Recently, a Reddit user sought understanding if she was in the wrong for packing her son lunches that his teacher deemed inappropriate. Her post gained immense approval and critical acclaim, with 23,200 “upvotes” and 3,100 comments in response.
The mother of a five-year-old boy attending preschool received an unpleasant call from the child’s teacher, complaining that the lunches she sent with her son were inappropriate and had an “unpleasant odor.”
The mother said: “She made absolutely no effort to sound kind when she, in an extremely rude and annoyed tone, told me to stop packing my son such ‘disgusting and inappropriate’ lunches.”
The teacher expressed concern that these lunches were “distracting” other students.
The mother argued back, stating that although the lunches were not all-around healthy, it was her son’s preferences that mattered.
According to the mother, a typical lunch consisted of small celery sticks with blue cheese and goat cheese, kimchi and spam, and a few spicy Doritos marinated in Sriracha. As a Korean family, they adore cooking this dish.
The teacher replied by sending an email saying that the mother’s response was “unacceptable” and that her son’s lunches were no longer welcome in school. The mother is now uncertain about how to proceed as she wants to maintain a healthy relationship with her son’s teachers. She wonders if she is in the wrong for arguing with the teacher about her son’s lunch.
Reactions from Social Media
An avalanche of support flooded social media, affirming that the mother did nothing wrong.
One user received over 59,000 “upvotes” for her comment: “Report her to the principal. Her comments regarding your son’s food are ‘disgusting’ and ‘have an unpleasant tone,’ aka cough cough racist tone. She’s too inappropriate to be teaching at the school any longer.”
“Go to the principal. It’s blatant racism,” another person said, which was met with a wave of support from other commenters who showed their agreement through upvotes. “If they don’t do anything. Go to the press.”
“I came into this thread wondering what exactly an ‘inappropriate’ lunch might entail…” one person joked.
READ MORE: Teacher Is No Longer Able To Stomach Her Career. Is It Time To Quit?
Commenters Admitted Their Shame
One person said: “A lot of second-generation immigrants are ashamed to bring their food in public because of people like this teacher, who clearly is very intolerant. Asian food is not inappropriate; she is.”
Another person who was a third-generation admitted no longer feeling comfortable bringing their snacks to school. “…brought seaweed as a snack in 3rd grade, Virginia; never did that again.” They admitted to still eating seaweed as a snack “in the privacy of my own home.”
“I’m a first-generation Vietnamese,” another person responded. “Immigrated when I was a kid, and I wouldn’t ever bring something pungent to school for lunch. Even I have to admit some of our foods have a pretty strong aroma; fish sauce doesn’t smell particularly appealing, it is fermented fish, after all, but damn, it is good.”
The Smell is an Issue
Some commenters admitted that the smell of certain foods could be unappealing to some people, and this can be especially true for children who aren’t familiar with them.
While it is understandable for a teacher to request that students bring lunches that won’t overwhelm the other students with strong odors, this particular teacher’s reaction was deemed inappropriate as she lacked cultural sensitivity.
People expressed agreement that there is a right and wrong way to address the issue of smell, and this situation was an example of racism.
“I keep wondering how many of these people have actually kept kimchi in the fridge. It’s delicious but really pungent,” one user said, receiving 773 upvotes. “…That said, there’s a right and a wrong way to address it, and this was absolutely devoid of cultural sensitivity, which is why it’s racist.”
Another person agreed: “I feel like the teacher was just racist in the way she spoke about their lunch and that the smell wasn’t the only problem she had with it.”
One Mother Could Relate
One mother had experienced a similar situation with both of her children’s teachers in the past. When her son was in preschool, the teacher asked her not to send blueberries for lunch as he would put them in his mouth and shoot them out “like a machine gun.
For her daughter in grade 1, the teacher commented that bento characters were cute, but she kept playing with them instead of finishing her lunch in time. She was missing out on recess and becoming irritable and hungry later in the day.
These types of comments from teachers were considered appropriate when talking about students’ lunches; however, the mother did not feel that this particular teacher had any right to criticize her son’s lunch in such a way.
Diversity and Kindness Should Be Taught in Schools
This incident one particular educator on the platform very sad, as it was a missed opportunity to teach students about self-confidence, diversity, and kindness.
Every year this teacher reads “Carla’s Sandwich” with her class, demonstrating how enjoying different food can bring people together.
During this lesson, a brunch was held where students could bring their favorite dishes and recipes. It was one of the most popular activities, with students and parents alike enjoying various dishes, including sandwiches, pizza, and traditional Indian and Korean food. Even children who typically avoided trying new foods often tried something they had not tasted before.
“This teacher missed a huge opportunity to show how the simple act of eating a meal can bring people together in beautiful ways,” the person commented. “It hurts my heart that so many people have had terrible experiences eating what they enjoy because of ignorance.”
This post called Is the Parent Wrong for Packing an Inappropriate Lunch for School was syndicated and produced by TPR Teaching. Our article has been inspired by Reddit and does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of TPR Teaching.
Read More:
- Doing Well In High School Is Actually A Big Disadvantage Later In Life
- Was She Wrong For Telling The Teacher To Stop Making Comments About Her Wheelchair?
Caitriona Maria is an education writer and founder of TPR Teaching, crafting inspiring pieces that promote the importance of developing new skills. For 7 years, she has been committed to providing students with the best learning opportunities possible, both domestically and abroad. Dedicated to unlocking students' potential, Caitriona has taught English in several countries and continues to explore new cultures through her travels.