Ciao Mr Molla

The release of class lists at the start of the school year can always be a precarious moment, and this year where i have had to rely on the returning staff to sort it out for me looking for a balance of numbers, mixed abilities and gender between our 2/3 classes in each year band.

Six approach me for a transfer within the first three days, and i overrule them. I write a piece in my next newsletter about the importance of being tolerant to our special needs students; and parents should be role-models in accepting differences. How exciting it is to making new friends but still catching up with old ones in the regular recess times, i chime enthusiastically. I remind the parents that learning to work with different people is a life-skill and shouldn’t any education worth its salt not develop life-skills?

Only one of the original 6 gets back to me. Mr Molla is an elderly aggressive little man who looks like an African Adolf Hitler with a moustache to match. On his first visit to my office he threatens to remove his son and i tell him that that is his prerogative. Nonetheless i go and check out his son in class, and he is all smiles and laughs.

Mr Molla approaches me again last week telling me his son is unhappy. Ok Mr Molla. I tell him i will bring the matter up in the next PMT meeting to sound out my team. And i do. Mr Z says no and Ms J says wait till half term and then review again. I write up the minutes and copy the appropriate paragraph to present to Mr Molla at the earliest convenience.

I finally see him in the playground at home-time and i bounce over shaking his hand warmly. I whip out my cutting from the meeting and take much satisfaction in reading it out to him before passing it over. He looks up with a stern face and says “well i only have one choice then.”

“Oh really? What choice is that then?”

“I will find another school.”

YES!!!!!! We have far too many kids and far too few resources, and i don’t need aggressive parents trying to make decisions on student placements and threatening withdrawals if they don’t get their way. Throwing toys out of the pram.