School banning banter

Yes. Ban it. As a teacher the crap kids come out with as banter is often bullying. Maybe see it from the other side. Quiet kid gets comments under ‘banter’. Just insults.

Sorry but this 😂

There is a time and a place for most conversations, and by Y11 they should know that there is a difference between what they might say between themselves, and what they might say in front of their nans.

Or in a workplace.

No idea how school will regulate it, but the principle is fine.

Sadly some children just can’t tell the difference between bullying, banter and being offensive.

It’s funny I’ve managed to get to my 50s and never found it necessary to tease/ engage in banter at school or in the workplace.

As a parents of an Autistic child, who’s father is also autistic it’s all seen as bullying and makes school a hated place, people should be educated on the impact of their words.

@Everanewbie

I'm a broken record, but its context, context, context.

That is the point I was trying to make.

It is not easy to tell the difference between poking fun and tormenting because context is everything.

I did my Master's Thesis about bullying in school. It usually begins with what the perpetrator calls banter. It's very difficult to stop. I applaud any school taking a stand and identifying what is unacceptable. Well done to that school.

Free speech- heard it all now!

Only if they are ok with it otherwise it’s bullying.

I am not sure about the calling the police, but the rest I agree with, as a guide to how you should behave after leaving school.

And also wtf to "4 and the police are called"

The police are not going to give two shits about "banter" unless it strays into hate speech, in which case it's not banter!

Well said. The "building resilience" nonsense is pretty close to victim blaming.

This. Exactly. You can't ban it, that's ridiculous and is limiting free speech. Plus banning anything that someone might find offensive is definitely limiting free speech, and is getting into very dangerous territory. There's always someone who will find something offensive. And free speech is an essential tenet of democracy. It's also very important that free speech is not limited in educational settings as it limits debate and the development of critical thinking skills.

I was a victim of bullying. It's left me with long term mental health issues, one of which is serious. I therefore feel very strongly that bullying should be stamped out and schools should have a zero tolerance policy to it. Banter can stray into bullying, and bullying can be passed off as banter but they are two very different things. Banning banter is using a hammer to crack a nut, and limiting free speech in the process. Deal with the problem. Don't make a problem for everyone when the issue is with the few, and don't limit the rights of everyone because a few are misbehaving.

Exactly this!

I’m sick of this ‘’it builds resilience’’. It absolutely does not build resilience it’s a load of absolute nonsense used to justify it. Building resilience is about building people up to become confident, comfortable people, so they handle adversity such a bullying that might come their way in the future, but making people resilient doesn’t involve mocking them regularly, in fact that’s known to make them less resilient.

If a person is ALREADY resilient, they are likely to take less offence at being mocked, but nobody knows what goes on in somebody else’s life, perhaps that mocking comment someone makes thinking it’s hilarious will be the final straw for someone going through bad times elsewhere in life.

If you go through life mocking people for your kicks and think people don’t have a sense of humour if they don’t like it, something is wrong with YOU, not them.

In my last workplace we had training from HR about a new policy in place. They didn't ban 'banter' as such but you had to be mindful of how you speak around others, particularly in the staffroom, and staff were well within their rights to make an official complaint if they were offended by something someone said

Well it is as it’s dealt with harshly in the work place. No place of work would allow the banter many kids are subjected to.

And yes he too was left suicidal.

The homophobic ableist banter that my ND son was subjected to and had to hear consistently in the school corridor was not enjoyable and he is still having to deal with the impact of it on his MH.

My son was horribly bullied under the 'it's only banter' excuse. It left him depressed, anxious and suicidal. All because he's different.

This is why previous generations had a more enjoyable life.

This banning of banter is reaffirming to children that hurty words are something to get upset about and take to heart.

Children need to be resilient and this is going to lead to some children being malicious and making false accusations.

I also think it’s going to make some children very afraid and nervous about making friends and having conversations especially the many that are now neuro divergent and struggle already with communication.

I feel incredibly sorry for children nowadays.

Oh poor you. I'd take it further. Banter is often bullying, plain and simple

Exactly. Bullying dressed up as banter.

If you don't find it funny then you have 'no sense of humour'.

If it is harmless and mutual it won't be reported. If it is reported the bullies can't hide behind 'it was just bantz'

A sensible policy

Morning you benders, hop in the mingemobile 😂. Love that series.