The Apple Doesn't Fall

AARRGGHH!

All of my tension and frustration over the totally uncoraporative kids has set up camp in my neck and shoulder blades, so I'm typing this with horrible posture. I'm got a much-better articulated post in mind that I'll write later along these lines, but I just need to vent about the fact that

I AM SICK OF FEELING LIKE A BAD TEACHER BECAUSE OF SOCIETAL PROBLEMS AND STUDENT BEHAVIOR THAT ARE TOTALLY AND COMPLETELY OUT OF MY CONTROL!!!

For example.

I had our school translator call a parent this week to report the following consistent behaviors about her student:

• Refuses to sit in her assigned seat
• Refuses to do any work (seriously - it's been 3 months and I've seen maybe 2 assignments from the girl)
• Brings toys to class
• Spends the class period talking to those toys to entertain her friends and distract the other students
• Giggles, sings, hums, makes puppy whining noises, and talks to herself and her friends during the class
• Talks back to and/or yells at the teacher when asked to stop the above behaviors

This has been going on since August, and I have literally done every single consequence available to me as a teacher (held after class, sent to a different room, sent into the hallway, sent to the office, lunch detention, Think-Reflect worksheets), with absolutely no remorse and/or behavior changes. I have also recommended her for both academic and medical testing (as in she needs drugs, not as in "let's run lab-tests on her"), which the school apparently still has not yet begun.

So the translator makes the phone call and relays my message. Here's how her mother responded:

"This is not my daughter's fault. It is the teacher's responsibility as well."

The HELL? What, exactly, about this girl's behavior is my responsibility? And what the hell kind of favors do you think you are doing her by blaming ME for her crappy, immature, inept behavior?

And (while I'm at it), dear government, how in the world do justify holding ME accountable for this girl's choices? I'm not her psychologist, doctor, pharmacist, behavior specialist, police officer, counselor, parole officer, her father, or her mother. I'm her Language Arts teacher, damn it. And all I'm asking is for her to let me do my job.