Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: Smelly Kid I guess I am still considered a novice teacher because I have been teaching for four years only. I am an elementary school teacher who teaches in a mostly White suburban setting. Couple of weeks ago a new student joined my classroom. He and his parents recently moved from Eastern Europe. His father works at the local university as a music professor. I am not sure what his mother does. He is a wonderful child. Although he speaks little English, he tries to participate in class activities and to make friends with others in the classroom. Couple days after he arrived, I noticed a strange smell around him. I was sure that it was body odor. The other students in the classroom started noticing it too. They started making fun of him. I learned in my multicultural classes when I was at the university that not all cultures promote taking showers everyday, and that body odor is not considered a problem everywhere in the world. Now I have a big dilemma. If I tell my student about it, I might embarrass him. If I sent a note to his parents, I may appear disrespectful toward their culture. But the way he is treated in the classroom by the other students is becoming a real problem. What should I do? Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) Well as I understand it schools generally have a cleanliness policy as lack of bathing can create health problems with the student in question as well as those around him (lice for example). It may not be a bathing issue however. Some cultures cook foods that have very strong aromas and stick fiercely in clothes and hair. It may be that the household itself, which is clean, just has a constant and overwhelming food aroma. I have heard of teachers making deals with students that had bathing/body odor issues before where they allow the student to arrive a little bit earlier to school and use the locker room showers when no one is in there so they can get clean with out having everyone know what they are doing. Obviously something must be done as the constant harassment of this student cannot be tolerated. While approaching the parents about this may be tricky it still might be more beneficial (than harmful) for all parties involved.