Unprofessional teachers/staff

[SMSA]

Hi. I'm really hoping for some advice as I'm really concerned about how my eldest child was treated after an incident that occurred in school. My eldest child is in year one and never been in any trouble at school. When picking up my eldest child from school I was asked by a senior member of staff for a quick word. She basically told me that my eldest child was involved in an incident where my child was playing with some outdoor equipment/toys and had accidentally hurt another child leaving a mark but the child is fine and my eldest has said sorry and it was an accident and it's been resolved. I said I will speak to my child to be more careful when playing. My eldest child then came out of class not their usual self and quite upset. I've then picked up my youngest who attends the same school who tells us my teacher said "s....... is very naughty" I asked my youngest why would your teacher say that about your sibling? My youngest replied because "s...... hurt so and so. So basically the teacher has informed my youngest child of the incident that happened involving my eldest and calling my eldest child naughty to my youngest. First of all I'm very shocked how a teacher can be so unprofessional, my youngest didn't need to know anything about what had happened as my youngest wasn't involved and my understanding is that teachers shouldn't use the word naughty. My eldest then bursts into tears and told me that 3 members of staff had questioned my eldest child about the incident and what happened and in a separate room away from their class and had gone to the extent of getting the same equipment/toy and ask for a demonstration of what had happened, my eldest child was then sent to the office to speak to senior member of staff? (so this is now the fourth member of staff my eldest child has explained what happened too) and then later another senior member of staff takes my eldest child out of lesson to be questioned again. My eldest child said their class teacher said we will check the cameras ( implying she didn't believe my oldest child was telling the truth and trying to emotionally blackmail my eldest child into saying something that the class teacher wanted to hear) I wasn't informed of any of this, and I am outraged, I feel my child has been victimised. I've spoken to my family and friends who are teachers and all agree that the school have dealt with this incorrectly. I've been informed it's an accident, my child said it was an accident so why all of this fuss, the child that got hurt is ok and my children come home with accidents slips all the time where older children have bumped into them or a ball has hit them in the face leaving a mark etc. I have read the schools behavioral policy and they haven't followed it in this incident. I really hope someone reads this and gives me some advice maybe from your own experiences.

[PeppaisaBitch]

The calling your child naughty to your other child is wrong.
But questioning what happened is correct. Initially with a lunchtime supervisor then teacher and then If it needed to be followed up they would be asked to explain to someone else. Especially if there were conflicting stories eg hurt child claimed it was deliberate.
The child may be fine but it left a mark and they need to explain how it happened. Could even be to see if there was fault with the equipment which may be a health and safety concern.
Follow up about the teacher talking about your other children but everything else seems sensible to me.

[LowcaAndroidow]

Sounds like it may have been (or could potentially have been) quite a serious incident and needed to be investigated properly before they concluded it was an accident.

[Starbuck8419]

@SMSA I get what you’re saying. I’d be infuriated by how it was handled too because you saw the ramifications it had on your children and you are emotionally involved, however, I would echo what other posters have said, that it needed to be investigated properly and the school is essentially covering its back.

Telling your youngest is mental though and there was no reason for it from what I can see.

Maybe go back to the school and tell them you aren’t impressed with your eldest being called naughty to the youngest and acting like they didn’t believe her.

[BookMeOnTheSudExpress]

Speak to the school and see what they say happened (in terms of your older child being questioned) it is quite normal though for there to be more than one member of staff present when speaking to a child, it protects the members of staff from accusations.
It does sound rather more serious than an accidental hurting during play though. Maybe clarify what your child did to the other one exactly.
But you do need to speak to the school.

[BackforGood]

What Pepp and Lowca said.

Re the younger one - if you are concerned, as the teacher who is alleged to have said that, what happened.

[cabbageking]

If the other child had a different version of the accident they would need to investigate, which they did. The outcome was that it was accidental.
School do not need to tell you the ins and out of the situation but the outcome. They have done what an decent school should do. Check as much as possible.

The comment was unnecessary

[Skumpy]

Hi, I'm Mr M (@MrMMusings). I've been a teacher for 10+ years and I've worked in schools like the one you're describing. I've written a blog post inspired by this (I hope you don't mind). You can read it here: ift.tt/2VLwEK4. I hope it helps, feel free to talk to me directly (details in the post). So sorry on behalf of my profession!