Going through school is hard.
There is still too much bullying and so much crap to put up with.
It’s hard for kids.
It’s especially difficult when your teachers are the bully.
What do you do?
Case in point…
Redditor Competitive-Dingo-24 wanted to discuss their story for some feedback. So naturally they came to visit the “Am I The A**hole” (AITA) subReddit.
They asked:
“AITA for showing my missing eye to the new teacher after he told me my bangs are disrespectful?”
The Original Poster (OP) explained:
“I had an accident when I was a baby and I lost my left eye.”
“I don’t have an eye socket I could put a fake eye in.”
“It’s just normal skin and some scars on a big patch of my face.”
“They reconstructed my face with a later surgery this way.”
“The right side and the bottom half of my face is completely normal.”
“I have big side bangs that hide the left side of my face so I don’t freak anyone out and I don’t get weird looks.”
“I’ve been going to the same school since I was 5, so the teachers and the kids know about it.”
“We got a new teacher this week.”
“He started by asking us to go around and introduce ourself.”
“When it got to me, he was rude and asked me ‘do your parents know you come to school looking like this?'”
‘”It’s extremely disrespectful, fix your bangs, I want to see your face!'”
“So I obeyed and tucked my bangs behind my ear, showing the left side of my face.”
“He gasped, his face turned red, my classmates laughed and he told me that I can let my bangs down.”
“Later that day, my head teacher came to me to scold me.”
“She told me I was wrong to ‘shock’ the new teacher and I should’ve just told him about it.”
“Did I do anything wrong?”
“I just obeyed his orders, it’s not my fault he ended up not wanting to look at my face.”
“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
Redditors declared our OP was NOT the A**hole.
It’s a tricky situation.
Let’s hear some thoughts…
“NTA 1000X, you followed his orders.”
“Not your fault you only have one eye.”
“Plus, if you told him ‘I’m missing an eye.'”
“We all know his teacher instinct would be to have you prove it anyway… lmao.” ~ Sensitive-Jacket5651
“Exactly. This teacher was rude AF.”
“I despise educators who use their position of authority to bully students.”
“And yes, intentionally insulting a student’s appearance in front of their peers the way he did was being a bully.”
“He was an AH, and that resulted in him being embarrassed.”
“The head teacher is also an AH for trying to reprimand OP so simply existing.” ~ Electrical-Date-3951
“As a teacher… I sadly too have seen a small percentage who are power tripping AH.”
“One particular man would tell kids they are idiots and will achieved nothing in life.”
“What a way to motivate someone!!!”
“Jeez i feel welcome in this classroom!!!”
“OP is go**amn legend for making that idiot look and feel as stupid as he did!!!”
“It takes some balls and confidence in your own skin to pull that off.” ~ Best-Ad-2043
“Once a teacher gave me a hard time over not saying the pledge of allegiance in high school.”
“My mom called the school and I don’t know exactly what was said but the teacher wouldn’t even look at me for the rest of the year.”
“I can’t imagine what she would have done if this happened to me.”
“Hopefully OPs parents make some phone calls.” ~ Jilltro
“This needs to be taken over the head teacher’s head.”
“It’s bullying and discrimination to blame OP for the problem.”
“This teacher was brand new and decided to shoot first and ask questions later and got himself shot instead.”
“For the head teacher to blame YOU is where the discrimination comes in.”
“Basically telling you that it’s never appropriate for you to show your face, even when bullied and commanded.”
“And, that it is on OP to keep their face hidden for THEIR comfort, not OP’s. NTA.” ~ babcock27
“100% this. And I’m sure OP would have gotten in significantly more trouble if she had refused to push her bangs back.”
“What should she have done differently?”
“Grown another eye real quick to avoid the teacher’s discomfort? NTA.” ~ Broccoli_Bee
“NTA. The teacher is the one in the wrong here, not OP.”
“OP should not have gotten a scolding, but rather an apology for being put on the spot like that.”
“Does the head teacher find the new teacher’s feelings more important than the feelings of the person who hides part of their face because they lack an eye?”
“Why did OP have to explain themselves?”
“It is the damn teacher who should have been more sensitive. YIKES!!” ~ jlrnr
“NTA. Tell the school, due to the new teacher shouting at you and being aggressive you didn’t feel you could disobey or talk back.”
“You did as instructed as you were scared.”
“Always worth a shot to say ‘you felt embarrassed by the class then they made fun of you and you feel uncomfortable around the teacher now.'” ~ Sirix_8472
“NTA. Perhaps send an email to the Head Teacher who followed up with you later, cc:ed to at least a deputy principal.”
“About exactly what the new teacher did, how uncomfortable that made you feel, and how you felt insulted and embarrassed before the whole class.”
“Add a comment about how the Head Teacher’s follow-up made you feel even worse, as if you’d done something wrong.”
“If the school has a resident psychologist or social worker maybe cc them as well.” ~ JumpingSpider97
“NTA. Ask your head teacher why the new teacher thought it was right to comment on your appearance in the first place.”
“Maybe with parents/guardians involved because that’s a horrible way to treat a student.”
“He embarrassed himself — you were just obliging his demand.” ~ thatshygal717
“One hopes the new teacher learned from his embarrassment, and treats everyone with more kindness.”
“That he complained to head teacher and did not apologize to OP does not bode well for the future.”
“He embarrassed himself, and blamed a student.”
“I hope he does a 180 in behavior, but it’s not likely.”
“OP, it would be good to tell your parents about the interaction in case the new teacher decides to take his embarrassment out on you in the future.” ~ MontanaPurpleMtns
“NTA. I’ll never understand why people think that when someone bullies you, you must be respectful to the bully.”
“The new teacher is a bully.” ~ SnapesGrayUnderpants
“There’s a chance the teacher might not have believed OP, when told about the missing eye and caused more drama. NTA.” ~ sha0304
“Or, better yet, let your parents advocate for you.”
“There are times when a parent and a member of school staff needs to have a ‘Come to Jesus’ chat.”
“I had one of those moments last year when my son’s class had a different teacher one day a week.”
“On her day the week before, she announced that kids who didn’t do Valentine’s day cards would have to do a dance.”
“My son was freaking out.”
“He’s ‘that kid.'”
“The one who has heaps of anxiety and is a bit odd to his peers.”
“He was begging to not go to school because he didn’t want to do Valentine’s Day and he didn’t want to be embarrassed.”
“I had to reassure him that it was a joke…”
“And then I had to get involved and make sure she didn’t try to pull that crap with my kid, ever.”
“That was over a threat of embarrassment.”
“What that teacher pulled with OP would lead to me having a meeting with the powers that be and drawing a line in the sand.”
“And if that teacher wasn’t removed from the classroom, my kid would be.” ~ ClothDiaperAddicts
“NTA the teacher put you in an awful position.”
“Even if you were not missing an eye there are so many viable reasons why someone would want to ‘hide behind bangs.'”
“That teacher bullied you.”
“Yes you should file a complaint.”
“Have your parents do it if they are willing to go to bat.”
“That teacher has no business around kids.” ~ Key_Transition_6036
“Besides the bullying, the head teacher is now sending the message that viewing OP’s face should come with a warning.”
“The head teacher’ words literally mean she shouldn’t have showed her own face to him because it gave him trauma. WTF?”
“It’s good OP has so much confidence, but this whole situation is just awful.”
“Both teachers had zero right to make such comments about OP’s appearance, no matter whether there is an actually physical issue or not.”
“Parents definitely need to lodge complaints about both teachers.”
“I’d say they have no business being around vulnerable kids.”
“But what they said would be just as hurtful to any adult.”
“They both need sensitivity and acceptance training.” ~ undercurrents
Good for you OP.
Learning to not be ashamed and standing up for your self early on is key in life.
Maybe when you, the teachers and your parents sit down, you should go over this thread with them.
Reddit may want to teach them a lesson.