I'm in California and my son is a first grader in a public school. Yesterday his teacher asked me to talk to him about not using the phrase "what the..." because the only word she could think of to fill in the blank was an expletive.
I explained that the word he would use is "heck", as he's not familiar with the expletive version. I asked if it was causing a problem or disruption to the class, because if not, it wasn't something I was willing to correct.
She responded that she would talk to him about it in class then.
I asked if he would be disciplined for using the phrase. She responded that it makes some kids uncomfortable when he uses the word "heck", and he was in fact disciplined yesterday for saying it.
I responded with a willingness to talk to my son about using less offensive alternatives to express himself while he was in the classroom. I also told her that I didn't feel it was my son's or our responsibility to ensure the comfort of others, as this statement is not directed at anyone personally, is not causing a disruption to the classroom and I do not find the phrase or word hurtful or offensive. I also indicated that I believed his freedom of speech rights were being tread upon.
I looked up the school rules and the closest thing that applies is:
Comments that insult or degrade a person because of his/her actual or perceived race, ethnic background, national origin, physical appearance, financial status, religion, age, sex, gender2, gender identity, physical disability, mental disability, sexual orientation, family structure or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.
I also looked up the definition of heck:
–interjection
1.
(used as a mild expression of annoyance, rejection, disgust, etc.): What the heck do you care?
–noun
2.
something remarkable of its kind (usually used in the phrase heck of a ): That was a heck of an impressive speech. Have one heck of a good time.
—Idiom
3.
as heck (used as a mild intensifier): I say he's guilty as heck.
Use heck in a Sentence
Origin:
1850–55; euphemistic alter. of hell
I personally don't see anything wrong with these definitions, but can understand that it might bother other people because they're likely to interpret the definition as alternate to the word "hell". So even though I disagree that my son should have to alter his choice of expression, for the sake of "getting along", I've talked to him and given him alternatives to use, like "what in the world", "what on earth" or "what's going on?".
My question is (finally) am I within my (and my son's) rights to ask that the teacher not discipline my son for using the phrase (because he's bound to slip up, especially now that so much attention is on this issue), but that I will continue to work with him (for the remaining 7 weeks of school) to use alternative phrases? I don't feel he should be disciplined for using this phrase, as really he's using it by one of the first two definitions, not as an alternate to hell, or worse, the f-word.
Thanks.
I explained that the word he would use is "heck", as he's not familiar with the expletive version. I asked if it was causing a problem or disruption to the class, because if not, it wasn't something I was willing to correct.
She responded that she would talk to him about it in class then.
I asked if he would be disciplined for using the phrase. She responded that it makes some kids uncomfortable when he uses the word "heck", and he was in fact disciplined yesterday for saying it.
I responded with a willingness to talk to my son about using less offensive alternatives to express himself while he was in the classroom. I also told her that I didn't feel it was my son's or our responsibility to ensure the comfort of others, as this statement is not directed at anyone personally, is not causing a disruption to the classroom and I do not find the phrase or word hurtful or offensive. I also indicated that I believed his freedom of speech rights were being tread upon.
I looked up the school rules and the closest thing that applies is:
Comments that insult or degrade a person because of his/her actual or perceived race, ethnic background, national origin, physical appearance, financial status, religion, age, sex, gender2, gender identity, physical disability, mental disability, sexual orientation, family structure or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.
I also looked up the definition of heck:
–interjection
1.
(used as a mild expression of annoyance, rejection, disgust, etc.): What the heck do you care?
–noun
2.
something remarkable of its kind (usually used in the phrase heck of a ): That was a heck of an impressive speech. Have one heck of a good time.
—Idiom
3.
as heck (used as a mild intensifier): I say he's guilty as heck.
Use heck in a Sentence
Origin:
1850–55; euphemistic alter. of hell
I personally don't see anything wrong with these definitions, but can understand that it might bother other people because they're likely to interpret the definition as alternate to the word "hell". So even though I disagree that my son should have to alter his choice of expression, for the sake of "getting along", I've talked to him and given him alternatives to use, like "what in the world", "what on earth" or "what's going on?".
My question is (finally) am I within my (and my son's) rights to ask that the teacher not discipline my son for using the phrase (because he's bound to slip up, especially now that so much attention is on this issue), but that I will continue to work with him (for the remaining 7 weeks of school) to use alternative phrases? I don't feel he should be disciplined for using this phrase, as really he's using it by one of the first two definitions, not as an alternate to hell, or worse, the f-word.
Thanks.
