A South Carolina mother drew criticism for unschooling her seven-year-old son after going viral for slamming her child’s teacher for being on a “power trip” after she required a daily dated parental signature on homework.
Kelsey Rhae took to her TikTik page on April 18 to post a video where she unleashed some frustrations about her son’s school.
Highlights
- Kelsey Rhae, a mom of four, opted for unschooling her son after a dispute over homework signatures.
- Kelsey criticized the education system in a viral TikTok, claiming it aims to create workers, not thinkers.
- Backlash and debate ensued as the mom shared her approach to unschooling, focusing on real-world learning.
In the now-viral clip, which has amassed 1 million views, Kelsey filmed herself saying: “If you have a child in public school, I would like to know what your opinion is on this because I don’t think that I’m in the wrong.”
She continued: “You already know that I’m pulling my first grader out of school.
“I’m going to let him finish out the school year, and then we’re going to be doing unschool.”
Mom-of-four Kelsey Rhae faced backlash for unschooling her son and criticizing his teacher's homework requirements
Image credits: hey_itskelseyrhae
Kelsey went on to assert that she wasn’t a “homework mom,” highlighting the fact that since children spend seven to eight hours of the day in school, they should be doing “that sh*t* there and that when her son is home, they're “spending [time] together, not doing homework.”
The angered parent acknowledged that she was “hard to get a hold of,” noting her lack of engagement with the school’s communication app and stressing teachers should be calling her instead of texting her.
Kelsey then recalled a day when her son came home from school with a form to sign, annoyed at the fact that the teacher had not informed her directly.
Upon learning that she was to sign her son’s homework every day, Kelsey told her child that she wouldn’t be doing that as it was “not beneficial to [him] at all.”
Image credits: hey_itskelseyrhae
She explained: “I have four kids, and I run a massive business through social media, I don’t have time.”
The South Carolinian recounted her child saying that he would not get a “fuzzies” if she didn’t sign it, to which the mom reacted by saying that he wouldn’t get punished for something she wouldn’t do.
Nevertheless, her son came back one day revealing that he had only received “one fuzzies and everyone [else had] five.”
Kelsey admitted that her son wasn’t perfect and that she had been called to the school before as a result of him being disruptive and the “class clown” before stating: “But now he’s being targeted, and I don’t like that.”
Kelsey slammed her seven-year-old son's teacher for requiring her to sign his homework every day
Image credits: hey_itskelseyrhae
The TikToker ended up calling the school’s principal to demand her son be moved to another class for the rest of the year.
Despite asking for viewers' opinions, the mom had turned off the comment section of her video, writing in the caption: “I DID NOT EXPLAIN THE SITUATION OR MY FEELINGS CORRECTLY.
“I do have time. I do answer all of her messages. I am active in his education.
“SHE DIDNT RELAY ANY INFORMATION TO ME ABOUT THE PAPER & it turned up with 2 months left of school.
“Instead she is sending passive agressive messages through my 7 YO.
“Not all teachers are bad & I know they are only doing what they are taught. I get it.”
Image credits: Unseen Studio
Fellow momfluencer Tobie Sunshine replied to Kelsey’s video in a clip shared on TikTok on April 19, captioning it: “Then she doubled down and then made an apology at 2x speed but all videos are still up.
“This is why teachers are leaving.”
Tobie started her video by exclaiming: “The whole video is absolutely bonkers.”
She went on to criticize Kelsey: “You want to unschool your kid at home, but you can’t, you don’t have the time because of your social media business to sign your child’s homework?
“Dude, get your priorities straight.”
She later uploaded an apology video, attributing her frustration to systemic issues within the education system
Image credits: thekelseyrhae
The content creator remarked that it was because of parents like Kelsey that so many teachers were quitting teaching.
“How hard is it for you to sign the thing so your son can get the prize?” Tobie asked before she added: “All you have to do is sign the freaking paper.”
On the same day, Kelsey uploaded an apology video on TikTok, where she said: "I think I owe an apology to all the teachers."
She continued: “It’s not the teachers’ fault. It’s not the teachers that I’m even mad at.
“I genuinely think that I am just upset with the system.
“I do not like public school.
“I just believe that it is ruining our children, and now, we have different beliefs.”
After acknowledging that most teachers were likely “doing the best they can,” she asserted: “The system is designed to control and create workers, and I have no interest in creating a worker out of my child.”
Kelsey added: “I have interest in creating a creative thinker, somebody who can figure problems out.”
The mom-of-four later revealed that she didn’t really care if her children followed the rules before clarifying that she did have “plenty of time to spend time with [her] child.”
She further explained: “For me to sign the paper, it wasn’t even that I don’t have time, it was that it was insignificant, and it wasn’t benefitting my child at all.”
Her decision to unschool her son rather than homeschool him sparked discussions about parental involvement
With the comments section being available this time, a viewer wrote: “No teacher thinks the system is perfect.
“What is completely flawed is the lack of parental support and willingness to collaborate.”
Another TikTok user commented: “I am a teacher who LOVES her job. The system sucks.
“We do our best. My goal is to create thinkers and independent learners,” to which Kelsey replied: “I appreciate you.”
A person asked: “Did you ask the teacher why this signature loop exists?
“And is it just for your son or the whole class?”
The same commentator added: "To me, it sounds like an accountability mechanism: the teacher wants you to know what was assigned so you can be involved in his education and ensure he’s making time for it, even if 'while at school.'"
Someone else penned: “The best advice I have for parents who just don’t get it should sub for a week in classrooms. You will understand then.”
On April 20, Kelsey announced in a separate video that she had spoken with her son’s principal, as she captioned the clip: “I’m prepared to take the heat. Bc I know so many other parents feel the same way I do.
“I'm sure y'all will find some way to drag me in these comments too.”
The irritated mom confessed: “Sometimes I just be having an attitude, I’m human and it involves my kid, so I’m gonna be a little spicy.”
Kelsey didn’t reveal what the conversation with the principal entailed, but that didn’t prevent viewers from expressing their negative reactions, as a person commented: “My parents literally didn’t speak English & still made time for my homework.”
An additional viewer wrote: “How is signing homework a power trip?
“Most of the time teachers ask for a signature just so they can make sure you actually saw what your child is doing/working on.”
A separate individual chimed in: “Signing folder = parental accountability. just making sure parents know what's being covered week by week.”
Kelsey detailed her approach to unschooling in subsequent videos
Image credits: thekelseyrhae
Kelsey explained in a recent video on TikTok, published on April 26, that she had chosen to unschool her son instead of homeschooling him, highlighting the fact that she didn’t want to teach a curriculum.
She elaborated on her wish to let her child “choose what he’s passionate about” and her plans to teach him by “going out [and] doing activities” such as field trips.
The influencer said that she would teach math in the form of grocery shopping and measurements when baking.
Moreover, Kelsey detailed the use of an unschooling organization she had paid to help her with legally pulling her son out of school
“What about the upperclassmen classes like chem, physics, calculus...etc?” A person asked. “Won't most of it make the kid be stuck behind a screen again to get those needed credits when they're older?”
“No, because all you need is a few hours a day for WORK. Then you go OUT and learn. Depends on the parent honestly,” Kelsey answered.
On April 30, Kelsey filmed her first day of unschooling, showing in a new video the kids cleaning her car, which she affirmed was her way of teaching them “hard work” and “taking care of the things you love, that you need.”
In the video, she explained that her unschooling lesson of the day was also taken during grocery shopping, where the family would “learn about reading labels” and do maths through spending money.
“In my house, we call this "running errands and doing chores," a viewer commented.
The fundamental difference between homeschooling and unschooling is that in homeschooling, the school is transferred to the home, with all its elements, West River Academy explains. In contrast, unschooling is based on natural learning, and there are no subjects or evaluations but life.
According to Unschooling Mom2Mom, unschooling is a legal form of homeschooling in the USA, but it necessitates adherence to individual state homeschooling regulations, which vary widely in requirements, such as testing, paperwork, and contact with educational authorities.
Kelsey's videos continued to stir controversy
