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AIBU?

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DS punished for teachers mistake

208 replies

babynot · 06/03/2025 16:54

DS's(8) class were given a new work book at school last week with with printed labels on the front.
Imagine his name is something like Tommy but this book said Tom which he is never called and hates.

He told the teacher his name was wrong on the label and was told not to worry about it, he didnt ask and so wasn't told not to correct it but decided to scribble out ‘Tom’ and write ‘Tommy’ below. It looks fine, obviously not as neat as it would printed but you can clearly read what it says.

Teacher has left a note saying he needs to rewrite his work into a new book which has been sent home because he vandalised the first one. Its only a few pages of work but will take him at least 20 minutes to do

AIBU to think this is unfair and it’s not his fault they put the wrong name?

OP posts:
YeGodsandLittleFishies · 06/03/2025 17:05

I would reply very politely objecting to the use of the use of the word “vandalism” to characterise his correction of her error. I’d suggest it would be more efficient for her to replace the sticker.

I’m all for supporting teachers and the school but I think names are very important and it’s polite to spell and pronounce them as the person prefers.

rainylake · 06/03/2025 17:05

Agree. This is not okay of the teacher. If you get someone’s name wrong you apologise, you don’t double down and punish them for insisting on the right name. I am not someone who complains to school but I would 100% go to bat for my child on this.

babynot · 06/03/2025 17:05

His name is correct on the new book

OP posts:
QuillBill · 06/03/2025 17:05

I'm a teacher and I would fight this one. It's not for the teacher to tell anybody to not worry about their name not being right.

It is an unrealistic punishment because everybody knows that a new sticker could just have been stuck on the book he already had.

I'm sure the teacher would not like it if you called her Miss Smi instead of Miss Smith but I would definitely be going to talk to her or him about this.

YourHappyJadeEagle · 06/03/2025 17:03

noblegiraffe · 06/03/2025 17:01

No, ask the teacher to print a label with the correct name to stick over the first book.

This. And no wonder so many teachers complain of stress when they get het up over a child writing their name correctly. Why on earth punish a child over that. I find Britain a very strange country since I returned.

EveryKneeShallBow · 06/03/2025 17:02

noblegiraffe · 06/03/2025 17:01

No, ask the teacher to print a label with the correct name to stick over the first book.

Agree. This.

noblegiraffe · 06/03/2025 17:01

No, ask the teacher to print a label with the correct name to stick over the first book.

Theunamedcat · 06/03/2025 16:59

Did they put the right name on the second book?

My son would have done the same tbh at one point he hated being called a variation of his name