Teacher accused of shaming left-handed boy into using right hand
A four year- old boy in Oklahoma was reprimanded by his teacher for what the instructor felt was an act of evil, according to a Yahoo Parenting article published September 23, 2015. It then goes on to describe the origins of the “sinister” as pertaining to being left-handed.
It’s his first year at Oakes Elementary in Okemah, but his mom kept him home Monday after a dispute with his teacher over being left-handed.
When asked why, young Zayne said he was told to refrain from using his left hand because his teacher told him it was a “bad” hand associated with the devil and evil.
The teacher’s note said that in many western cultures being left-handed is considered “unlucky, inauspicious or frankly evil”. Right-handedness is more common (70-90%) than left-handedness (8-10%).
But when the pre-kindergartener was doing his homework, he was using his right hand.
Although the article remains impartial about left-handedness, Sands believes the teacher’s message was clear: Her son would be better off right-handed.
“For example, the devil is often portrayed as left-handed”, one passage said. “It breaks my heart for him because someone actually believes that … my child is evil because he’s left handed, it’s insane”.
“There was no suspension of any kind”. Superintendent Tony Dean tells the New York Daily News that the school is looking into it. “We take this very, very seriously”.
KFOR contacted the school’s principal, who said she was aware of the situation and is investigating.
“From picking things up to throwing things, to batting, to writing, to just coloring you’d do at home with him, he’s always, always used his left hand”, said Sands. After approaching the school’s superintendent she said nothing had been done.
Zayde’s mum is incensed and is making a formal complaint to the Oklahoma Board of Education.