My Daughter, a verbally abusive teacher, and my sanity...

This is how I was before all of this mess

My Daughter came to me several weeks ago after school, she was crying and said she needed to talk, thinking the worst thoughts in the world I called my husband into the living room with us.  She told us that her Teacher has been screaming at them and calling them names since the beginning of the School year, which for my kids was in July (year round school).  When I asked her what things, she said the Teacher called them "stupid" and "animals" and "dumb" amongst other things, and that she was so tired of being called those things, that the Teacher also screams at them for everything, always so angry.

The Mom in me wanted to run to the School and pay her a visit, how dare a Teacher, a person of trust, treat my child that way!?!?  Furious, hurt, upset, and felling every other emotion in the world, I eventually calmed down and just cried with my daughter, I couldn't believe that I had put her in that place, that I had forced her so many days to go to School without even having the slightest idea of the hell she was going through!  I felt like the worst mother in the world.  The next day came and I sent her to school, I told her not to worry that I was going to go speak with the principal (another woman who has not helped kids with bullying issues).

The next day I was lost, I didn't know what to do, do I show up to her class? Do I go to the Principal who ignores the fact that kids get bullied at school? do I go to the District and complain? I just was lost, cried all morning.  Then my daughter called me from school, asked me if I could go pick her up early from school, she hadn't hung up the phone when I was already in the office (we live around the corner).  She told me that a substitute that they had complained too, had left the video camera on from the laptop, and was able to catch the teacher screaming at the kids and calling them names.  She took the video straight to the district and filed a complaint.  My Daughter cried with such relief, I cried with such anger!  The Principal never showed her face to a few parents that were looking for answers, instead on Monday there was a substitute teacher, a wonderful very young girl who all of the kids loved.  after 2 weeks, it was her time to go and the kids literally cried, they even made a petition for the principal to keep the substitute.  She gave them a new substitute teacher for the time being.  Right before the Fall break on the last week of Sept., I went to speak to the School Psychologist and asked her what I should do, she said that she thought the Principal had agreed to let the Teacher come back after Fall break, but that I as a parent could and should appeal the decision.  None of the other teachers in that School wanted her back.  It is a very small school, with 12 classrooms, but very close with the students.

Wednesday my Daughter came home from school and she asked to talk, she told me that she had cried today at school and that she needed to tell me why.  She said the Principal went inside of their class and told the kids that they had to talk to the abusive Teacher one at a time alone with her, and made them take turns.  WHAT!?!? The Principal MADE my Daughter go alone to a room with the Teacher who has verbally and mentally been abusing her?!?! SOMEONE HOLD ME BACK!!!
She said the Teacher told her she was returning on Monday.  No apology, no answers, nothing, so after the talk my Daughter went and cried to the Principal, to which she told my Daughter "calm down Kiera"  WTH?!?!?!?
I am at a loss, because though I do believe of giving people second chances, it suddenly wasn't the same, it's my daughter being verbally and mentally abused by a Teacher, who by the way, the Principal said "The only reason "Teacher" was acting that way was because she was going through a divorce so we gave her a leave of absence and she will be back on Monday"
another WHAT!?!? So the excuse for her behavior was that she was going through a divorce?

Now the secretary spoke to me on Thursday, gave me a packet, told me I have the right to complain and appeal to the district if I don't want that Teacher to come back.  All of a sudden so many questions came to my mind...

• Do I flat out appeal this stupid decision and never let that woman near my daughter again?!?!
• Do I teach my daughter that people make mistakes and that we should give a second chance?
• Do I beat the Teacher with a water balloon?
• Do I put my Daughter in a bubble and never let her out?!?!
• What if later she has a worst fight with her ex and something even worst happens to the kids?
  
  What would you do?
  
    This is how I feel now about my cubs after all of this...