A Child Was Punished in School for Calling His Teacher "Ma'am"

[SirLinksALot]

SOURCE: ABC NEWS

URL: https://abc11.com/education/tarboro-child-punished-for-calling-teacher-maam-/4041588/

BY : Michael Perchick


Parents of a fifth grader are concerned after their child was punished for referring to his teacher as "ma'am."

Teretha Wilson said she noticed something was wrong Tuesday when her 10-year old son Tamarion got off the school bus from North East Carolina Preparatory School.

"I asked him what happened. He said he got in trouble for saying 'yes ma'am'," explained Wilson.

Confused by his response, Tamarion pulled out a sheet of paper with the word "ma'am" written on it four times per line on both sides. He says his teacher told him to write the word on the sheet because he kept referring to her as "ma'am" despite her instruction not to. As part of his punishment, Tamarion had to have the paper signed by a parent.

"He had a look on his face of disappointment, shame," said his father, McArthur Bryant.

Wilson and Bryant said their children were taught to refer to elders as "ma'am" and "sir," and that Tamarion was not intending to be disrespectful.

"At the end of the day as a father, to feel kind of responsible for that...knowing that I have been raising him and doing the best that I can, it's not acceptable," said Bryant.

They added that Tamarion was hospitalized last month for a seizure-related activity, which included memory loss and hallucinations, something the teacher was unaware of.

Wilson said the punishment was completed in class. She was concerned that Tamarion was missing an opportunity to work during that time.

During the encounter, Wilson said the teacher also told Tamarion that "if she had something, she would have thrown it at him."

"It wasn't right. It wasn't professional. As a teacher, it wasn't appropriate. And I asked her why she thought it was okay to do that," said Wilson.

Wednesday, Wilson met with the teacher and principal to discuss the incident and punishment. During that meeting, Wilson said the teacher acknowledged saying that, but was not serious and believed Tamarion was aware of that.

When Wilson returned the signed punishment sheet, she also included a second sheet, which included Tamarion writing the definition of the word "ma'am."

(EXCERPT) CLICK ABOVE LINK FOR THE REST...

[SirLinksALot]

What the article does not say is this -- WHAT DID THE TEACHER WANT THE CHILD TO SAY?

[SirLinksALot]

RE: Tamarion writing the definition of the word "ma'am."

Just refer to the dictionary.

"a term of respectful or polite address used for a woman."

[Wingnut]

I have read several different news outlets version of this story.  All are consistent in leaving out the facts about the teacher who punished this respectful child.   

I think she should be, from here on out, be addressed by a more appropriate name.  "Hey Bitch"

[DB]

If I were the parent I'd be on a warpath.

I would not surrender.

I'd pull my kid from the school if not rectified prompty.

[Gefn]

I’ve heard everything now.

Is this a sign of the apocalypse?

[Sanguine]

Cute kid, and good parents.  However, like most parents who are trying to do the right thing, they are intimidated by the schools. 

[mountaineer]

What the article does not say is this -- WHAT DID THE TEACHER WANT THE CHILD TO SAY?

Was this teacher some sort of ungendered/multigendered/transgendered creature?

[Sanguine]

Was this teacher some sort of ungendered/multigendered/transgendered creature?

Who knows?  Almost no information about the teacher. 

As for the why, a lot of people don't like to be called ma'am, sir, whatever, because that infers that they are adults.  And, who wants that?  You know, the old "Mr. Smith is my dad, call me Mikey".

[Wingnut]

Was this teacher some sort of ungendered/multigendered/transgendered creature?

All we know.  Or I should say.... all I know from everything I read was in a local news story they made a small mention that  the child attended a "Charter School".  That fact did leave open some conjecture on my part on the race of the "educator" in question.  I suspect the identity of the teacher will be buried till the news cycle peters out.

[Suppressed]

From the story, it looks like this is the school faculty, and the kid was in 5th grade...
https://www.necprepschool.com/staff-elementary

[Sanguine]

From the story, it looks like this is the school faculty, and the kid was in 5th grade...
https://www.necprepschool.com/staff-elementary

Depending on how the State/local laws are written, charter schools may be part of the school system and operate under the local school district.

[Bigun]

I have read several different news outlets version of this story.  All are consistent in leaving out the facts about the teacher who punished this respectful child.   

I think she should be, from here on out, be addressed by a more appropriate name.  "Hey Bitch"

I can tell you what he/she/it would soon be called if one of mine were involved!  UNEMPLOYED!!!

[DCPatriot]

I can tell you what he/she/it would soon be called if one of mine were involved!  UNEMPLOYED!!!

LOL!  Don't think so @Bigun

You'd become an inspiration for a script where the elderly grandfather goes to the school and ends up in traction...in a reeducation camp.

[Wingnut]

LOL!  Don't think so @Bigun

You'd become an inspiration for a script where the elderly grandfather goes to the school and ends up in traction...in a reeducation camp.

I don't know.  I always thought of him as a "get Off My lawn" Gran Torino kinda grand father. 

[DCPatriot]

I don't know.  I always thought of him as a "get Off My lawn" Gran Torino kinda grand father. 

That's why I mentioned he'd be "...in traction".   

[roamer_1]

RE: Tamarion writing the definition of the word "ma'am."

Just refer to the dictionary.

"a term of respectful or polite address used for a woman."

As I understand it, 'Ma'am' is a contraction of 'madame', which implies a woman of means... The woman of the house is a 'ma'am', A mother with children is a 'ma'am', an elder woman is a 'ma'am'... A young lady as yet unmarried would still be referred to as a 'miss'... Similar to the difference between 'senora' and 'Senorita' in Spanish.

But somehow I doubt that is the correction being applied...

[Fishrrman]

Get the kid into private or parochial school.

Problems... solved.

[verga]

As I understand it, 'Ma'am' is a contraction of 'madame', which implies a woman of means... The woman of the house is a 'ma'am', A mother with children is a 'ma'am', an elder woman is a 'ma'am'... A young lady as yet unmarried would still be referred to as a 'miss'... Similar to the difference between 'senora' and 'Senorita' in Spanish.

But somehow I doubt that is the correction being applied...

I lived up north for 40+ years and was raised to say Ma'am and Sir. Down here in the south is is common practice. When I address one of the ladies on staff I begin with Miss (insert first name here) and end the conversation with "Thank you ma'am. The vast of the other men here do the exact same thing. What is wrong with showing good manners?

[roamer_1]

I lived up north for 40+ years and was raised to say Ma'am and Sir. Down here in the south is is common practice. When I address one of the ladies on staff I begin with Miss (insert first name here) and end the conversation with "Thank you ma'am. The vast of the other men here do the exact same thing. What is wrong with showing good manners?

@verga
It's been driven into me so deep that there is no way I can carry on a conversation without the honorific - Less so on the male side of things - Unless the guy is a recognized elder or of an abiding merit.

But with women... I am actually laughed at quite often because I CANNOT help myself... It is so ingrained in me that when I ask Google something on my phone, when 'she' completes some task, or provides information, I will invariably poke the button and say 'Thank you, ma'am'... I simply can't help it. 

But 'she' does seem to appreciate it.   

[240B]

It took me a while to decipher this story and I have come up with a theory. I dated a woman once when we were both in our early 30s. And one thing she could not stand was to be called ma'am. She hated it. I drove her crazy.

We were in a bar and she ordered a drink. The bartender fixed it and gave it to her and innocently said, 'Here you go ma'am.' Maam! Maam! Did you hear what he said to me! I thought she was going to get me in a fight.

My point is, I don't think this was about being anti-politeness. Rather it is about a hypersensitive woman fighting her age. Some women hate to be called Ma'am because it reminds them of their mothers. And they don't want to be that old. That's my theory anyway.

[Elderberry]

I went thru the drive thru at Sonic one day and the man taking my order said ma'am almost continuously. I tried and tried to correct him. Call me sir, not ma'am. To no avail. But when I got to the window he was all apologetic, saying that he was trained to always say ma'am. I don't think he every thought thru what it meant. I tried once to correct a sheriff who called me, working on a case. I corrected him when he called me ma'am and I told him I expected him to call me sir. He did not so I told him our conversation was over and I hung up.

[berdie]

People have too much time on their hands, imho.

[Texas Yellow Rose]

I was raised in Texas and was not required to say "Yes/No Ma'am" and "Yes/No Sir" to my parents.  In fact they never taught me to say it. 

That being said ... I ALWAYS say "Yes/No Ma'am" and "Yes/No Sir" to ANY other adult or person  ... my clients always deserved a ma'm or sir ... no matter their age and most all of them were younger than me. 

Even a hypersensitive woman should recognize that children say ma'am to a teacher.  The phrase shows respect ... it is not wrong in any way.

[Sanguine]

It took me a while to decipher this story and I have come up with a theory. I dated a woman once when we were both in our early 30s. And one thing she could not stand was to be called ma'am. She hated it. I drove her crazy.

We were in a bar and she ordered a drink. The bartender fixed it and gave it to her and innocently said, 'Here you go ma'am.' Maam! Maam! Did you hear what he said to me! I thought she was going to get me in a fight.

My point is, I don't think this was about being anti-politeness. Rather it is about a hypersensitive woman fighting her age. Some women hate to be called Ma'am because it reminds them of their mothers. And they don't want to be that old. That's my theory anyway.

I think you're probably right.   Either way, the teacher she shouldn't have shamed a little kid like that.