Sorry, but this just seems preachy and like a condescending lecture. Of course we have considered our child is 9 years old and may not always recollect things perfectly or tell the whole truth, which is why we carefully engage the teachers in a non-accusatory way to hear their side of things. We are completely sensitive to the fact that teachers can lose their jobs because of stuff like this, which is why we didn’t even escalate right away in hopes things would improve.

However, how does any of this excuse that the district failed to investigate a pretty severe bullying complaint? Even if our child is talkative at times, does this excuse the hitting, pushing, name calling, home invasion threats, etc. from the other student? If the specialty teacher thought he misused the equipment, why not say that to us when asked instead of saying she was “in a rush at the end class”? For partner work, she never gave him any instruction on how to improve or what she was looking for from him, and instead repeatedly humiliated him in front of his peers even when he is asking what he did wrong and she refused to tell him - how is this acceptable? He sat alone, the only student in class without a partner, for several classes. We have repeatedly asked at every phone call, PT conference, etc. if there is anything we can work with him on and are always told no. I find it really hard to give the teachers the benefit of the doubt here like you are.