Story Archive

No Ma’am

A fifth grader at North East Carolina Preparatory School in Tarboro, N.C., called his teacher a four letter word. But he didn’t mean to be disrespectful, his parents said: they say they taught him to call older people “sir” and “ma’am” as a sign of respect. Nevertheless, the teacher had ordered Tamarion not to call her “ma’am,” and when he did, she made him use class time to write the word four times per line to cover a sheet of paper, then take it home for his parents to sign. Instead, McArthur Bryant and Teretha Wilson got Tamarion moved to another class. (AC/WTVD Raleigh Durham) ...If “ma’am” makes her feel old, tell her students to use her first name and make her use their last names. She’ll appreciate adult privilege soon enough.