AITA for showing my missing eye to the new teacher after he told me my bangs are disrespectful?

A Reddit user shared a striking story about an incident with their new teacher, who was unaware of a significant part of their appearance. The OP lost an eye in an accident as a baby and has side bangs to cover scars and missing facial features. When the new teacher saw OP’s hairstyle, he demanded they “fix their bangs” and show their face, calling it disrespectful.

OP complied by revealing their scarred face, causing the teacher to gasp in shock and immediately tell them to cover it again. Later, the head teacher scolded OP for supposedly “shocking” the new teacher, leaving them wondering if they did anything wrong. Invite people to read the original story below…

‘ AITA for showing my missing eye to the new teacher after he told me my bangs are disrespectful?’

I had an accident when I was a baby and I lost my left eye. I don’t have an eye socket I could put a fake eye in, it’s just normal skin and some scars on a big pach of my face (they reconstructed my face with a later surgery this way). The right side and the bottom half of my face is completely normal.

I have big side bangs that hide the left side of my face so I don’t freak anyone out and I don’t get weird looks. I’ve been going to the same school since I was 5, so the teachers and the kids know about it.

We got a new teacher this week. He started by asking us to go around and introduce ourself. When it got to me, he was rude and asked me “do your parents know you come to school looking like this? It’s extremely disrespectful, fix your bangs, I want to see your face!”

So I obeyed and tucked my bangs behind my ear, showing the left side of my face. He gasped, his face turned red, my classmates laughed and he told me that I can let my bangs down. Later that day, my head teacher came to me to scold me. She told me I was wrong to “shock” the new teacher and I should’ve just told him about it.

Did I do anything wrong? I just obeyed his orders, it’s not my fault he ended up not wanting to look at my face. AITA?. —–.

Update: My mom went in to talk to the head teacher. It turned out that the new teacher made it sound like I was playing a prank on him, trying to deliberately shock him and make fun of him in front of the class. 3 of my classmates had to be called in to confirm my part of the story.

The head teacher apologized, called it an unfortunate misunderstanding and told us she will clear it up with the new teacher, I don’t have to worry about it. I don’t believe it was just a “misunderstanding”, it sounds like the new teacher deliberately lied, but we can’t do anything about it…

Here’s the comments of Reddit users:

Sensitive-Jacket5651 −  NTA 1000X, you followed his orders. Not your fault you only have one eye. Plus, if you told him “Im missing an eye.” we all know his Teacher Instinct would be to have you prove it anyway lmao.

thatshygal717 −  NTA. Ask your head teacher why the new teacher thought it was right to comment on your appearance in the first place (maybe with parents/guardians involved because that’s a horrible way to treat a student). He embarrassed himself — you were just obliging his demand. ETA: Wow this blew up overnight. Thank you for the upvotes and awards!

billlevansatmariposa −  NTA. If the new teacher rebuked you publicly for acting disrespectfully, it was on you to rebuke him publicly by complying with his request. Also, consider taking your story to r/maliciouscompliance.

Key_Transition_6036 −  Nta the teacher put you in an awful position. Even if you were not missing an eye there are so many viable reasons why someone would want to ‘hide behind bangs.” That teacher bullied you. Yes you should file a complaint. Have your parents do it if they are willing to go to bat. That teacher has no business around kids.

votramie −  I suggest to involve the parents: Both the teacher and head teacher have been rude and disrespectful.. They need to apologize in public.. NTA

[Reddit User] −  NTA. Your head teacher should be telling new teachers about issues like this. Or, new teachers should not be such jerks.

togocann49 −  Nta. Teacher could’ve came to you quietly as well, and not called you out in front of class. Teacher was arrogant, and he got taught that students may have their reasons.

JamisonLyn −  NTA. The other comments make a lot of good points but also, it’s very disrespectful of the head teacher to say your appearance is “shocking”, no matter the reason. Both teachers are acting like asshats. I would make a complaint against both of them.

Potential_Speech_703 −  NTA. He told you to do so.. you did. If you would’ve told him why you’ve bangs, I think he wouldn’t even believe you.. so… HE was the rude one here!

VivAlina_YT −  This reminds me so much of a situation at our school at around grade 8 or so. A schoolmate of ours had cancer and was going through chemo. Ergo she was bald and she always wore a hat to school. A teacher told her to take it off (he probably just thought she had short hair).

Various of us classmates told the teacher he should just leave it Well she then spoke up that she has cancer and would rather not and that luckily shut him up. I don’t get why teachers don’t get these things shared by other teachers. It’s kids who have to go through enough, without having to go explain themselves to every new person…

How do you think the teacher should have handled this situation? Should students ever be asked to change their appearance without knowing the full story? Share your thoughts below!