Given detention for lateness on tube strike day

The op has a nd child. If any of you actually have neuro diverse kids. You know any change effects them. Anything. Even if you have prepared them for it. Along with adults being stressed whilst travelling and not being kind this is a receipe for a nd child to have a meltdown.

They are being silly. And if your child has a medical condition, which means it wouldn’t be reasonable for them to walk, you need to remind the school about disability accommodations.
Email the head, stating you believe there has been an error in giving DC a detention for being late when they have a medical condition meaning they couldn’t use an alternative route (walk). State you are looking for clarification on this as you are sure your DC has misunderstood and the school wouldn’t punish a child with a medical disability for something they couldn’t control.

Id put money on them changing their mind. Especially when having to put it in writing.

Id be tempted not to send them in for the week. If she’s going to be punished for something she can’t control, why put her through that?

Had you not heard that there would be a strike?

I would quote their failure to.make reasonable adjustments for a disabled child, causing an anxiety attack/autistic meltdown as the reason for absence.

Have you spoken to the Sendco?

the last few days in London have been exceptionally traumatic with the lack of tubes, no increases in the buses, roads closed due to fires and burst water mains.

it was quicker to walk, and I used my husbands moped which hardly sees the light of day normally, I enjoyed myself, although it was stressful, I know the bike is moted, taxed and insured - I paid it - but I ride very little these days - but that is going to change!

I know things have moved on, but we were branded nutters and freaks if we weren’t “the norm”.

we have to learn how to control our feelings, yes it’s cruel you get a detention for being late, in the world of work you can lose a shift, lose a days pay, and be disciplined for it too, and that really hurts too.

we are all different, we all think differently, but rules are in place, and sometimes, we have to swallow stuff that we think is totally unfair, because that’s what life can be like at times.

good luck

I know a surgeon who has just stayed in town rather than have her ops cancelled!

You presumably realise that's not necessarily an option for an 11 year old child? 🙄Stupid post. And yes, the OP had mentioned disability but you were too busy gearing up to tell us all how superior you are to bother reading it properly.

These sorts of draconian and nonsensical rules do absolutely nothing to foster respect for authority nor do they encourage anyone to follow them, quite the opposite. Kids are not usually completely stupid, they can recognise when there has been a serious failure of common sense and cases like this will cause them to see the school and its rules as ridiculous. Bit of an own goal there. We all know the importance of discipline, punctuality etc. and I don't believe a single one of us learned that from receiving a detention in this particular situation.

London was absolute CHAOS. My son is due to travel there on Thursday for work & he’s prepared for a very difficult time.

If it's like my kids' old school, they would give you a detention for this. I couldn't believe the amount of kids in detention every day, easily 100 kids come out at the later time for end of detention. I've heard peoples' plan Bs fell through, with buses being overcrowded and kids having to walk, so you'd think for one day they could allow extra time.

You need to research this more fully- for all you know lots of children may have travelled from further afield and still been on time. Tube strikes are often used as excuses and the teacher in question may feel this was the case- you need to look into it closer. It seems petty but there are other aspects to this which need looking at.

I think if this was the first time it happened and the school were notified in advance, a detention is harsh. If this has happened before and/or the school were not notified in advance about the lateness, YABU. Also too not clear how late your child was either as also relevant.

Some ridiculous answers op, don’t pay any attention. They have no idea how far your child has to travel, or if it’s even possible to get in, in time even if they left at 7am. I think it’s unfair to give detentions in this case. I would speak to the school.

I wouldn't put up with that from the school. Stern letter to head and copy in chair of the governors. Request meeting with SEN lead as well. Make it clear that it should never happen again and that your child is not ever going to do a similar detention. We need to stand up for our kids!

It's taking 3 times longer for journeys across London and the traffic is crazy, everyone who has a car has driven in or gone part way to collect family/friends etc to make journeys bit better. YANBU and teacher should allow it because of the strike! My DS even got last night bus into work to avoid traffic but his journey home was awful

Its crazy to be driving in london

Apologies for going off topic but just to address a common misconception, schools do not give priority to ‘first place choices’. An equal preference system has been in place across England for many years so that parents are able to list schools in their genuine order of preference without needing to ‘gamble’ or risk losing a place at a nearby school by putting another they prefer above it. If someone lists a school 6th they would get a place ahead of someone who lists it first but doesn’t meet the admissions criteria as well (e,g. by living further away). Just mentioning it as lots of people still think it is ‘first preference first’ and the application period is coming up!

OP, YANBU. I hate these ridiculously rigid rules.

Swings and roundabouts. I’d rather they have the free travel and risk this.

Because some bus drivers treat them as 2nd class citizens and if a v=bus is full they will be kicked off to make way for paying passengers.

Because they travel free. Ita been mentioned on the thread that someone has witnessed children being kicked off buses so adults can stay on

Kids travel free, why would they be kicked off

Probably safer than normal if cars aren't moving fast

You can guarantee lots of kids have different competency levels and being kicked off busses would set anxiety off .

Lots of kids use public transport in london

I do wonder at the kind of workplaces posters are in now where they would stay overnight near their workplace or set off 3 hours earlier than usual in order to avoid being 5 minutes late.
I value timeliness and I think people should make reasonable efforts to be on time but a tube strike is an unusual event and some people will get it wrong and should be given some consideration.

OP already stated it was not their first choice of school. They missed out on being allocated their first choice.