The mother of an 8-year-old Arizona girl who was presented with a "Catastrophe Award".
The mother of an 8-year-old Arizona girl who was presented with a "Catastrophe Award" for apparently having the most excuses for not having homework believes her child was humiliated by her teacher.
Christina Valdez said her daughter, Cassandra Garcia, came home one day from class at Desert Springs Academy in Tucson, Ariz., with the paper award.
The document, which looks like a colorful card, contained the following message: "You're Tops! Catastrophe Award. Awarded to Cassandra Garcia. For Most Excuses for Not Having Homework."
The teacher signed the card "Ms. Plowman," added the date - May 18, 2012 - and even included a smiley face.
The teacher announced the award in front of the entire class, and the other students laughed at her daughter, Valdez said in a Thursday interview with ABC TV affiliate KGUN-TV in Tucson.
When she contacted the school to complain, the principal "blew me off," Valdez added. "She said it was a joke that was played and that the teachers joke around with the children."
But Valdez told KGUN that she didn't find any of it funny.
"I think it's cruel and no child should be given an award like this. It's disturbing," she said, adding that she was not aware her daughter had a problem with homework, and that the girl had been enrolled in an after-school homework assistance program.
Desert Springs Academy's principal declined to comment to a KGUN reporter, the affiliate reported.
美国亚利桑那州一所学校的教师向一名8岁女生颁发“灾难奖”，理由是这名学生不完成家庭作业的理由最多。学生的家长认为孩子遭到了老师的羞辱。
克里斯蒂娜-瓦尔迪兹说，她的女儿卡桑德拉-加西亚有一天放学回家时带回一张纸“奖状”。女儿在亚利桑那州图森的沙漠甘泉学校就读。
“奖状”看似彩色卡片，上面写着：“你最棒！灾难奖。奖给桑德拉-加西亚。奖励你有最多不完成家庭作业的理由”。
老师在卡片上署名“普洛曼女士”，日期为“2012年5月18日”，卡片上还画着一个笑脸图案。
瓦尔迪兹周四在接受美国广播公司图森KGUN-TV电视台采访时说，老师当着全班学生的面把“奖”颁给加西亚，女儿遭到了其他学生的嘲笑。
瓦尔迪兹后来联系学校投诉，称校长的回答让她很失望，“她说这只是玩笑，老师们经常和孩子们开玩笑”。
但瓦尔迪兹告诉这家电视台，她觉得一点儿也不好笑。
瓦尔迪兹说：“我觉得这很残酷，不应该给孩子发这样的‘奖’。这很让人心烦。”她还说自己的女儿在完成家庭作业方面没有问题，还参加一个课后辅导班。
据报道，该校校长拒绝就此事接受电视台采访。