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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Was the

238 replies

WantToBeAMamma · 06/07/2023 16:48

AIBU to be upset that my daughters teacher took off 5 marks from her exam total because she doodled on the back of the paper while waiting to be allowed to leave the exam. She would have got 96% without the deduction. See attached the offending doodle. Teachers comment was "minus 5 marks for graffiti at the back. I have told you many times its not on."

Was the
OP posts:
whatsappdoc · 06/07/2023 18:33

Good try op but even a five year old wouldn't describe that as 'arty'.

Thatboymum · 06/07/2023 18:33

I think you need to do better so she learns to do better because you are clearly part of the problem. Why would she respect teachers or rules if her mummy tells her it’s ok when she persistently disregards them

WonderfulUsername · 06/07/2023 18:30

Jaichangecentfoisdenom · 06/07/2023 18:21

Mind you, I wouldn't be happy if the teacher actually really wrote "its not on".

Why? What would you prefer?

"Behave your fucking self"?

It's not on and the teacher was right to say so.

MumblesParty · 06/07/2023 18:30

How old is she OP?
It’s well drawn, but that’s not the point. She’s been told not to do it, but she did it anyway, and that is disrespectful. I don’t know why you can’t understand that.
You’re clearly proud of her artistic ability, but I wonder if you’d be as indignant about the punishment if she’d just done a load of random scribbles. You seem to feel that the quality of the doodle should cancel out the fact that she’d been told not to do it. But it really doesn’t.

Redglitter · 06/07/2023 18:29

WantToBeAMamma · 06/07/2023 18:13

Because in this day and age where kids get up to all sorts this hardly seems like the worse crime to do. She clearly has worked hard to get a good result and shouldn't be punished for being arty.

Oh ffs really? She's not being punished for 'being arty' Shes being punished for persistently ignoring what the teachers told her.

IknowYouButIdontLikeYou · 06/07/2023 18:29

ladydimitrescu · 06/07/2023 18:25

It's not being arty 🙄 even 17 years ago when I did my GCSE, we'd have been marked down for marking the papers in any way. She's already been told before, maybe this time she will listen.

yes

melj1213 · 06/07/2023 18:27

YABU

If your DD is secondary age then she is old enough to know that if a teacher says "Do not doodle on official school papers" then she needs to stop doodling or face the consequence.

Especially coming up to GCSEs, some papers will have specific instructions of how the paper must be filled in and where you can/can't make marks on the paper so the school setting a rule of not doodling/writing anywhere on an exam paper and if you do then you lose marks is perfectly understandable as they want to get students in the habit of checking what they can/can't do on the exam paper and respecting those rules before it costs them a GCSE mark.

WonderfulUsername · 06/07/2023 18:27

WantToBeAMamma · 06/07/2023 18:13

Because in this day and age where kids get up to all sorts this hardly seems like the worse crime to do. She clearly has worked hard to get a good result and shouldn't be punished for being arty.

Wind 'em up and watch 'em go 😂😂

Well played OP.

Redglitter · 06/07/2023 18:26

I have told you many times its not on

That makes the teachers response reasonable. She's been given plenty warnings and has ignored them. Now she's learning actions have consequences

SquirrelFeed · 06/07/2023 18:26

You think the picture is so good it deserves praise not punishment?

ladydimitrescu · 06/07/2023 18:25

It's not being arty 🙄 even 17 years ago when I did my GCSE, we'd have been marked down for marking the papers in any way. She's already been told before, maybe this time she will listen.

wineschmine · 06/07/2023 18:23

OP, the world doesnt revolve around your daughter and how "arty" she is.

The teacher set the exam. The teacher asked her numerous times not to do that. She did it anyway. The teacher deducted marks.

I'd say that's a valuable life lesson and you're not doing your daughter any favours by undermining the teacher on this.

Basilthymerosemary · 06/07/2023 18:23

She was punished for not listening to instructions/rules. By all means keep telling your daughter this is fine... and then explain why she's been disqualified from an official public exam if the examiner finds it offensive for any reason.

MaggieBsBoat · 06/07/2023 18:22

It’s not being arty.
it’s being undisciplined.
There should’ve been scrap paper there but nevertheless proper use of exams would be failed automatically with graffiti on them.
Tell her so.

Jaichangecentfoisdenom · 06/07/2023 18:21

Mind you, I wouldn't be happy if the teacher actually really wrote "its not on".

Orchidgal · 06/07/2023 18:18

She was not being punished for being arty, she was punished for drawing graffiti on her work.

By all means be arty, but not on exam papers!

itsmylife7 · 06/07/2023 18:18

If this was the first time your child had done this, then it would be unreasonable.
The fact she's been warned before about doing this, the teacher felt she needed a consequence to her actions.
I'd be pissed off at my child for this.

ThickSkinnedSoWhat · 06/07/2023 18:18

WantToBeAMamma · 06/07/2023 18:13

Because in this day and age where kids get up to all sorts this hardly seems like the worse crime to do. She clearly has worked hard to get a good result and shouldn't be punished for being arty.

Not listening to previous requests by a teacher isn't the worse (think you meant worst by the way) crime to do? Shouldn't be punished for being arty? Are you one of these parents who doesn't believe in discipline and let's their kids away with everything?

Softoprider · 06/07/2023 18:17

Oh OP. She was not being arty at all ! You just have to look at it from outside of the fishbowl. It was an exam and she showed disrespect which has probably happened more than once before for the teacher to deduct marks

PeachesOnTheBeaches · 06/07/2023 18:16

WantToBeAMamma · 06/07/2023 18:13

Because in this day and age where kids get up to all sorts this hardly seems like the worse crime to do. She clearly has worked hard to get a good result and shouldn't be punished for being arty.

That’s a low bar to set.

Mummy08m · 06/07/2023 18:16

Why is it so important what mark she "got"? You said she would have got 96% without the deduction. So, she clearly understands whatever topic the test was about. That's the point of the test, to assess that. Job done. She's upset about the "punishment" for the doodling. So she won't doodle again. Job done, again. The teacher is doing a sterling job, both teaching her his subject and disciplining her. He deserves to be thanked

PuddlesPityParty · 06/07/2023 18:14

Thing is for official exams they will have consequences for doodling so best to get out of the habit and learn not to do it.

Original poster
WantToBeAMamma · 06/07/2023 18:13

Because in this day and age where kids get up to all sorts this hardly seems like the worse crime to do. She clearly has worked hard to get a good result and shouldn't be punished for being arty.

OP posts:
VisionsOfSplendour · 06/07/2023 18:13

I'm surprised you need strangers to tell you that it's not unreasonable for a child to be punished for doing what theyd repeatedly been told not to

How is it not obvious?

AmbleInAnnBoleyn · 06/07/2023 18:12

Your child was rebuked for oikishness.

What will you do? Support teacher or encourage further oikish behaviour? Shall we open a book, peeps?