WATCH THE VIDEO HERE Tina Knowles Reveals a Teacher Once Called Beyoncé “Slow” — And We’re Still Screaming Just when you thought Mama Tina had already given us every behind-the-scenes Beyoncé gem, she goes and drops a whole plot twist in her new book. In a newly released excerpt, Tina Knowles — style icon, mama bear, and honorary member of the BeyHive’s inner circle — reveals that a teacher once suggested that Beyoncé, as a child, was “a little slow” and should be held back in school. Yes, that Beyoncé. The billionaire. The Grammy GOAT. The visionary. Apparently, young Bey had a rough start in the classroom, and her teacher really had the audacity to say, “I think she might be a little slow.” Girl. Be serious. Tina shared the moment with both grace and righteous mama rage: “They’ve only been in school a few months and you have determined that?” she said to the teacher, already side-eyeing the judgment. “If she needs a tutor, I’ll get her a tutor. I’ll work with her, whatever — but you don’t tell me you’ve already given up on my kid.” Period, mama. And to be clear: this wasn’t just a proud parent moment. This was a mom refusing to let anyone write off her Black daughter before she had a chance to shine — something so many Black moms have had to do when the system labels their kids too soon and too harshly. Tina didn’t stop there. She went straight to the principal and found a retired teacher named Miss Little to tutor Bey privately. Because when someone says “your child might be behind,” Tina Knowles hears, “time to build a village.” Now, this little anecdote is setting the internet on fire — mostly because it flies directly in the face of years of snarky speculation that Beyoncé doesn’t give interviews because she’s “not smart enough.” (Yes, people still say that.) Well… now we know she was underestimated from the very beginning. And guess what? She still rose. Because while the world was side-eying Beyoncé’s quiet confidence, Tina was putting in the work, making sure her daughter had every resource — and every ounce of belief — that the school system didn’t. Let’s be honest: that little girl who was once called “slow” is now a generational icon who runs the world, redefines art, and makes even Oprah stan. If that’s slow, then we all need to catch up. And shoutout to Tina for sharing this moment so candidly. It’s not just tea — it’s a testimony. A reminder that brilliance doesn’t always come wrapped in straight-A report cards or perfect teacher evaluations. Sometimes it shows up as a little girl with a quiet voice, big dreams, and a mother who never stops fighting for her.
TINA KNOWLES BOOK: Beyonce Teacher Thought She ‘Was Slow’
