UPDATE IN OP Teachers- Does this sound like a FERPA violation?

[sassenach]

DD is in an epic battle of wills with her Spanish teacher. This teacher had ds previously and they ran into each other at Ds's work. The teacher proceeded to tell ds that dd is the most difficult student he has this year and he even has an inside joke with his family about her (that's a play on her name). 

At the least, this was unprofessional. I am curious though if this would fall under FERPA. He didn't say anything about her actual grades (which are excellent, anyways). 

We have a meeting coming up and I will definitely be addressing this but I'm debating if I want to throw FERPA out there.

 

UPDATE: We had the meeting this morning and it went great. He basically took no responsibility for his actions and the administration saw right through him. I didn't mention the incident where he talked to DS until after he had given his response. When I did, the principal quickly wrapped up the meeting and it was clear that she was shifting it into dealing with his actions. We got a call afterward that was very candid and they offered the solution of allowing dd to take her grade to date (an A) and no longer have to attend the class. It really was the best case scenario. DD enjoyed watching the union rep's (her former teacher that loves her) reaction to the DS bomb. She said that he had a look of, "oh no, you done did it" and sort of smirked and put his head down.  

Edited May 18, 2021 by sassenach

[WildflowerMom]

It's unprofessional and really weird, tbh, but I don't think it falls under FERPA.  

[Danae]

Unprofessional and unethical, probably not a FERPA violation.  FERPA is specifically about educational records.  
 

His behavior is wrong on multiple levels, but doesn’t involve school record-keeping.

Edited May 14, 2021 by Danae

[WildflowerMom]

I'd have a meeting with him and the principal, unless this is her last semester with him and then I'd encourage her to ride it out.  

[sassenach]

Thanks for the input! I thought maybe that was the case. My only point of reference is HIPPA and that would have definitely been a HIPPA violation (but obviously those are 2 different laws).

The meeting is already scheduled with the administration. He's bringing his union rep, too. That incident is my ace in the pocket because it's not even the inciting event for the meeting. I've gone a cumulative 7 years with kids at this school and never needed to have a meeting like this. He's a real piece of work. 

[gardenmom5]

3 minutes ago, sassenach said:

Thanks for the input! I thought maybe that was the case. My only point of reference is HIPPA and that would have definitely been a HIPPA violation (but obviously those are 2 different laws).

The meeting is already scheduled with the administration. He's bringing his union rep, too. That incident is my ace in the pocket because it's not even the inciting event for the meeting. I've gone a cumulative 7 years with kids at this school and never needed to have a meeting like this. He's a real piece of work. 

Sounds like he knows he's a real piece of work too.
I hope  your meeting goes well.

[pinball]

I’d be throwing around all the letters!

FERPA

SOB

PITA

WTF

GTFO

 

[Katy]

9 minutes ago, sassenach said:

Thanks for the input! I thought maybe that was the case. My only point of reference is HIPPA and that would have definitely been a HIPPA violation (but obviously those are 2 different laws).

The meeting is already scheduled with the administration. He's bringing his union rep, too. That incident is my ace in the pocket because it's not even the inciting event for the meeting. I've gone a cumulative 7 years with kids at this school and never needed to have a meeting like this. He's a real piece of work. 

He's probably a bully to other kids too.  I had a math teacher that was awful like that.  Eventually she started bullying the straight-A daughter of a school board member and she got to "retire" early.

[Carol in Cal.]

There is a shortage of Spanish teachers in our area right now, and a lot of folks who really don’t have a teaching vocation are in that role now.  I hear stories like this all the time, seriously, and specifically and only about Spanish language study (ie not French or others).  So be aware that behind the scenes in this meeting it might be that the administrator is going to be biting his fingernails with fear at the possibility of needing to find a replacement.

Having said that, that’s not your problem, and I do think that this is very unprofessional behavior on the teacher’s part, and definitely invasion of privacy.

Edited May 14, 2021 by Carol in Cal.

[Tanaqui]

Who on earth says something like that to anybody!?

[sassenach]

27 minutes ago, Katy said:

He's probably a bully to other kids too.  I had a math teacher that was awful like that.  Eventually she started bullying the straight-A daughter of a school board member and she got to "retire" early.

He ABSOLUTELY is, which is why my justice girl declared war against him. She will not bow to his crap and comes to the defense of other kids, too. It's been a saga.

[Catwoman]

Just now, sassenach said:

He ABSOLUTELY is, which is why my justice girl declared war against him. She will not bow to his crap and comes to the defense of other kids, too. It's been a saga.

Good for her!!!! And I’m so glad she has a mom who will stand up for her!!! Yay for both of you!

[TechWife]

41 minutes ago, sassenach said:

Thanks for the input! I thought maybe that was the case. My only point of reference is HIPPA and that would have definitely been a HIPPA violation (but obviously those are 2 different laws).

The meeting is already scheduled with the administration. He's bringing his union rep, too. That incident is my ace in the pocket because it's not even the inciting event for the meeting. I've gone a cumulative 7 years with kids at this school and never needed to have a meeting like this. He's a real piece of work. 

Thank you for going to bat for your daughter! She will appreciate this in the future, if she doesn’t already (I know some kids wouldn’t want parents involved, I don’t know specifically about yours). There were a couple of times my mom should have stood up for me and didn’t. 

[sassenach]

5 minutes ago, TechWife said:

Thank you for going to bat for your daughter! She will appreciate this in the future, if she doesn’t already (I know some kids wouldn’t want parents involved, I don’t know specifically about yours). There were a couple of times my mom should have stood up for me and didn’t. 

I generally let my kids handle their own stuff and call on me if needed (which they generally don't). This time, I happened to be in the room when dd was on zoom and I overheard the whole exchange. The man would literally not back down until I came on screen, sat down next to dd, and said that I would be happy to have a conversation with him about the issue. You've never seen someone eject out of a conversation so fast. It was in front of his whole class and he flipped right into teaching. I emailed the administration that day.

[sassenach]

49 minutes ago, gardenmom5 said:

Sounds like he knows he's a real piece of work too.
I hope  your meeting goes well.

Jokes on him. I just realized that his union rep was one of dd's teachers last year and that teacher adored her.

[TechWife]

3 minutes ago, sassenach said:

I generally let my kids handle their own stuff and call on me if needed (which they generally don't). This time, I happened to be in the room when dd was on zoom and I overheard the whole exchange. The man would literally not back down until I came on screen, sat down next to dd, and said that I would be happy to have a conversation with him about the issue. You've never seen someone eject out of a conversation so fast. It was in front of his whole class and he flipped right into teaching. I emailed the administration that day.

Wow. Glad you were there! It takes a lot of hubris to engage in behavior like that when you are an invited guest in someone’s home (that’s how dh’s boss has coached people in this era of virtual work. Even when people think of a video meeting as “required” - and many of them are - everyone is an invited guest in each other’s homes). 

[gardenmom5]

14 minutes ago, sassenach said:

Jokes on him. I just realized that his union rep was one of dd's teachers last year and that teacher adored her.

Is she, perchance, smarter than the piece of work?  some teachers (especially males) have delicate egos that way.

[RootAnn]

5 hours ago, sassenach said:

He ABSOLUTELY is, which is why my justice girl declared war against him. She will not bow to his crap and comes to the defense of other kids, too. It's been a saga.

I love your daughter just from this description. You must be so proud.

[gardenmom5]

8 hours ago, Katy said:

He's probably a bully to other kids too.  I had a math teacher that was awful like that.  Eventually she started bullying the straight-A daughter of a school board member and she got to "retire" early.

both of my girls had math teachers who were bullies/idiots.  One was a new to high school/formerly middle school.  2dd was having two+ hours of math homework a night.  I finally called and asked how much time she thought was reasonable (iow: - you're new to high school lady, you're giving too much work). . . . She eventually told me 2dd should be in an easier math class, because she obviously couldn't do the work. blink, blink.  Not only was 2dd wanting to major in math at this time, she had the highest grade in the class.  By Nov, the teacher was taking "emergency family leave".  The last rumor was she was back teaching in a middle school setting.  It was late Jan/feb before they had a new permanent math teacher.  Really messed up their year.

And the one middle school math teacher who said: 'we're not concerned if they get the problem right, we care about how they work it out."  She said that to a friend's husband.  "I'm an engineer.  If the math is wrong, the plane will crash."

8 hours ago, Carol in Cal. said:

There is a shortage of Spanish teachers in our area right now, and a lot of folks who really don’t have a teaching vocation are in that role now.  

 

when 1dd was in high school, they had a really hard time finding people to teach higher levels of math.  One guy was in his *seventh* career at 35 . . . 1dd completely ignored him, and would just go home and do the assignment, but she watched him bully her friends.  When he asked her what he could do to be a better teacher - she kept her mouth shut.  I was probably among the last to complain, and was assured he wouldn't be there the next year, but unspoken was they were between a rock and a hard place with finding math teachers so they couldn't just fire him.

[Hilltopmom]

Not a FERPA issue. 

[sassenach]

Update: We had the meeting this morning and it went great. He basically took no responsibility for his actions and the administration saw right through him. I didn't mention the incident where he talked to DS until after he had given his response. When I did, the principal quickly wrapped up the meeting and it was clear that she was shifting it into dealing with his actions. We got a call afterward that was very candid and they offered the solution of allowing dd to take her grade to date (an A) and no longer have to attend the class. It really was the best case scenario. DD enjoyed watching the union rep's (her former teacher that loves her) reaction to the DS bomb. She said that he had a look of, "oh no, you done did it" and sort of smirked and put his head down.  

[Farrar]

That's a great update 🙂

[MercyA]

That's awesome.

[Jaybee]

I especially love the fact that your dd doesn't have to go back to his class! It absolutely takes any power over her away from him.

[sassenach]

6 minutes ago, Jaybee said:

I especially love the fact that your dd doesn't have to go back to his class! It absolutely takes any power over her away from him.

That’s our favorite part, too! She feels immense relief. 

[fraidycat]

I'm glad the meeting went so well! And am so glad that your DD is now exempt from having do deal with his powerplays.

[TechWife]

Great resolution for your daughter. I hope the teacher is dealt with appropriately. What a jerk. 

[Catwoman]

I’m so glad everything went so well!!! 

[mommyoffive]

YES!!  I am so glad it worked out well and had such a great ending for your dd.  Great job mom!!  And so glad she was able to learn what to do with someone like this!  

[vonfirmath]

On 5/14/2021 at 9:03 PM, gardenmom5 said:

when 1dd was in high school, they had a really hard time finding people to teach higher levels of math.  One guy was in his *seventh* career at 35 . . . 1dd completely ignored him, and would just go home and do the assignment, but she watched him bully her friends.  When he asked her what he could do to be a better teacher - she kept her mouth shut.  I was probably among the last to complain, and was assured he wouldn't be there the next year, but unspoken was they were between a rock and a hard place with finding math teachers so they couldn't just fire him.

Locally they are still having problems finding math teachers. My son is taking Geometry in middle school -- but they couldn't find a teacher for it this year so they got the high school teacher to come to the middle school first period everyday in order to teach it.  Note: the High School is on A/B schedules so this means he only teaches 6 classes at high school but doesn't have a proper free period at all!