to be shocked that some parents at my son's school feel their Human Rights have been infringed...

[PacificDogwood]

...because the school has/had a policy of not allowing children to bring electronic toys and mobile phones in to school?
Human Rights?? FFS, people just don't know they are born. The school had to rescind their policy.

This is a state primary school in a largish village/small town, 'nice' catchment area. The kids get Golden Time every Friday when they can chose an activity ie outdoor play/cinema room/free play. For free play they are encouraged to bring a favourite toy to share and play with their friends with.

IMO quite rightly the school is worried about expensive hand-held games consoles ie Nintendo DSs and PSPs getting broken or lost and the school somehow being liable, so in the Newletter to all parents at the beginning of the schoolyear they stated the above.

I am in total and utter support of this ban. Cost of broken stuff aside, surely the children should play with their mates rather than individually stare at their screen? Plenty of time for that at home to allow mum some MNing time .

And why oh why can people not just suck it up when their kid's school is looking for some support for a policy which you may or may not agree with. They are not allowed to play outside when it is raining (in case they slip ) which I think is ridiculous but I have certainly not challenged them on that or voiced any doubts in front of my sons.
Human Rights violation

What do you think? AIBU? How about sending those that objected on these grounds to a, say, Nigerian prison, for a tour or summat, to adjust their expectations...

Oh, I feel better now, thanks for reading and gimme you thoughts, I can take it

Who the hell lets their dc take a nintendo DS/psp into school?? I had to save like crazy to get my dc their ds's for their birthdays, no way on gods' earth would they be taking them into school to get stolen broken. Thankfully, their primary does not allow them to take them, but even if they started to let the dc take them in, mine would be told NO! Do these parents have more money than sense or something? And infringements of their human rights, my arse!

What gingerkirsty said.

The parents need a good slap - they are just bringing dragging their children up to behave like spoilt little brats. I despair

Pacific I cannot get over the fact that they are claiming their human rights have been infringed and that the head has validated this claim by changing the school policy.

I am actually quite enraged by this, they should try looking at some people whose human rights really have been infringed. Disgust is the right word IMO.

This is a shocking lesson to the children not only in terms of authority and rules, but human rights too. They are going to claim that anything they don't like infringes their human rights from now on!

If I were you I would definitely be writing a strong letter, possibly to the board of governers since the head has already made his/her decision. They did not have to change their policy so I would be asking why on earth they did. The whole thing beggars belief.

FFS!! Children don't 'need' all these gadgets at this age and they certainly have no place in schools.

When I worked in a school, there were so many young children with mobile phones that I thought was completely unnecessary. They were suppose to hand them in to the teacher but they never did. One of the TA's I worked with had a DD at the school and said she needed a mobile for when she walked to and from school.

AFAIK, my friends and I all walked to and from school without mobiles and funnily enough, we all survived!

The way I read this is that the Head has been very clever. Getting a reaction like that from some parents whereby they send in notes. Doesnt that cover the school from being sued if the gadgets get broken/stolen?

A lesson in negotiation, parents being heard and an opportunity for you to stick to your beliefs too. (I wouldn't let my ds take anything in either).

YADNBU! FGS .

I don't have a problem with Dss in principle and DD is only 3 so we haven't got to that stage yet but I'm fed up of going to see friends with slightly older children and my DD (who wants to play!) having to sit and watch them on the DS. Even when they come to my house sometimes.

They're not sociable toys!

Sorry off topic a bit but HOW is that Golden Time and HOW do educational professionals justify that???

The Coalition are going to sort this kind of crap out with their Freedoms Bill.

They are going to scrap much of the nanny state big government legislation added by Labour.

One of the main quangoes to go is likely to be the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), a quango responsible for a lot of this kind of thinking.

(not to be confused with HMRC - shame)

YANBU and I think the school is spineless not to stand up to the parents.

Every school I went to had a rule of no toys from home....no matter what it was as it would get lost, broken, nicked or traded.

School is for learning.

Indaba retreats, fearing she is slowly but surely morphing into a female Victor Meldrew.