Mother demands apology after Florida teacher's birthday gesture

West-Tex : WHAT? We always sang it this way to all our friends and relatives. ALL birthday parties ....

West-Tex : Catmae : People have been calling black people "monkeys" as a slur since the 1600s up to the present...probably something to avoid saying to kids, even just being funny, as a public servant. I'm guessing there was zero harmful intent by the teacher, though.

Throughout my whole life, I was always called a 'Chango" which is a spanish term for Monkey. It was only to describe my active phase and lifestyle not my race. Hell I even call my son Chango or monkey because he is very versatile and active. I never took offense to it.

West-Tex :
I am usually not phased by this kind of thing, but the little boy was evidently troubled and I think it was in poor taste unless she sang Happy Birthday this way to every child in the class.

Joe : I wondered if she sings it to every kid. I also wonder who recorded it.

Joe : Probably so.

West-Tex : It looked like the teacher was recording it herself. I'm sure there was no ill intent, but the damage has been done.

West-Tex :

Daiquiri : Since it's the beginning of the school year, his may have been the only birthday so far. If he hadn't had a chance to hear her sing it this way to other children, I can understand how it would hurt his feelings.

I remember singing it to classmates because it was funny. Times and people are different now and I believe she used poor judgment

It is a common song KIDS sing, but I have never heard an adult sing it. I think a lot of kids would get their feelings hurt if a teacher said this about them, even as a joke. Poor taste.

Why not sing the regular happy birthday song? The boy was only 6 and not mature enough to be ridiculed in front of the class. As a parent I'd be mad too.

I think educators should be careful. This story reminds me of our teacher last year. Her birthday song included the part about being stinky, or something. While it used to be a fun song growing up, it's just inappropriate now.I think in a culture where bullying has completely gotten out of hand (the school does absolutely nothing) these birthday songs set the child up to be teased and ridiculed, endlessly. I'm sure nobody wants that.

Pinehurst : Terrible teacher behavior should have consequences 😖

Wanderer :
Respectfully, are you a Black person?