The beginning of the school year with a new teacher is exciting for most elementary school kids. They are meeting new friends and getting to know a new teacher. Great teachers help students learn and encourage kids to grow. However, one Oregon teacher is letting kids know that snakes are her worst fear and she wants zero reminders that they exist.
Englewood Elementary School teacher, Amy Brannon, sent home a “Getting to Know You” letter so kids and their parents could learn about more about her. However, the letter was entirely about her extreme snake phobia with detailed information on how the students and parents should deal with it.
“One more thing I would like to tell you is that I am EXTREMELY PHOBIC of snakes! This is not something I can control or have a choice about any more than I can choose my age. I have a very physical, emotional and mental reaction.” She asks that students not wear shirts with pictures or even illustrations of snakes on them. Students are not allowed to check out books about snakes, unless they hide them.
Brannon goes so far to dictate “If a student comes to school with a snake on their shirt, someone will usually ‘catch’ them for me and have them borrow a ‘safe’ shirt from the office for the day.” One of the most interesting parts of the letter is that children who have pet snakes are not put in her class and if the snake phobia is a problem for anyone they should request to be moved out of her class.
Her letter has created an outpouring of comments on social media.
“Indiana Jones was afraid of snakes and you know what? He still did his d*** job.”
The letter may as well say “fair warning: I’m a loon, call the office and demand your kid be moved to a different class.”
If images of snakes on a boys t-shirt are that upsetting to you … you need (1) a therapist & (2) a different job *smh* I’m the a**hole parent that would find a way to add snake designs to my kids clothes just to mess w this woman…jeez…
She does have her supporters, though.
Getting outraged about this is a bit much. she has a phobia (legit-just telling her to “get over it” is silly, as you probably know), she asked her students and their families to help. whatever. it’s like allergies. is it annoying that my kid can’t bring apples for snack because her teacher is allergic? yes. are there other things my kid can eat, though? yes. so whatever. these kids can go without a snake shirt Mon-Fri and survive.
Of course if one of their little buttercups had a snake phobia they’d expect the whole world to accommodate it.
So, what do you think about this teacher’s extreme phobia? Is it the same as an allergy? Should she seek help before continuing to teach? Should the parents just get over it and move on?
