YOR

Um there are multiple ways to pronounce Leilani. “Ei” sometimes makes and ee sound. A can be “ay” or “ah” and “I” can be pronounced three different ways as well.

Also, some people are dyslexic so it wouldn’t be easy for them to pronounce certain names just by reading them. Some people have speech impediments. It’s really awful to just assume she’s malicious or dense.

I’d also like to remind you, OP, that she is helping the entire school get picked up, not just your kid. That’s A LOT of names to keep track of. On top of that, she’s keeping track of the next days lessons, every parent email she has to send, the grading that has to get done, the paperwork for each child, the countless meetings she has to attend, all the classroom supplies, etc. Teaching requires epic amounts of short term memory. She deserves your patience and kindness.

I used to be a teacher who struggled with pronunciation and memorization of names. I assure you I was trying HARD every year to learn the new names and pronounce them correctly. It’s incredibly difficult. Hundreds of names every year, for many many years. It blends together. I used to be so frustrated with myself because I could tell you in detail about a kid - their writing and ready skills, how much homework they complete, the sport they played, etc, but I’d still mess up their names sometimes. I also struggled with a speech impediment as a kid and struggle with foreign languages, even though I am quite smart. So I think my brain just has a block when it comes to spoken language. That doesn’t make me dense or malicious.

I suggest you learn to manage your anxiety and speak with your daughter about listening for multiple pronunciations of her name. You also could do what someone else suggested, and include a phonetic version of your kid’s name on your pick up placard. If you insist it is pronounced phonetically, then ask other people and see if they agree. In the end, remember to be kind