I think she realized she messed up and doesn't have the self-esteem to honestly own up to it. Maybe she figures if she keeps ignoring you, she won't have to ever admit being wrong.

It's a troubling development. The part about kids not getting corrected papers back is even worse. I would definitely bring that up in your next parent/teacher conference and, if you're unsatisfied with her response, approach the principal with your concerns.

but OP has already conferred with teacher.

Go to the principal now before this 'teacher'
a) pulls some other stupid stunt or
b) builds a defense or scapegoats your kid.
or any other kid.

It is premature to involve the principal at this point. Doing so communicates to the teacher that the parent is drawing battle lines. It also causes the teacher to lose face and become less amenable to working with the parent in the future.

So, before involving the principal, I advise the parent to address the issue at the regularly scheduled parent/teacher conference or, if that's still several weeks away, request an appointment. This approach lends a more "officious" tone to the discussion than a back-and-forth over email or a quick conversation in the hallway.

If the OP is still frustrated with the teacher after that, talking with the principal is the next step.

Frankly, if the teacher pulls some other "stupid stunt" or scapegoats the kid, the OP will have even more ammo to bring to the meeting with the principal. However, I don't see that happening. If the teacher is given a respectful fair warning that the parent is taking this very seriously via her request for a meeting, it's likely the whole issue can be resolved satisfactorily without involving the principal.

What I didn't mention is that the teacher copied her dept head on the last email - the gist being she's handing it over herself. Which also surprises me, because I don't think it makes her look good.

It just seems so silly - why not just answer the question? Do teachers have a "thing" against answering specific questions about specific curriculum? Not just a personal fear, but some kind of general "we just don't do that"?

I don't see the big deal. If the question wasn't valid, toss it out. If it is, explain it. How hard is that?

Maybe she's in over her head.

Knowledge & information aren't secrets to be hoarded by the teacher;
if the question doesn't make sense to a student, the question just doesn't work & should be explained, not kept "secret" from the ones who don't know by the one who does know.

If it doesn't make sense because it's wrong, as you say, it should be tossed out. without drama or secrecy.

It doesn't sound like she knows how to facilitate learning.

You always tell people what they got right, & if they got it wrong, you go over the material again until they "get it".

Telling someone, in school or anywhere else, that they're wrong & not telling them how or why is insulting & frustrating;
it fosters a kind of fatalism, an impulse to just "check any box" rather than trying to answer a question.

I wish you the best luck.

Thank you, everyone. I at least feel better that it's not me that's out of line. At this point, it's not the question that's important so much anymore as her reaction. I'll probably be talking to the dept head next week (actually, I'm gong to be covering her class, I work there, too, maybe that's part of the problem?), and will follow up with you all.

I agree, if she's cc'ed the person over her head, ask them what they think the teacher might have meant with her question.

talk to the bored.

Board.

I tend to agree that this teacher's response is out of line. But for the sake of fair discussion I wanted to throw this in: I have no idea where you're located and whether your school is required to do the standardized testing that has been the subject of much debate. I think it's pretty universally known that some of the questions are plainly absurd. It is true that many teachers themselves cannot answer the questions correctly. If that is the case, it might make sense why she forwarded your e-mail to the department chair - to send it to another person who MIGHT be able to answer, lol. Either way, she owed you a fair explanation.

And by the way - now I'm DYING to know the question! LOL