[Xe]

AIBU for not agreeing to be my school's sign language interpreter?​

For context: Both of my parents are deaf so I speak fluent Auslan (Australian sign language). This is known by all of my teachers plus the principal because I act as an interpreter for my parents during parent-teacher meetings. My high school has quite a few HOH/ deaf students- maybe 20 out of like 2000 students.

The other day my name was on the school notices asking me to come to see the principal at break time. When I went he asked me to wait and called in one of the special ed teachers. After she arrived they asked me to take a seat and told me that they were very excited to be introducing a new kind of inclusion program in the school. The principal then said something like,

"OP, we know that you're very proficient in Auslan. We would love to make the school more inclusive and thought that you could work on school parades (school assemblies) as an interpreter for our HOH students."

Honestly, I'm really not keen on this idea. Interpreting is exhausting, not to mention I would hate to stand up in front of the whole school at every assembly. I told him that I thought it was a great idea to have an interpreter, but that I'm not really interested in doing that.

My principal seemed understanding and let me go back to class. On the final period of the day, however, I was called out of class by the special ed teacher that had been in the room with the principal and me. When I stepped out the first thing she said to me was

"I'm pretty disappointed in you."

I asked about what and she said

"For not taking initiative. You have the power to help our HOH students by assisting them to join in school activities and you're not using it. This is a public school, we can't afford an interpreter. I think that you're being pretty selfish."

This honestly really annoyed me and this is where I might be the asshole. I said that if she wanted an Auslan interpreter so badly why didn't she learn the language herself? And that she isn't entitled to my help.

She says, "You're being really immature. All I was asking for is a little help."

I told her that I had already said no and asked her why she felt the need to pull me out of class to ask the same question she had seen me answer 3 hours ago.

She says "ok, we're done talking if you can't be mature about this."

I say "great" and walk back inside my classroom. She catches the door as it closes and says loudly to my teacher,

"I'm very disappointed in her, Ms. X, very disappointed."

For the rest of the day, people asked me why I had gotten in trouble.

AIBU for refusing to be the interpreter? It's probably true that our school can't afford one.

Source: www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/comments/r2hwxf/