AITA for making a big deal about 1 extra credit point on my child’s test?
A Reddit user shared a story about advocating for her daughter after a spelling test dispute. The teacher marked the word “Chanukah” wrong, insisting that “Hanukkah” was the only correct spelling, despite both being valid transliterations of the Hebrew word.
The teacher made a joking remark about the daughter being Jewish and not knowing how to spell it, which annoyed the child. After a tense conversation, the teacher reluctantly gave back the extra credit point but seemed frustrated. Was this parent right to stand up for cultural accuracy, or did she overreact over one point? Read the full story below!
‘ AITA for making a big deal about 1 extra credit point on my child’s test?’
My daughter had a spelling test which included some holiday words for extra credit. One of the words was “Chanukah”. My daughter spelled it the way I just did, but the teacher marked it wrong and corrected it to “Hanukkah”.
She said to my daughter “you’re Jewish and you don’t know how to spell Hanukkah?” I think she meant it jokingly but my daughter was annoyed. My daughter told the teacher that Chanukah is correct, but the teacher didn’t believe her.
I told the teacher that Chanukah was also correct and that my daughter should get the point, and the teacher argued with me, saying that Hanukkah is more correct because it’s more commonly used than Chanukah. I said if any spelling is more correct it would be Chanukah because the Ch represents the sound from the back of the throat you’re supposed to make.
The teacher agreed to correct the test but seemed really sour about it and said she was just trying to be inclusive. I said I appreciate that but she should keep in mind that if the word isn’t in English that there might be multiple acceptable spellings for it and that they should all be given credit.
My husband says I overreacted. Honestly I probably wouldn’t have bothered so much if the word was something else, but I resented the teacher, who isn’t Jewish, arguing with me and my daughter about how to spell our own holiday.
See what others had to share with OP:
Trania86 − NTA. You didn’t make a big deal about 1 credit point. You made a big deal out of a teacher that incorrectly told your kid she was wrong when she wasn’t, and she wouldn’t listen to your daughters explanation. You just taught your daughter that if she’s being treated unfairly, you have her back. You did well.
[Reddit User] − NTA lol my own Jewish blood boiled at the thought of a [non-jewish] teacher thinking it’s “inclusive” to mark a Jewish child’s TRANSLITERATION OF A HEBREW WORD WRONG. edit: apparently non-Yiddish speakers think goy is a slur, so I’m removing it so y’all can get out of your feelings.
Adept-One-819 − NTA, and what??? Your teacher, who is not Jewish, is lecturing you and your Jewish family on the correct spelling of a holiday she doesn’t celebrate? ou handled it far more calmly than I would have.
Luna-Strange − NTA. Your daughter was correct. The teacher is uneducated. You responded to a teacher trying to pass off her lack of education as a fact when shes just wrong. She also thought mocking a kid was acceptable? Heck no report her. That is not inclusive- just insensitive
wildferalfun − NTA. The way she joked about your daughter not knowing how to spell her own holiday is pretty far over the line. She wants a cookie for being inclusive? F**k that. Its not okay to simply add a dreidel song to class and be like YAY INCLUSIVE while hosting a Christmas pageant for all of December, its not a feather in your hat to add Chanukah to the spelling test. 😑
Used-Potato-9494 − NTA. The teacher should have known that both are commonly used in America for Hanukkah. I would be more upset by her saying to your daughter “you are Jewish and don’t know how to spell Hanukkah?” That is over the line, judgements, tone deaf, and inappropriate – as well as inaccurate. She could have used this as a teaching moment to the class (and herself) about language and translation, but she chose to be ignorant instead.
budywudy9 − NTA being inclusive doesnt mean picking and choosing parts you like or want to show/teach kids Just because chanukah isnt as *commonly* used doesnt mean its incorrect, its just not the spelling people tend to reach for for whatever reason
A lot of words in other languages and religions have multiple spellings that are all correct and its actually pretty important to teach these kids that there may be more than one way to spell it maybe because of the way the grammar of the language worked or how it gets translated in the first place Also hope you have a good chanukah!
[Reddit User] − NTA. If she wants to be “inclusive,” she should accept the correction from the person whose holiday it actually is.
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MelodyRaine − NTA, I see it as more about the teacher’s dismissive attitude, especially considering the (acknowledged) fact that this is an important word in your culture and experience, that she tried to claim she knew more about than you did. Also – She said to my daughter “you’re Jewish and you don’t know how to spell Hanukkah?” – is not the sort of behavior I would expect from a teacher towards a student.
Was the parent right to insist on the point for cultural accuracy, or should they have let it go? How do we balance inclusivity with ensuring cultural traditions are respected in schools? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!