The first week of school is often associated with rules. "Don't run through the halls. Use inside voices. No gum in the classroom. Hands are not for hurting."
But for some students at Englewood Elementary School, "no snakes" was added to that list.
Students in Amy Brannon's blended third- and fourth-grade class were sent home with a large packet of information this week, for both the student and parents. The packet included topics the students would focus on for the year, safety precautions and rules, and various other tidbits about their new class.
But one item stood out among the handouts: a one-page letter about Brannon's extreme fear of snakes and how students and parents could help her cope with the phobia.
At least that was the intent of the letter, according to school officials, but it created a backlash on social media among some parents. Some of them suggested that Brannon should be removed from the class.
"One more thing I would like to tell you is that I am EXTREMELY PHOBIC of snakes!" Brannon's letter said. "This is not something I can control or have a choice about any more than I can choose my age. I have a very physical, emotional and mental reaction."
The letter, titled Getting to Know You and Me, goes on to say that school staff try to ensure that "students who have these creatures as pets are not put in my class."
"If we missed you and you happen to have them as pets, please help myself and your student out by notifying me or the office so we can get your student moved into one of the other rooms."
Additionally the letter request that students in Brannon's classroom not wear shirts with pictures or illustrations of snakes on them, or check out books about snakes, unless they're hidden from Brannon.
"If a student comes to school with a snake on their shirt, someone will usually 'catch' them for me and have them borrow a 'safe' shirt from the office for the day," Brannon wrote.
The statements prompted some to suggest on social media that Brannon had no right to tell parents what their kids could read or what pets they could have at home.
Lisa Harlan, an elementary education director for the Salem-Keizer School District, said that some parents may have misunderstood the letter, which was not meant to exclude anyone from Brannon's class.
"There's no rule, and we're not in the practice of sorting kids according to their pets," Harlan said. "Kids at this age often have fascinations and interests in specific things like buildings, or trucks or whatever it may be. If that happened to be your child, and they wanted to talk about and learn about snakes, we would sit down with the parents and students and have a conversation and say, 'hey, it might be better to place this child in a place where they can learn as much as they want about this topic.'"
Harlan said the letter was not approved before it was sent home with students, although not everything sent home by teachers is necessarily required to be screened.
"A lot of it was standard information sent out to parents," Harlan said. "But the principals don't ask teachers to see every piece of information they send out each year."
Principal Gary Etchemendy said he was unaware of the letter, but did know about Brannon's phobia.
"This is the first I'm hearing about the letter, Etchemendy said Friday morning, "but I did know she has has an issue with snakes."
Brannon has taught at Englewood for five years and at Auburn Elementary School for four years before that, so her third- and fourth-grade students were not the first to receive such letters.
"The letter has been sent home for at least the last nine years," Harlan said. "We haven't received one phone call from a concerned parent, or had anyone come to us with any questions."
According to Harlan, the letter was just meant to make students and parents aware of the condition.
"I don't think the last paragraph of the letter is intending to kick kids out of the classroom," Harlan said. "It's something that's unique, but it's something that can be prohibited. Do kids have the right to wear what they want? Yes. Can they check out whatever book they want? Yes. But are we asking them to just be sensitive of a fear of someone else's? Yes."
Harlan said the phobia was a condition, and that she would continue to work to accommodate Brannon's needs.
"It's preference versus condition," Harlan said. "And this is a condition. There are plenty of kids with different conditions and allergies that we deal with, but I draw the line at catering to preferences."
Harlan said the school does not plan to issue an apology, but that changes will be made to the letter before it's sent next year.
"We have to create plans for everyone involved," Harlan said. "With this many people in the same building it's difficult, but we try to cater to everyone."
