Generally speaking, written complaints are given more weight than spoken ones. A written complaint to both the principal and the governing board for the school would be best.

SAG1,
You need to learn how to make complete sentences. Your complaint lacks some credibility due to your poor composition. IMHO

well at least i dont spout off rightwing stuff

Arkansasgardenboy has a point. A well written letter, from parent or student, is one of your greatest tools. However, a well written letter must have good grammar and rhetoric. I believe what he wanted to say was that if you try writing to the principal and governing board in the same manner as this post, your complaint will not be taken very seriously. If you write a complaint letter in the way you more commonly post, you will have a better chance at success.

I am sorry ...what ever grammer she has does not matter.What does matter is how these kids are being treated.what is wrong with all you people? Yes write the letter get your point across,Also, why not ask a few more parents to write a letter to, this might help alittle more. good luck with helping your niece and many other kids.

I am a veteran on this sort of school. My daughter (I hope) is a survivor.

Write your letters to the principal & be prepared for nothing to happen. Then write to the superindendant at the dioscean office. THEN start looking for another school for next year, because it's not going to change & the child/children will probably be singled out for mistreatment by the teacher who was complained about.

Good Luck

Why go to school if you don't try to learn? Get a life...

Well, if the Art teacher in ANY school is requiring the kids to create scenes of violence for Halloween, then there is definately a problem! THROWING candy??? Is this woman even qualified to be a teacher, or because this is a private school is she just able to "teach" because she gives money? I do not understand how you all can't be a little more disturbed about the art project in itself!! Scaring kids and laughing at the depicted violent scenes they made for ART CLASS?? This woman shouldn't even be allowed to be around children if this is all true!! Forget the school, especially if there's donation money involved, then you get into private politics. Talk to other parents, especially the ones in that art class, make the time to do this. Then, file a complaint with the school, and the police.

There is no need to file a complaint with the police. I do not thank someone throwing candy will motivate the desk sergeant. I would complain to the principal. However, this is a private school, and they can have anyone teach their classes. If the woman gives money to the school, you can be sure that you are walking into a very delicate matter. I suggest that you take Caroltta's advice.

That's just it though, because it's a private school and this woman gives them money, the parents (or aunts) who are concerned about her behavior have their hands tied!? OK, so the police wasn't a brilliant suggestion...:) but if it were my child, I would certainly take matters to someone who could do something, children are in an art class to be creative and use their imaginations, not to be ridiculed and frightened by some jerk. It's a shame that she is allowed in the friggin' building! Sorry, but cruelty to kids in any form really ticks me off.

Has any adult witnessed the teacher laughing at the children's drawings?

The reason I ask is because children often misinterpret things that happen at school. I would go to the school and spend a few days in the classroom, just to see what is really happening.

When I was a teacher, I had a lot of parents who called to express concerns about things that their children said happened at school. I always invited them to come spend time in the classroom. As soon as the parents talked to their children and mentioned that they were coming to visit the classroom, all of a sudden, the child's story changed to a much more truthful version of what happened.

As far as scary pictures being drawn- as a parent, it is well within your right to ask what objective the teacher had in mind when she gave the assignment. One effective way to do that would be to calmly set up an appointment with the art teacher. At the meeting, in a civil human manner, say, "My daughter came home upset after art class last week. The assignment you gave caused her some discomfort. "

After you've opened the dialog and expressed your concern, she can tell you why she did this.

Also- keep in mind that most schools have a curriculum. I wasn't ever allowed to teach anything outside of my curriculum. Ask the principal if you can see a copy of the art curriculum so that you can be educated as a parent and know what your child SHOULD be learning.

But please, definitely oberserve first (to make sure that your child's complaint is legit), and then talk to the teacher about your concerns. Most likely, it is some sort of misunderstanding.

April02,
Good advice...

I agree,this is the way to go..

April, good advice.

I remember my friend's first grader refused to wear overalls. She said "The teacher doesn't allow it, and if I wear overalls, I will be in big trouble!"

Turned out, there was one child with 'bladder problems', and the teacher had asked that child not to wear them, because she would have accidents before she could get the darn things off so she could go potty.

From a 6-year-old's perspective you can see how she would see her classmate having isseus whenever she wore overalls to school, and think that it applied to her.

Just goes to show, we should listen to kids very attentively, because sometimes they aren't crying wolf! But other times, they are just taking a normal situation and putting their own spin on it.

Wow, thanks. I had stopped posting here because I was so used to used to being flamed. :)

I had an incident last night that was interesting. I tutor for a nationwide chain. The little boy I tutored last night kept saying how his teacher the night before was yelling at him. I was in the cubicle next to the teacher, who was in no way "yelling" at the child. He may have corrected him in a firm voice, or fussed at him a bit, but the child interpreted that as "yelling."

Our perception is our reality- it's true for children just as it is for adults!

Yeah April, I never thought of the parents visiting the classroom, I was letting my emotions get the best of me!! Great advice, I certainly hope that we hear about the results!!:)