Tonight with your 9 to 12 year old
The prompt
“Has a teacher ever gotten the story wrong about something that happened with you?”
What to listen for
If they can describe the situation and how they handled being misunderstood, that tells you a lot about whether they feel like they have a voice with adults outside the family, and whether they believe speaking up is worth it.
If they say they just let it go without saying anything, ask what stopped them from explaining their side, since the answer often points to feeling like it wouldn't have mattered anyway.
If they say "I don't know," ask about any time an adult assumed something about them that wasn't quite right.
What this tells you
Their answer shows how much they trust that their side of the story will be heard by adults who aren't you.