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Did my teacher just say something really offensive?

Me, a teacher, and a friend were talking about cats. The teacher we were with often makes dad jokes, and he jokingly said; "cats are great, but they get annoyed when you groom them".
Of course it's a fact that cats hate being brushed, but he meant it as a play-on-words, as grooming somebody is a really serious crime but cats hate being groomed (as in brushed) and they are the same thing! Ha ha ha!
Is this joke too offensive for school, he is a nice guy, he likes me, he is very good at educating the kids on what kind of jokes are appropriate for school.
If he's going to say all these things, why the hell would he make a joke like this? Or am I just being hyper-sensitive.
In my opinion, I wouldn't say that he said something really offensive, but perhaps ill-judged. I suppose it depends on your relationship with that particular teacher - I had a teacher at school who I would talk about politics with, and it turned out that our views were very similar. From time to time, as a result, he'd make a joke at the expense of a politician, knowing that it wouldn't be the same as saying that same joke before the entire class, who might have held differing views, and who might have been offended.

Is there any chance he wasn't trying to make a joke, and just was just genuinely making that point about cats? If he definitely was intending to make a reference to grooming, I would think it, as I say, ill-judged. That's an unpleasant subject, and shouldn't be made light of, and certainly not by a teacher. Nevertheless, if you often joke with one another, and he thought it would appeal to your and your friends' sense of humour, he might be... well, not forgiven, but understood a little bit - depending on your age, though!!
Reply 2
Original post by Anonymous

but he meant it as a play-on-words


did he say this or is it just your assumption?
Reply 3
I think it was an inappropriate play on words, if that is what it was. No proof that it was a play on words.
I would let it go as it seems to be a one-off stupid comment.
Reply 4
Original post by Anonymous
Me, a teacher, and a friend were talking about cats. The teacher we were with often makes dad jokes, and he jokingly said; "cats are great, but they get annoyed when you groom them".
Of course it's a fact that cats hate being brushed, but he meant it as a play-on-words, as grooming somebody is a really serious crime but cats hate being groomed (as in brushed) and they are the same thing! Ha ha ha!
Is this joke too offensive for school, he is a nice guy, he likes me, he is very good at educating the kids on what kind of jokes are appropriate for school.
If he's going to say all these things, why the hell would he make a joke like this? Or am I just being hyper-sensitive.

If you have a relatively close relationship with your teacher, just think whether it would be ok if he was a friend of yours.
Otherwise, the teacher should've been more careful as he might not know what you or your friend are going through. I literally have a teacher who starts swearing on the first lesson and at least once every few lesson, everyone in the class seemed to be fine with it. I had him since Year 10 and I am now Year 12.
Original post by Anonymous
Me, a teacher, and a friend were talking about cats. The teacher we were with often makes dad jokes, and he jokingly said; "cats are great, but they get annoyed when you groom them".
Of course it's a fact that cats hate being brushed, but he meant it as a play-on-words, as grooming somebody is a really serious crime but cats hate being groomed (as in brushed) and they are the same thing! Ha ha ha!
Is this joke too offensive for school, he is a nice guy, he likes me, he is very good at educating the kids on what kind of jokes are appropriate for school.
If he's going to say all these things, why the hell would he make a joke like this? Or am I just being hyper-sensitive.


Personally, I don't think there was anything meant by that... after all, the term "grooming" (in a generic sense) means manipulating someone to do or behave in a way that allows the groomer can control or manipulate the victim. For instance, you will also often hear about scammers "grooming" their victims to gain their trust and confidence, so they can rinse them for every penny they've got.... and obviously, cats do pretty much what they want; you can't train them in the same way you can train a dog, can you?!?

Spoiler




Furthermore, the way you describe the existing relationship and the context with him sounds like there was nothing too sinister. If he'd have smirked and said something like, "mmm, I love a nice p*ssy" that, IMHO, that would have been far more concerning (after all, remember that the "P" word originally refers to an affectionate cat).

Still, if you have genuine concerns, maybe pull him up privately on it, mention that you felt somewhat uncomfortable about it, and I'm sure he'll watch his mouth in future (but you risk losing the "Dad" jokes... are they proper cringe? )
(edited 10 months ago)
Original post by Anonymous
Me, a teacher, and a friend were talking about cats. The teacher we were with often makes dad jokes, and he jokingly said; "cats are great, but they get annoyed when you groom them".
Of course it's a fact that cats hate being brushed, but he meant it as a play-on-words, as grooming somebody is a really serious crime but cats hate being groomed (as in brushed) and they are the same thing! Ha ha ha!
Is this joke too offensive for school, he is a nice guy, he likes me, he is very good at educating the kids on what kind of jokes are appropriate for school.
If he's going to say all these things, why the hell would he make a joke like this? Or am I just being hyper-sensitive.


you are being incredibly hyper sensitive, what the hell 😭.

I mean do you have a cat, cats hate being groomed 😭. wash a cat see what happens. Idk unless you are going to go in detail about the dad jokes, or elaborate if he did anything flirty afterwards, idk man.

also, ''he is a nice and he sees you as a good student.
Reply 7
Does it matter? Can't we still make light of things? I don't think it matters if he did mean the other kind.
Original post by Anonymous
Me, a teacher, and a friend were talking about cats. The teacher we were with often makes dad jokes, and he jokingly said; "cats are great, but they get annoyed when you groom them".
Of course it's a fact that cats hate being brushed, but he meant it as a play-on-words, as grooming somebody is a really serious crime but cats hate being groomed (as in brushed) and they are the same thing! Ha ha ha!
Is this joke too offensive for school, he is a nice guy, he likes me, he is very good at educating the kids on what kind of jokes are appropriate for school.
If he's going to say all these things, why the hell would he make a joke like this? Or am I just being hyper-sensitive.


I would just let it pass and forget about it, there are bigger problems in life and making an issue out of every little minor mis-step someone makes is a bit ridiculous.

With humour there is always the chance that the best of us can fall foul and unwittingly offend someone who doesn't see the humour as intended or it accidentally cuts deeper than is funny. It's the risk of playing humour and as my humour is often of the bad humour variety I don't usually use it but hold back more these days moreso with people who I don't know if they will take it a light hearted manner that it was meant.

I don't think what your teacher said is the worst it just had an unfortunate offish element to it. If he's a nice guy I myself if I were the student wouldn't want to cause him trouble unless there was real wrongdoing at hand. For me there are plenty of awful people in this world so the nice ones I would rather not put the boot into in my opinion.
Original post by Anonymous
Me, a teacher, and a friend were talking about cats. The teacher we were with often makes dad jokes, and he jokingly said; "cats are great, but they get annoyed when you groom them".
Of course it's a fact that cats hate being brushed, but he meant it as a play-on-words, as grooming somebody is a really serious crime but cats hate being groomed (as in brushed) and they are the same thing! Ha ha ha!
Is this joke too offensive for school, he is a nice guy, he likes me, he is very good at educating the kids on what kind of jokes are appropriate for school.
If he's going to say all these things, why the hell would he make a joke like this? Or am I just being hyper-sensitive.


That's pretty bad, report him
I think your being way too sensitive about this there is no evidence suggesting he did it as a play on words I would just move on and forget about this
Reply 11
This is an issue being created in your head, it wasn't actually offensive in this context it was just a rubbish joke if he even meant it that way.
Reply 12
Original post by Katerina S.
I would just let it pass and forget about it, there are bigger problems in life and making an issue out of every little minor mis-step someone makes is a bit ridiculous.

With humour there is always the chance that the best of us can fall foul and unwittingly offend someone who doesn't see the humour as intended or it accidentally cuts deeper than is funny. It's the risk of playing humour and as my humour is often of the bad humour variety I don't usually use it but hold back more these days moreso with people who I don't know if they will take it a light hearted manner that it was meant.

I don't think what your teacher said is the worst it just had an unfortunate offish element to it. If he's a nice guy I myself if I were the student wouldn't want to cause him trouble unless there was real wrongdoing at hand. For me there are plenty of awful people in this world so the nice ones I would rather not put the boot into in my opinion.


Original post by anon.2949
you are being incredibly hyper sensitive, what the hell 😭.

I mean do you have a cat, cats hate being groomed 😭. wash a cat see what happens. Idk unless you are going to go in detail about the dad jokes, or elaborate if he did anything flirty afterwards, idk man.

also, ''he is a nice and he sees you as a good student.


Original post by Apachecow
Does it matter? Can't we still make light of things? I don't think it matters if he did mean the other kind.

Okay, well, I knew it wasn't a big deal at heart, but I just thought it was better to be safe than sorry. You do need to be careful being a teacher. All good though, thank you so much for your responces!
Original post by Anonymous
Okay, well, I knew it wasn't a big deal at heart, but I just thought it was better to be safe than sorry. You do need to be careful being a teacher. All good though, thank you so much for your responces!


not that careful, girl. stop being critically online.
Original post by Anonymous
not that careful, girl. stop being critically online.


the phrase is chronically online btw, but yeah i agree w u
Reply 15
Original post by Anonymous
not that careful, girl. stop being critically online.


Hi! I'm sorry, I really am, I just was unsure and I'm not critically online, or I don't try anyway.
thank you.
Original post by spill_the_tea
the phrase is chronically online btw, but yeah i agree w u


Original post by Anonymous
Hi! I'm sorry, I really am, I just was unsure and I'm not critically online, or I don't try anyway.


it's fine. Has he said anything afterwards that was awkward? It might've been the way you phrased it without anymore prior context. if he does continue, don't turn a blind eye

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