How do I deal with this situation?

[Julpost]

Ds, 12, was wearing his watch in P.E. when his teacher came up to him and told him to give her the watch. She normally has the kids remove their watches during gym. He gave it to her but forgot to ask for it back after class. His friend saw the watch on the table in the gym and asked if he could give it to my ds. She said, no, ds could get it himself. The following week was spring break. When he returned to school, he asked her for the watch and she said she didn't have it and turned and walked away. I have called her twice and she hasn't returned my calls. This was an expensive watch (for us anyway, $45) and he received it for his birthday.

What should I do now? A friend said I should call the principal but I'm hesitant to do so. What do you guys think?

[Tammy]

I would go down there in the morning....before school started....and ask her for the watch. She can't turn and walk away from YOU, LOL!

I do think it was HER responsibility to return the watch to your son.

Tammy

[Remudamom]

Raise Cain. If she can't find it then she can replace it.

[Plaid Dad]

I would talk to the teacher directly, and if you walk out with the watch in your hand, go straight to the principal. I would also not allow the child to wear the watch to school again. If he must have a watch for school, I'd make it a cheap one.

[Sue G in PA]

Raise Cain. If she can't find it then she can replace it.

:iagree: How ridiculously irresponsible and cold of that "teacher"! Teacher took it, teacher's responsibiliy to give it back. Period. AND, it is certainly teacher's responsibility to keep it somewhere safe until ds retrieves it! If it is now gone...teacher must replace it or reimburse for it! I'd talk to the teacher in person and if that doesn't work, go to the principal. So sorry this has happened!

[Violet]

:iagree: How ridiculously irresponsible and cold of that "teacher"! Teacher took it, teacher's responsibiliy to give it back. Period. AND, it is certainly teacher's responsibility to keep it somewhere safe until ds retrieves it! If it is now gone...teacher must replace it or reimburse for it! I'd talk to the teacher in person and if that doesn't work, go to the principal. So sorry this has happened!

:iagree: She took it, so she has the responsibility of returning it. Good grief. The teacher or the school should pay if it's gone missing.

Anita

[Cadam]

Another vote for talk to the teacher and if she tries to blow you off go to the principal. I bet she left it on the table and someone stole it, that's why she doesn't have it anymore.

[Shanna]

:iagree: How ridiculously irresponsible and cold of that "teacher"! Teacher took it, teacher's responsibiliy to give it back. Period. AND, it is certainly teacher's responsibility to keep it somewhere safe until ds retrieves it! If it is now gone...teacher must replace it or reimburse for it! I'd talk to the teacher in person and if that doesn't work, go to the principal. So sorry this has happened!
:iagree:

[Debbie in OR]

Wow, I just agree with everyone who said you should A) Raise Cain (in a nice-ish way), B)Have her replace it if you do not walk out of her office with it, C) Go straight to the principle if you do not walk out of her office with it.

Good grief.

[3lilreds in NC]

OH NO SHE DIDN'T!!!! I'm getting ready to take on the mean girl at ballet tomorrow. I'd be happy to warm up on your gym teacher. Let me know when and where. Grrrrrrr. :angry:

[Melinda in VT]

I do think the teacher should have returned your calls. Other than that, I don't think her behavior was out of line.

If I'm reading the original post correctly, she took the watch because your son was wearing it in gym despite the rule that they aren't supposed to. I can also see not letting another student pick up the watch. What if he didn't give it to your son? That could cause problems.

Does your son have any written class rules from the PE teacher? Do the rules state what happens to confiscated belongings that aren't claimed? Is there a lost and found at the school?

I don't think the teacher's expectations that a 12-year-old should a) be able to follow the rules and b) be responsible for reclaiming his belongings after class are unreasonable. Of course, most 12-year-olds will flub up a time or two. They're still learning.

:grouphug: I feel your pain. My kids tend to lose ski equipment.

[Julpost]

Thanks everyone for your advice. I'll leave another message tomorrow and if I don't hear from her, I'll contact the principal. I do believe that if she took the watch, she is responsible for it. I don't remember reading anything with class rules regarding personal belongings.

I'm not looking forward to this though. I've heard she's a little...um, volatile these days...someone alluded to possible menopause and the emotions associated with that.

[pianoplayer]

I would talk to the teacher directly, and if you walk out with the watch in your hand, go straight to the principal. I would also not allow the child to wear the watch to school again. If he must have a watch for school, I'd make it a cheap one.
:iagree:

[Hillary in KS]

I wouldn't bother leaving another message. Just go down there before classes begin. You've already left two messages. If she walks away from you tomorrow, then go to the principal.

It'll sound much better to say that you've left two voice mails, and the teacher wouldn't meet with you that morning, than to just say you've left 3 voice mails. KWIM? It shows you've given contacting her through two different mediums (phone and face-to-face) in a good-faith effort and have not had any success.

Hillary

[summer]

So this is a public school teacher, acting like she controls the world, but then taking no responsibility for her actions? how refreshing....not!

[Sandra314]

I agree with everyone. She should have returned your phone calls and offered some explanation as to what happened to the watch.

[Kelli in TN]

You want us to come with you? If she won't listen to you, maybe a whole roomful of homeschool moms with varying degrees of hormone-induced emotion will help her see the light.

Drew can come too. It would not hurt to have a deep, manly voice in the midst of our riot.

All kidding aside, be polite but firm and do not back down until you are satisfied. Go as far up the chain as command as you have to.

[*anj*]

What time do you need me?
I can basically get any customer service person to do whatever I want.
Surely I can get a watch from a gym teacher.
Say the word!

Oh, and I guess it's obvious that I think that if she took it she needed to return it. Classroom teachers who confiscate items store them in a safe place like a locked drawer or box. "I don't know" is not an appropriate or acceptable answer to the question regardless the age of the student.

[Oak Knoll Mom]

What ever happened? The post about the daughter getting a watch from the bus driver reminded me to ask.

[Julpost]

What ever happened? The post about the daughter getting a watch from the bus driver reminded me to ask.

Oh yes....she returned my calls w/ a very friendly message. She was going to show ds her box of lost and found items as well as have him look through the schools lost and found. It found it in her lost and found box. She was suddenly very helpful.

Odd how she didn't even mention her lost and found box to ds when he asked the first time. She simply didn't know.

All's well that ends well though! Thanks for remembering and asking!:)