Everyone reacts to scary situations differently, with some folks running away and others just dissolving into a panic. Regardless of how adults manage fear, it can be difficult for young children to face scary situations, even when others try to force them to do so.
This is why one mother was outraged when her first grader’s school suspended her for simply running away from a snake. When the mom confronted them, they explained that forcing the kid to face her fears was part of their unsolicited “exposure therapy.”
More info: Reddit
No matter how brave people are, it can still be difficult for them to face scary situations
Image credits: aaalll3110 / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The poster explained that her 6-year-old daughter refused to touch a snake when it was brought by a wildlife instructor to school, and her teacher pressured her to pet it
Image credits: kampwit / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Since the child was being forced to touch the snake, she ran outside the classroom in a panic, which prompted the principal to suspend her for two weeks
Image credits: gpointstudio / Frreepik (not the actual photo)
The poster confronted the school authorities about pressuring the kid, and they explained that they were simply trying to give her exposure therapy for her irrational fears
Image credits: Claudie628
Eventually, the woman emailed the superintendent about the whole situation, which helped get the first grader’s suspension reversed and prompted an apology from the principal
In the poster’s daughter’s first-grade class, her teacher had arranged a session with a wildlife instructor who brought many animals for the children to interact with. During that time, he and the teacher tried to get the little girl to pet a snake, but even though she was very scared of it, they kept forcing her to do it.
According to educational professionals, it is actually important for teachers to keep children safe when animals are present in the classroom. Teachers are also supposed to consult parents before bringing any creatures into the classroom so they can be aware of any allergies, illnesses, or fears.
Unfortunately, in this case, the little girl’s teacher didn’t take her worries seriously and got mad when she ran out of the classroom and into the hallway. This also prompted the principal to take action and suspend the child for two weeks since she had disobeyed the teacher and given in to “irrational fears.”
Even in situations like this, where an educational institution might want to help a child face their fears, experts explain that this should be done only in collaboration with the parents. The school cannot solely make decisions about the kid’s safety, which is why the parent must also sign off on what their child is being exposed to.
Image credits: Bizon / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The child’s school tried to justify its actions by explaining that the poster’s daughter was getting caught up in irrational worries and needed exposure therapy. This didn’t sit right with the OP because she felt that her daughter had no real need to learn to get along with snakes since she was living in a city.
The poster also wanted to know whether the educational institution had any legal right to force her daughter to face her fears, and she asked folks whether she should involve a lawyer in her case. People urged the OP to take strict action against the principal, the teacher, and the school over their behavior.
In most cases, legal professionals explain that parents can contact education law attorneys to handle their disputes related to unfair suspension or expulsion. These lawyers will work on the case and find a way to ensure the child is fairly represented before the educational board.
Since the poster had received a lot of online advice, she decided to reach out to the superintendent to let her know what was happening. This greatly helped the OP’s case, and she was able to get her daughter’s unfair suspension reversed and also received apologies from the teacher and principal. Hopeful, she never has to deal with such a situation again, or else the school board will probably be hearing from her.
What do you think about the action the mom took, and why do you feel the school took this matter so far? We’d love to hear your honest opinions on this story.
Folks were shocked by the behavior of the teacher and principal and felt that someone surely needed to be fired over it
