking my heels at approx 14:00 today which will transport me to the head teacher’s office. The good news is that the class teacher called me this morning and said she was livid with the other parents and has put in a report to the head teacher already. It appears that my son was kicked in the back and because he got into so much trouble about what he had supposedly done he didn’t dare mention it. I also played hard ball first thing and said that if I couldn’t get a meeting with the head this morning then I would come and remove my child until the situation had been sorted out. That worked. Now I have to repair my suddenly edgy son who thinks everything is now his fault whether he is involved or not. Jesus, what happened to normal? Thank you all for your kind and helpful words of support. I am pretty calm but actually very angry – and it takes alot for me to be provoked. But I won’t get all narky and enraged – I shall maintain articulate decorum throughout. Concise and to the point. (Although I don’t think I want to talk to the potty parents ever again right now).
This is the letter I wrote to the headmistress – just in case anyone was interested in the thread of over-zealous parents and current day primary school nonsense: (if you are not – ignore or read the archive – or listen to a podcast here!
Dear XXXXXXX Re: XXXXXXXXXXXX: I would like very much to be able to arrange a meeting with you as soon as possible Monday 5th March 2007. I understand X (my son) and XX (his best friend) were involved in some sort of altercation in the playground with XX yesterday. I know that both of them were told off at the time and both X (him who snores) and I have sat X (our son) down for a serious chat today to get to the bottom of this unacceptable behaviour. Although completely unacceptable in any circumstance it appears that the attack was not un-provoked and unfortunately much as girls can be tomboys I know that boys can be generally much rougher than girls when being physical. My concern is that I received a phone call late last night from X’s father insisting that he felt the school was no longer a safe environment for his child to be in and because of my son’s actions he was alerting the authorities. He also told me that many other parents in the class have told their children to stay away from X (my son). I’m beginning to feel like we are being unnecessarily marginalised and ‘pushed’ out of the school. I agree that X has been unsettled especially since joining Yr 1 and it was recently deemed via external inspection that he had lost his confidence. The knock-on effect from that has been huge for him and I have worked very hard with X (teacher) to really turn this round. Things have been recently so much better and he loves X (school) despite the fact he has been very unhappy over the last few months. I would very much like to discuss this further with you as soon as possible as I feel that the situation is possibly getting out of perspective with regards to the above. I have taken the day off work on Monday in anticipation that we can meet as a matter of urgency. I would be grateful if someone could contact me on the mobile XXXXX with a time to come in. Many thanks and very best regards XXXXXX I’ll let you all know what happens. I’m so angry. I can not believe that people can be so over-protective and wrong. It appears that the girl was chasing my son and kept smacking him on the bottom. He said he didn’t want her to and she wouldn’t stop so he pushed her away and hit her on the arm – unfortunately another child (his best friend) stamped on her foot and called her a crybaby! Fairly normal scrappy playground behaviour but I wouldn’t say bullying. The child told her parents that my son punched her in the stomach and that is why the father has decided to ‘go to the authorities’. It’s ridiculous. Nevertheless I woke up at 05:00 this morning and couldn’t get back to sleep for worrying about it. Furthermore, he and his wife have gone round and told all the other parents leading to ostracisation all round it appears. It’s vile. Hopefully it can all get sorted out from Monday.
The beautiful calm of the desert at dusk (Egypt 2006) © Rockmother
It was so quiet and still and magical.
Between the hours of nine fifteen and ten fifteen this evening the following happened:
him who snores like a bison’s friend (usually really meek and mild-mannered) turns up unannounced on the doorstep with no t shirt, no shoes or socks and covered in mud. I let him in. I ask him what’s happened. Last thing I knew they were all having a ‘quiet’ drink in the pub. Him who snores like a bison is still in the pub. Meek and mild-mannered friend is being weird and can’t remember what happened. I stick him in the bath and go into another room to call him who snores like a bison. He says he is coming straight home. Then the phone rings twice in succession. I don’t answer it as I can’t get to it due to a twisted pelvis. Seriously ouch. Am seeing a physio tomorrow. The pain is indescribable. Then my mobile rings. I answer it. It is the barrister parent of a horribly indulged and manipulative girl at my son’s school. He got into trouble today for hitting her – because his best friend told him to apparently. All involved were reprimanded accordingly. Barrister Dad says he thinks the school is ineffective, lots of other parents have decided to tell their children not to go near mine and that he is alerting the authorities. I have other side issues with the school that I now intend to tack on to his claim. Basically, my 5 year old could get expelled because the school are ineffective in responsibility for the class. I want to cry. I want to cry a lot. But I don’t. Meanwhile, him who snores like a bison comes in pretty worse for wear. Twenty minutes later I am off the phone. Suddenly Meek and Mild pads down the stairs in a towel and says that there is a lot of water coming through the ceiling. We all rush upstairs (I hobble). And sure enough, water pouring through all the downlights – it’s a mess. Everything gets turned off. Three minutes later a minicab knocks on the door – Meek and Mild just walks down the stairs and gets in it – dressed in two of our towels. We are gobsmacked. All we can do is stand there staring holding buckets. Looks like the ceiling is going to come down. I go into the bedroom to get more towels. I look out the window. It’s a full moon. Now we are sitting in the kitchen ruminating on what on earth has gone on this evening. It’s ridiculous.
My Dad did a great thing on Monday morning. There he was happily perusing the ‘healthy’ aisles at a Sainsbury’s in the East End of Gundon and was soon most insensed to see
‘Dr’ Gillian McKeith’s merchandise on display. There has been a lot of press lately about how she isn’t a doctor at all but really a 62 year old health freak born one Ena Hall in Dundee who just happened to marry someone very rich enabling her to promote herself endlessly. In short, she has recently been forced to drop her fictional Dr status. A little embarrassing. Anyway, there he was most cross that Sainsbury’s were still selling her unauthorised ‘Dr’s’ products. Did he get a supervisor and complain? No. He said he got out his black pentel and scribbled over all the ‘Dr’s’ he could find until there were none left. Good on you Pa. x
Ladies and Gentlemen – I give you – WillB with “It’s So Funny” by Cliff Richard. It is REALLY funny. Very funny indeed. You can catch more or make your own here.
WARNING: Sit down when you listen to this and don’t have any liquid in your mouth for fear of ruining your keyboards my little tappity tappers. Take it away Will.
**CLICK FOR LISTEN WITH ROCKMOTHER PODCAST ARCHIVE HERE**
**CLICK FOR MUNTERSPACE – THE WORLDS BEST ALTERNATIVE TO MYSPACE HERE**
This man wants me to be his friend on munterspace – ooh the dilemma – don’t think much of yours love!
Yes. The plot thickens. What a mess. A sad sorry tale. Why would Stern do this if he really cared?
Help.
Can someone mail Realdoc – I’ve got really bad palpitations and shortness of breath due to being made to go Beta. Yes – made to, threatened with being locked out of my old posting home. Aaarrgh. It all just locked out on me and froze for five minutes. I’m back. I’m all Googlicioused up – not what I wanted at all.
and this (excuse the pile of toy detritus – that’s all going when we get the new one)
It’s a bloody bargain I tell you – premium comfortable large 2 seater Habitat sofa with spare cotton detachable covers in navy blue. It’s starting at a tenner – buyer collects only. Cue the annoying ‘how much to send it 2nd class to Skegness please” comments.
Laters my little blogaroonies. x
Yes – it’s official – they are finally sending James Hewitt to IraqNam just as everyone else is being pulled out.
And we have a new name for the host city of the 2012 Olympics in our house. Ladies and Gentlemen…….
welcome to Gundon.
Rockmother 