Last night my mom took Caroline to dance. I went to the store to get the ingredients for a pie I was going to make. While at the store, my mom called to say that the ballet slippers that were there were too small for Caroline. They had to fit because she wore them last week. But it turns out my little girl had a growth spurt recently and really does need new ballet slippers. But I digress. I told Caroline to tell the teacher that her ballet slippers were too small and that by next week she'd have new ones.
On my way home from the store, my mom called again to tell me that the teacher wasn't there that night and it was substitute (her daughter). The sub told Caroline that she couldn't' dance without shoes, let alone tights (apparently my mom didn't make Caroline wear the tights because they were itchy - Caroline has sensitive skin and the laundry is done with fragrance-free detergent). Because Caroline wasn't wearing tights, the tap shoes wouldn't go on either. So the sub told Caroline that she couldn't dance because she couldn't go into the room without shoes.
Needless to say, there were a few F-bombs dropped in the conversation between my mom and I. I ended by telling my mom that that was ridiculous and to go ahead and bring Caroline home. She didn't need that.
When my mom got home, I learned all of what happened. Apparently, Caroline went into the dance room and a few minutes later came out with her dance bag over her face and she was crying. She told my mom what happened, and shortly after that the teacher came out. She was all nice and everything and tried to get the tap shoes on Caroline. When it didn't work, she said that they can't go into the dance room without shoes it's just a rule. My mom didn't like the woman's demeanor and attitude toward Caroline so she told her to go back into the class and my mom would talk to Caroline. Shortly afterwards my mom and Caroline left.
I was pretty livid by this point, but what sent me over the edge was that my mom said that when the teacher was about to go into the classroom, she turned to Caroline and said, "You know, the recital is coming up Caroline. You need to come back to class so you'll know what to do." OKAY? You embarrass my daughter in front of her classmates to the point where she leaves crying and then you REMIND her to come back to class to practice for the recital? WHATEVER!
I told Jason that I was going to go up and talk to this woman and see what she had to say for herself (because as a teacher, I know how this works - there are always two sides). Jason said he was going to go with me, but he was going to do the talking because I was mad and it wouldn't be good. When we got there the usual parents were in the waiting area (unairconditioned AGAIN). Two of the moms who were there said they were hoping we'd come up there to talk to the woman because (in their words) it was "Embarrassing how the teacher acted," "Uncalled for" and one mom even said she wanted to jump in, but it wasn't her child. Several parents have said that it is hard to get their girls to come to dance anymore. Isn't that sad? Girls who like to dance, don't want to go. Basically their version of what happened out in the waiting room meshed with what my mom said.
Jason started off the conversation. during the course of the conversation we didn't get any answers as to why Caroline would walk out of class crying. I mean come on, last week she had a bloody nose for no reason in the middle of class. She walked out and took care of it and then went back in. No problem. But this time she didn't want to go back in. Jason and I think the woman lied to us (which isn't unusual), which if it makes her feel better fine.
Caroline will be going somewhere else next year. Not that it would matter to this woman. Someone will replace us and she'll continue. But, you don't do that to a 5 year old. Anyone for that matter.
You don't mess with my baby.
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