Found out my daughter's 5th grade teacher played the Iowa fight song in class

[ketelmeister]

Have your kid wear an ISU shirt on Monday and take a CD of the Iowa State and UNI fight songs along with him to school. Give the CD to the teacher and be a good sport. Say here's the Iowa State and UNI fight songs to play.

 

[ojoe2317]

(actually with all the concern about bullying these days, what the teacher did could be construed as bullying students)

As a teacher, I agree with this. The discussion of teachers giving each other a hard time brought up earlier in this thread is different, since those are both adults on equal footing. Using the power disparity of teacher/student to tease or make fun of your students is never acceptable. I would report this to the principal (nicely) and not feel bad about doing that at all.

 

[alarson]

(actually with all the concern about bullying these days, what the teacher did could be construed as bullying students)

Seriously? Give me a break.

 

[tigershoops31]

As a teacher, I agree with this. The discussion of teachers giving each other a hard time brought up earlier in this thread is different, since those are both adults on equal footing. Using the power disparity of teacher/student to tease or make fun of your students is never acceptable. I would report this to the principal (nicely) and not feel bad about doing that at all.

Also as a teacher, I think that is ridiculous. If we need to take ourselves so seriously that we can't give and take some good natured ribbing from our students about the big in-state rivalry game they shouldn't have the game. Every school I've ever been at has had that Friday be a day to wear your school's colors, joke back and forth with kids and teachers, and then give or receive a little grief on Monday pending the outcome of the game. Nobody has ever had a problem with this, and I have played the ISU fight song and made a few cracks about the Hawks on several occasions as well. As long as you aren't seriously ridiculing kids or taking the game too seriously I can't fathom anybody having a major problem with any of it. And yes, the years we've lost in the series I've taken my lumps with a smile on Monday, usually wearing an ISU shirt on Monday to show that I'm still proud of my school and not above taking some grief.

 

[atlantacyclone]

Is it me or does this sound like liberal democrat teachers telling little kids that Obama has been a great President?

 

[iahawkhunter]

Also as a teacher, I think that is ridiculous. If we need to take ourselves so seriously that we can't give and take some good natured ribbing from our students about the big in-state rivalry game they shouldn't have the game. Every school I've ever been at has had that Friday be a day to wear your school's colors, joke back and forth with kids and teachers, and then give or receive a little grief on Monday pending the outcome of the game. Nobody has ever had a problem with this, and I have played the ISU fight song and made a few cracks about the Hawks on several occasions as well. As long as you aren't seriously ridiculing kids or taking the game too seriously I can't fathom anybody having a major problem with any of it. And yes, the years we've lost in the series I've taken my lumps with a smile on Monday, usually wearing an ISU shirt on Monday to show that I'm still proud of my school and not above taking some grief.

Ideally, this is how things should be (good-natured ribbing and whatnot).

As a teacher, I agree with this. The discussion of teachers giving each other a hard time brought up earlier in this thread is different, since those are both adults on equal footing. Using the power disparity of teacher/student to tease or make fun of your students is never acceptable. I would report this to the principal (nicely) and not feel bad about doing that at all.

Unfortunately, I don't have much faith that an attorney wouldn't be laughed out of court with this explanation. We're such a litigation-happy society.

 

[everyyard]

Make a shirt for your daughter with iron on letters...cardinal shirt and gold letters reading "SCOREBOARD"...she'll get the message. Or, if you really want, under it put "you sad bro?"

 

[Bu4ISU]

My teacher (high school) played the Iowa fight song full blast so the whole hallway could hear it. Can't wait to walk into his room reppin Cardinal and Gold

 

[tigershoops31]

My teacher (high school) played the Iowa fight song full blast so the whole hallway could hear it. Can't wait to walk into his room reppin Cardinal and Gold

Exactly. And how much less fun would you have if people wanted to call his playing the fight song or joking with ISU students before the game "bullying"? People need to relax and have a little fun with the rivalry. And this is coming from somebody who dislikes the hawks as much as anybody, but I know plenty of good people that are hawk fans and would hate to not be able to go back and forth with them (win or lose)...

 

[SVT]

So my daughter has a typical tavernhawk for a teacher. She is a UNI grad, but professed die hard Hawk. Found out yesterday after the game that on Friday when the kids were wearing their team's colors, she told the kids with ISU stuff on that they would be "sad" on Monday because Iowa was going to win. She then followed that up by playing the Iowa fight song in class.
My initial reaction was to do something (complain to the principal) and get her reprimanded for segregating a group of students like that, but I like her as a teacher so far and good teachers are hard to come by these days. I'm also sure she didn't mean any harm and was just displaying her natural tavernhawk behavior.
What I've decided to do is to have my daughter approach her tomorrow at the beginning of the day and say in an innocent voice "At least you'll probably be happy next weekend when UNI beats Iowa".

What say you CF? Should I have her hand slapped or should I just have my daughter tease her with the UNI statement? Maybe you have a better suggestion?

This is 5th grade in Waukee schools.

A similar thing happened to me when I was a 4th grader in 1992 and my teacher was a huge Husker fan. All week long leading up to the game I hear how Nebraska was going to roll Iowa State. I didn't say a word, but that next Monday morning I quietly walked into class with a large poster board - on it, I had cutout all of the newspaper headlines from the DSM Reg, USA Today, etc. I quietly walked up and placed it on the chalkboard and took my seat. She looked at me with a half smile and told me congratulations on Iowa State's upset. I never again heard how "great" the Huskers were the rest of the year.

Yes, it was 20 years ago, but maybe a similar approach?

 

[lakeliving]

Life is about having fun. IMO the teacher was having fun, nothing more, nothing less. She was not segregating a group of students. Goodness gracious, we complain about Hawk fans and their attitudes. This mentality of going to the principal is no better and it contributes to the big brother/ little brother syndrome. The whole reporting to the principal is so far out of line. Why do that? There was no malice or anything like that, it just makes you look small and petty.
Enjoy life, don't get bogged down by this kind of stuff.

 

[ojoe2317]

... I know plenty of good people that are hawk fans and would hate to not be able to go back and forth with them (win or lose)...

Again, this is not the same as a teacher saying something to their 5th grade class. These are probably people you have an equal relationship with (power-wise, I mean).

I know their are at least two sides to every story, but if what was described in the original post is accurate, that is unprofessional as a teacher in my opinion. The part about telling them they would be "sad" because ISU would lose is really the part that pushes it over the line as I see it. And that goes both ways - I certainly wouldn't tell my students that are Hawkeye fans they are going to be crying after the game on Saturday or some such.

 

[tigershoops31]

Again, this is not the same as a teacher saying something to their 5th grade class. These are probably people you have an equal relationship with (power-wise, I mean).

I know their are at least two sides to every story, but if what was described in the original post is accurate, that is unprofessional as a teacher in my opinion. The part about telling them they would be "sad" because ISU would lose is really the part that pushes it over the line as I see it. And that goes both ways - I certainly wouldn't tell my students that are Hawkeye fans they are going to be crying after the game on Saturday or some such.

I guess that depends on your personality. I'm guessing you are a much more serious person than I am, because I doubt a single kid in my class would think twice about me saying that and that any would ever think I was "picking on them" or "bullying" anybody by doing so. If you have a friendly/joking personality (AND have the ability to laugh at yourself and take it in return) I don't see any problem whatsoever with doing this...

 

[Let's Go State]

I would add to it "don't worry, get these three losses out of the way and the easy part of the schedule starts in the big ten..."

 

[andybernard]

One of my favorite teachers in 6th grade was a huge Iowa fan. In a small school, I was one of three ISU fans in my class, and by far the most vocal. He gave me so much ****, I gave it right back in return. Every Monday, our assignment was to turn in a newspaper article of a "current event" with a one page report about it. One stipulation, no sports articles. Oh yeah, my 6th grade year was 1998. Guess what article I turned in..yeah it was a sports article. He handed me back a 0% the next day and told me to stay after class, scared the **** out of me. After class, he gave me my real grade, 100%, plus extra credit.

 

[cyfreddy]

Is it me or does this sound like liberal democrat teachers telling little kids that Obama has been a great President?

Can we please leave politics outs this. Take it to the politics board!

 

[CycloneYoda]

Don't use your kid to try and prove a point. Let it go.

 

[jtdoyle1]

My wife is a 4th grade teacher and I know most schools have some sort of "show your colors day" on the Friday before the big game. There is nothing wrong with a little good-natured ribbing back and forth before the game. If you are going to dish it out be ready to get it back in return. I would never think to complain to someone's superior for a little fun, but if your daughter would get disciplined for giving it back to the teacher I might complain at that point.

Honestly though, I've found out that if you let the other side do all the talking ahead of time the best response is to say nothing at all when the cyclones win. It will actually burn them up more because they are just waiting for you to return the favor, but if you don't mention the game at all it pisses them off even more.

Also, you have to realize that being a hawkeye fan is it's own punishment.

 

[CycloneYoda]

Is it me or does this sound like liberal democrat teachers telling little kids that Obama has been a great President?

This can go both ways, donkey. Leave it out, or at the very least, go play in heavy traffic.

 

[sclotz]

I rarely post, but this is too important. I do not believe this is anywhere near bullying or excluding and definitely should not be discussed with an administrator. The connection that teachers make with their students is one of the most important factors in a successful classroom. Students need to learn how to deal with joking like this, both receiving it and returning fire (in an appropriate manner). If not, they grow up thinking everything needs to be sent to someone in authority, principal, police, etc. When a parent takes a complaint to the principal, then an email goes out to all the teachers stating that playing of music in the classroom (especially college fight songs) is highly discouraged and usually teachers comply. When an incredibly and unbelievable story ends up in the newspaper about a regulation or rule, this is how that snowball starts. I like the cookie idea; cheer the teacher up...we all know she's sad.