The things some people feel comfortable requesting of others can be surprising.
And often times people seem to request without thinking things through.
When we don’t take the time to think first it can lead to chaos.
Case in point…
Redditor skfu91 wanted to discuss her experience and get some feedback. So naturally, she came to visit the “Am I The A**hole” (AITA) subReddit.
She asked:
“AITA for not switching my daughter to a new class?”
The Original Poster (OP) explained:
“My daughter is 5 and just started grade 1.”
“My friend’s kid is also starting the same year but in another class.”
‘My friend and I picked up our kids from the same daycare so we aren’t super close but our kids get along so we have occasional play dates.”
“A few days into the start of school my friend complained to the principal that she wants her kid taken out of the classroom she was assigned because the teacher was too young and didn’t have kids.”
“Didn’t say anything about teaching ability but just that the teacher was 24 and too young to be a teacher.”
“And that she didn’t have kids so she shouldn’t teacher her child.”
“The principal refused to switch them because the class size were balanced between the home rooms.”
“And he said he would only switch her with another kid so one teacher doesn’t get more work.”
“So she called me and demanded I agreed to swap my child’s classroom for her’s.”
“I asked my daughter if she wants to swap and she said no she made lots of friends (it’s been over a week since the start of school) and she doesn’t want to leave.”
“I called her back to tell her I wasn’t swapping and she got angry and ranted about how her child deserved a good education and a 24 year old has no business in the classroom.”
“I asked her if she believes her child’s teacher isn’t good then why should I let my daughter into her class.”
“She hung up and then came to class the next day to tell the teachers I had agreed to the switch and the teachers called me and I denied it.”
“And I told them not to take my daughter out of her class.”
“She called me several times and I’ve ignored her.”
“AITA?”
Redditors shared their thoughts on this matter and weighed some options to the question AITA:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You’re The A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
Many Redditors declared OP was NOT the A**hole.
“LOL, NTA. ‘I don’t think this person is fit to teach my child but for yours, she’ll do.'” ~ Waury
“This lol. That being said, you might wanna investigate if this younger teacher is good.”
“As someone who was in the very first kindergarten class of a 22 year old teacher, it was amazing having a young person who could and would run around with you.”
“I’m in grad school now but I still give a lot of credit to Miss Chambers.”
“I don’t even think she’s teaching anymore but she was amazing and had a fresh approach to teaching that a more seasoned (read: run down) teacher wouldn’t have had.” ~ Lobster-mom
“I’d prefer a younger teacher with no kids.”
“I remember myself prior to having my 2 and I had tons of energy and a constantly sunny disposition.”
“Now I’ve been napping almost every day since school started and I feel so bad I’m not getting more done around the house.” ~ TheMoatCalin
“As a child-free educator: THANK YOU.”
“I will pour every last ounce of knowledge, patience, experience, energy, and love into helping any and every student I come across.”
“I help them become the best version of themselves, helping them learn and grow and believe in themselves and their ability to make this world a better place.”
“I currently have three jobs, and all three of them are teaching jobs.”
“I gladly do EVERYTHING I can for my students.”
“And then I go home, where I can focus on nothing at all but me, myself, and I.”
“I love kids. I love teaching kids.”
“I have absolutely no desire to live with kids, let alone actually raise them.”
“I know my limits as a human being, and that is definitely a great big BLINDING NEON limit of mine.’
“At the end of the day, I need to be able to crawl away and curl up in my nice quiet cave and just… be.”
“And that is pretty much the antithesis of parenthood.”
“Believe me, if I ever WERE to become a parent, I would be a WORSE teacher because of it!” ~ TogetherAgain18
“Sadly, I have a friend with the exact opposite issue-as the teacher.”
“She was told yesterday that the parent of one of her students filed a complaint and removed their child from her class.”
“Because she has kids and therefore cannot possibly give the same amount of care to her students because she will be too focused on her own kids.”
“Some people will never be happy.” ~ Honuswimspeace
“NTA. If anything, a younger teacher might be more up to date on the latest methods and science on teaching young children.”
“Younger teachers are less likely to be burned out too.” ~ ladysekhmetka
“How does she even know the teacher’s age?”
“It’s not like she announced it?!? Maybe she just looks young?”
“I’m any case, it’s not about the age, it’s about the person.”
“I’m sure everyone has had teachers that were ‘seasoned,’ but tasted terrible and young ones were great.”
“And trying to manipulate OP into changing her kid’s teacher after she clearly said no, regardless of the circumstances, makes her the AH and OP NTA.” ~ Wearealreadyhere
“NTA, she sounds like a bad friend.”
“My sister started teaching 2nd grade when she was 23 (most of the kids in her class were 7 years old at the start of the school year).”
“I remember one mom got really upset at my sister, saying ‘You’re the same age as me, you’re not old enough to teach this class!'”
“My sister replied with ‘How are you old enough to have a 7 year old, but I’m not old enough to teach them?'”
“Shut that mom up pretty quickly…” ~ makethatnoise
“No normal human being is this entitled.”
“Demanding another parent dramatically alter their child’s early education for completely opinionated reasons is completely unreasonable.”
“NTA, OP, and I would not be arranging any more ‘play dates’ with this parent.” ~ Chucklenuts32
“NTA. Your friend is an idiot.”
“We have 24-year-olds patrolling our streets, fighting our wars, and treating our illnesses.”
“But they can’t teach one little girl?”
“I just do not understand your friend’s thinking, and it’s not your responsibility to make accommodations for her insanity.”
“I will say that if my kid were a 17-year-old math genius and the teacher was a 24-year-old who couldn’t keep up with her, I might feel differently.”
“But for a decent, garden variety kindergarten education for a couple of sweet little girls?”
“I’m sure this teacher is absolutely fine.” ~ Dgently123
“NTA, your ‘friend’ sounds like one though.”
“Also, as a just-turned-25 year old who works in the schools (speech therapist, so kinda like a teacher), it breaks my heart that a parent would react like this over age.”
“I bet that 24 year old has more passion for the students and materials than most ‘veteran teachers’ do!!” ~ PerniciousKnidz
“Your ‘friend’ sucks… NTA.”
“Your child found an environment she is comfortable in so that is great for you.”
“Why should you pull her out of it?”
“And it is ridiculous to think just because a teacher is young that the teaching will be worse she actually learned the newest methods that could improve the classes.”
“Your friend already did set up herself and the daughter because such demands will be directly known through all teachers.” ~ Schulle2105
“NTA. But the principal is for even giving her the option to switch and making this persons insanity other people’s problem.”
‘And I ask not even thinking about how the teacher must feel if her employer gives ‘work load’ as a reason to not want to put the child in another class, instead of her being perfectly capable of teaching after getting a degree.” ~ rilooij
“NTA. for one, a younger teacher is probably more up to date on the curriculum as they’ve just been taught these things.”
“I went to college for Early Childhood Education and i learned ways to teach children that i had never seen, this ranges from actual education all the way to general child handling.”
“Secondly, you have zero reason to move your child to a different class and this woman just sounds entitled.”
“I’d cut all communication with her anyways.”
“Especially for going around your back and saying you agreed to it.” ~ Dizzy3m
“NTA this is not a friend.”
“A friend doesn’t want to put your daughter in a lesser position for her own.”
“A friend doesn’t call to berate you.”
“A friend doesn’t lie about what you did not agree to.”
“You said no. End of discussion.”
“Also LOL on her not wanting a 24 year old to teach.”
“Good luck with that rule moving forward.” ~ Chaoticgood790
“NTA, your friend is, a massive one.” ~ CaroSCP
Well OP, Reddit is soundly on your side here.
Sounds like it maybe time to let this “friendship” go.
But it feels like you know this already.
Good luck.