School gave detention unfairly

[mamatiger83]

Just a bit of a rant!
My son is in senior school (year 7) and has an app on his phone in place of a homework diary. I have the same app and as such can see when he is set homework assignments and check in to make sure he has completed everything that needs doing.
He has homework due in tomorrow, this is stated clearly on the app. It is not a massive piece of work and doing it tonight would have been no issue for him.
His teacher today has issued and enforced a lunchtime detention for said homework not being completed! I am furious and waiting for a member of guidance to call me back. I imagine I will not be the only parent complaining as 90% of the class (I am told) have also not completed the homework as it is not due in until tomorrow!!!!

[UnicornMadeOfPinkGlitter]

Is it down for the wrong date? I've not heard of a detention issued for homework not given in before the due date?

It could be as simple as she's got dates mixed up.

[AlexanderHamilton]

Write an email pointing out the homework was not overdue. This happened to ds when a teacher forgot to upload his homework. Also there were problems during an update (ds's app is called Firefly)

[mamatiger83]

I've honestly no idea if she made a mistake, however if she has made a mistake she has punished the class unfairly, we go by what is on the app which stated the hand in date is tomorrow. There have been no other issues with homework for any other lesson.
When my son called me he said the detention was for not completing homework on time which is just not the case.

[Knottyknitter]

However simple it seems, unicorn, she'll have her work cut out with this class from here on in if this has already been enforced as it sounds in the op. Twelve year olds don't take well to such blatant injustice and don't forgive easily, yet will be around for a good few years yet. At 38,i can still recall the unfair teachers, and not because they were respected!

Op, I suggest screen shots of the app from your end ASAP.

[Wolfiefan]

Maybe he was supposed to have completed a part of it by today?
Do they have a written record of Hw set? What does that say? he must have queried this with the teacher. What was the reply?

[mamatiger83]

Screenshot was the first thing I did believe it or not.
I'm all for backing up a teachers decision and of course I can appreciate how busy they are and the workload, sometimes things do get mixed up but this is not something I consider acceptable. The purpose of the app is to avoid confusion such as this.

[mamatiger83]

The description of homework set states nothing about any part of it being required for today. It's an online homework that takes approx 30 mins to complete.

[Wolfiefan]

Maybe the teacher doesn't enter the HW personally onto the app.
Maybe an error has been made.
Maybe the students were asked to do something by today.
Cover teacher and miscommunication?
BTW is he allowed to use his phone during the school day? My DS would be in trouble for that!!

[TeenAndTween]

What I don't understand is why the class didn't explain it wasn't due until tomorrow and show her on the app...

[mamatiger83]

It's quite clearly the teachers mistake which I do understand happens, it's a large school and multiple classes. I do however take issue with my child being unfairly punished.

[mamatiger83]

From what I understand the class did attempt to explain but it was a case of "I'm the teacher, listen to me" I did refrain from adding that as I wasn't there.

[Wolfiefan]

Have you heard from the school? I used to teach and have made mistakes. Students would generally point them out and I would apologise. Certainly not set detentions.
Sorry but when kids rush to call home and complain they are being treated "unfairly" they rarely give all the information.
Hopefully the school will call and either apologise and ensure the detention is cancelled. (And I would hope the teacher would apologise to the students too. Only fair!) or they will be able to explain why this isn't an unfair detention and exactly why it was given.

[mamatiger83]

No I'm still waiting for a call back. They can't exactly rescind the detention as it was enforced today's lunchtime.
I have no reason to not believe what my son is telling me. As it stands this will be his first detention so he's understandably upset about it, hence the phone call not to have a whinge about his teacher.
The school have a great system of rewarding good behaviour and issuing achievement points similarly behaviour points for bad behaviour (homework/lateness etc) and he's been working hard to build up achievement points because it's highly incentivised.
This is my first issue with the school and I'm hoping it's something they can clear up relatively quickly.

[mamatiger83]

If however it is a fair detention and it's explained that's fine too.

[Wolfiefan]

Poor kid if he's already done the detention for no bloody reason. I really hope they call back soon. I would be really cross if he's done a DT for no good reason and the teacher wouldn't listen. That's not on.

[Kazzyhoward]

This has happened to my son too. His school uses "show my homework" and sadly some teachers don't seem to be able to use it (or can't be arsed). His history teacher is forever forgetting to put homework on it and then whinges when things aren't done. My son has just suffered a detention for homework not done that wasn't on the system at all. Teacher just said that he knows he told them in class so the detention stands. Unfortunately he's the HOD so my complaint is having to go to the deputy head.

[Iris65]

I used to teach and have made mistakes. Students would generally point them out and I would apologise.
Same here.

[Wolfiefan]

How it should be Iris. Teachers aren't perfect. The way we are when we get "caught" in our errors is important. Admitting the cock up and apologising to our students builds a positive relationship, shows (and gets) respect and gives them a positive role model of how an adult should behave.

[HangingRock]

If it turns out to have been a mistake could you ask if the detention can be carried over for if he gets another detention? ie. He doesn't have to go to the next detention he gets as he has already served it?

[HangingRock]

Are the children allowed to use their mobile during the school day? If you are in the UK you've contacted them before 1.47 pm, so it will be obvious he's used his mobile to phone you. Hopefully your school allows it though.

[ClaudiaWankleman]

HangingRock No school is going to give a detention based on the assumption that a child must've used their phone to contact their parent, who phoned in. If your school does, I'd suggest you have a problem.

[HangingRock]

Where did i say schools give detentions for children using their phone?

[ClaudiaWankleman]

Well you implied that OP's DC might have a problem if the school know he has used his phone, and beyond lines what do schools use as minor punishments..?

[HangingRock]

Well in dd's school they are not allowed to use their phone or have it switched on during the school day, including breaks or it is confiscated. If they need to contact parents they go to student services. You've invented the bit of my post about detentions.

[Allthebestnamesareused]

Is it the teacher that enters the due date on the App or does the child enter the details on? If so could he have put the wrong date in?