School suspension - reasonable or not?

No it’s not reasonable. Should have been a permanent exclusion. Deliberately doing things that may lead to hurting others? No chance they’d be going back if I ran that school.

They should have received more punishment. What if the teacher had been pregnant? It could cause her to lose the baby. Your son was incredibly irresponsible.

Most injuries and deaths are caused by stupidity, not intentional. Drunk drivers usually don’t intentionally kill/injure other people. Not observing safety regulations is usually not done to harm someone but to safe time etc.
“i didn’t intend this” usually somewhat reduces the punishment, but doesn’t give you a free pass do stupid things. His punishment has been quiet mild already

Funny how the 'teenage boys' in the OP's opening post became 12 years old a few posts later.

They hospitalised a teacher.

Age of criminal responsibility in England is 10.

Law also states that ignorance (they didn't know this would happen) doesn't provide a defence.

I'd be more worried about the teacher sueing you for damages which they're entirely able to do as there's evidence.

Some parents' understanding of their gravity of their kids' actions is absolutely astounding.

I completely agree with this and their punishment was lenient. They caused harm and should face the consequences.

At 12, even with varying degrees of SEN, they should have known it could cause an accident.
They added more gel because they found it slippery under foot and I assume wanted to see what happened when others walked on it (if that wasn't the case why did they add more -because from your description of events that is what they were watching).
Hopefully the teacher isn't too badly injured but you seem to be playing down any injuries and recovery time that has been said were as a result.

You don't know how bad the injury/injuries were, or if they aggravated any injuries that the teacher already had. You don't know if the injuries will prevent the teacher driving, being able to walk around the school, stand in the classroom in the normal way etc.
You also don't know if as a result of the injuries the teacher has now had to change any plans they had for the weekend/with their own family children. Assuming it was a senior school, if the teacher not being in for those few days will impact on any older students that would have had exam revision sessions with that teacher in the next few days.
I assume you see the suspension as harsh because they didn't intentionally set out to cause injury to someone, eg in the same way as someone that started a fight, but that was the consequence of their actions. The accident could have easily been prevented, and could the outcome of the accident could have actually been far worse.

It's proportionate. Their actions were dangerous, not merely silly, but they didn't intend harm or act with malice. The injury isn't severe but would have caused pain and embarrassment. The potential for injury was a fatality - if someone lost their balance and hit their head.

The boys knew it was slippery and they deliberately made it more slippery. They saw that the gel made people slip and slide, so they should have realised that someone could fall over. They know that it's a ramp and people who use ramps are people who might fall over more than others. They chose not to tell anyone. They may well have thought it would dry, but it didn't.

Even with their SEN, they should have known it was not something they should have done.

I think the school have been very lenient. It would get more than 1.5 days suspension in many schools and rightly so.

I've not read all of the posts but this is my view.

1.5 days is incredibly lenient.

They spilled some gel. That in itself sounds a bit bizarre but let's assume that was true and genuinely accidental.

They knew it was slippery. They thought it would dry (which isn't strange at all that it didn't). But even if that is what they thought, did they think it would try in 30 seconds? 10 minutes? Even if they thought it would take a minute or two, they should have been aware that it was a risk until it was dry and reported the spillage.

Instead they added more and left it with the risk of others slipping.

Someone did slip and injured themselves enough to go to hospital.

I'm not saying this lightly but I'm very surprised they aren't permanently excluded for these two reasons:

1. The initial spillage, even if it was an accident was deliberately added to.
2. They knew it was slippery and couldn't easily be seen by others.
3. They didn't escalate it. They added to it.
4. Even if they thought it would dry, they knew this hadn't happened in the minutes they were stood there so would not have been instant.

I'm not a teacher but I'm appalled that you're not backing them up here.

Hell yes school are being bloody unreasonable. The little scrotes should have been suspended for a week.

And as for suggesting the teacher was putting it on! For a start you don’t know that teacher’s previous medical history, they might have a previous injury that could be damaged by the fall, or low calcium levels, a knee or hip replacement, a shoulder that pops out, if female they could be pregnant. Even if they have none of those a fall as you described sounds horrible, I am not surprised they took, or were told to take, an extra day.

OP, you and parents like you are the reason I am leaving teaching this summer. Parents like you cannot believe that their precious angels could possibly do anything wrong. I currently have a blue and purple leg thanks to a kid who thinks rules are optional. Thankfully, 99% of my students are kind and thoughtful and they tried to help me when this shit hurt me (not on purpose, just like your kid, but what he didn’t realise is that he hit the leg that is full of metal). Thankfully it was caught on CCTV and there are meant to be repercussions for him but I’m not holding my breath. After 32 years in the classroom in a huge range of types of school, it’s not the kids who have finished me, it’s the dickhead parents.

1.5 days is pathetic. He should have every privilege removed for the remainder of the year. You need to actually parent your child, learning needs or not.

Fair play to the teacher for seeking medical advice and getting their injuries recorded. I hope they go to the Police - 12 year olds are deemed criminally responsible - and if your kid got a warning, they richly deserve it. As for you wailing about the actions of the teacher, shame on you. Parent your bloody kid and teach them right from wrong.

Agree.

Absolutely acceptable length of suspension. An apology letter should also be mandatory IMHO to the teacher. An apology gift would also be sent if one of my DC caused this situation

Of course you are

I am questioning if the thread is genuine. The op seems to be baiting everyone

I agree with others @EvaB0710 – suspension totally justified.

Zero awareness that it could cause injury? Something slippery? 12yo boys? Of course they would know it could cause injury. In the same way that a frozen pavement can cause someone to slip and fall. A primary school aged child knows that. Especially when they saw people slipping.

And yes, presumably the ramp is intended to help those with less mobility. Like my DD who sometimes uses crutches. If the ramp is slippy that’s obviously a hazard.

I also agree with those who are shocked at your comment about the teacher who fell. It’s very alarming to fall while carrying books and a drink – lose your footing and everything goes everywhere. I have done it tho thankfully without any serious injuries. I cannot believe you think they were just trying to get out of their Friday lessons – and putting recover in quotes suggests you don’t think there is any need. How nasty and disrespectful.

ETA: I have read more of the thread and I wonder if it is a wind-up. Drip feed that the boys have SEN, that the OP uses a wheelchair (all the more reason to be aware tbh), that they don't know the meaning of xyz expression?

It wasn't really a prank gone wrong though, was it? And there was malice intended - they wanted people to slip! They are old enough to know that people slipping on a ramp is going to end with someone getting hurt - that was their intention

How do you 'accidentally' spill enough hair gel on a ramp, in front of you (presumably whilst walking?) so that you slide in it anyway?

Wow ! Completely down playing the whole incident here.It was a prank gone wrong yes .There was no malice intended by the boys .However saying a bruised knee and having to go to hospital was a ruse to get time off by the teacher! WTF have a word with yourself .1.5 days is not long.Hopefully long enough for them to realise their mistake and its not funny for anyone slipping over

No teacher I have ever come across, would wish to be injured to get a few hours out of school. That comment could be construed as libellous and you should be ashamed.

A group of boys have taken foolish and potentially dangerous actions on school premises, which have resulted in injury to a member of staff, as well as disruption and damage and you think a one and a half day suspension is too harsh.

I think you should seriously remind your child that actions have consequences and when he makes poor choices he will suffer the consequences.

OP - as you are (apparently) a full-time wheelchair user, it’s very surprising that you take such a flippant approach to the safety of RAMPS.

🤪

Get back to your Y11 revision now, you’ve had your fun.

This.

A ‘full-time wheelchair user’ who can’t see the importance of RAMPS not being dangerous

😹

Yes. You quoted what you say was the specific diagnosis & advice from A&E.

I’m wondering how you were appraised of this knowledge. As was clear by my post.

Well silt then you wouldn’t want anyone else to end up in a wheelchair as the result of the actions of your son, regardless of his SEN @EvaB0710 ?

I’m starting to think that OP is telling tales. Winding everyone up with a super obvious ‘is my awfully behaved son in the wrong for his dangerous actions?’. Then we find out that he has SEN. The OP apparently doesn’t know what the word ‘moron’ means. Then we find out that the OP is apparently in a wheelchair…

I’m dipping out of this thread now.