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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

the new education teachers of opposite sex can search pupils

114 replies

Deliainthemaking · 26/03/2011 16:07

www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23917943-teachers-granted-search-powers-by-bill-to-restore-order-in-schools.do

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-12287022

it chilled me some of the regulations are very abolute power to the teacher ..and not in a good way. The opposite sex teacher can search students is horrific.
to balance it out though the mobile phone rules I agree with something needed doing.
Discuss your views.

OP posts:
SardineQueen · 26/03/2011 18:34

The point about after school detentions. I asked upthread if primary schools use them, and no-one answered. Now lots of people are talking about children ought to be able to get themselves home but no-one has clarified if these new rules are for secondary or primary as well. Basically I don't know what we are talking about here! If it's secondary only then my feelings are different to how I feel if it is all schoolchildren including primary.

ilovesooty · 26/03/2011 18:34

No wonder so many pupils think they can do as they please.

SardineQueen · 26/03/2011 18:35

TBH I wouldn't be keen on an hour walk through deserted unlit country lanes either.

We live in London so that sort of thing isn't an issue.

Goblinchild · 26/03/2011 18:35

Smile Relax, it is for wicked and horrible secondary children. Except those with scary mothers who refuse to let them face an after school sanction.

mamatomany · 26/03/2011 18:36

ilovesooty, rubbish, teachers can impose lunchtime detentions, withdraw privileges etc, plenty of options available to them that a) don't inconvenience the parents and don't impact on the child's safe journey home.
I have no problem with going through their bags etc if they have good reason.
I expect common sense applied and keeping children after without their parents knowledge is utterly unacceptable.

SardineQueen · 26/03/2011 18:36

Right so we're not talking about DD who starts in September and will be just turned 4 then Grin

Rosieeo · 26/03/2011 18:36

"I will be crossing out anything on a home school agreement which I don't agree with if I bother at all tbh which I haven't with the last 2 DC's"

That really just says it all. Schools haven't got a hope in hell when parents are so determined not to support them. Then parents ring up and complain that their darlings haven't got their C in English. It is so utterly frustrating. I'm only grateful that for every parent with that attitude there are five who actually want to help their children get a decent education. And do you know what, that sometimes means making them do things they don't want to do.

mamatomany · 26/03/2011 18:37

London's worse from what i've seen I'd take my chances on the country lanes.

EvilTwins · 26/03/2011 18:37

My school doesn't have a policy about teachers having to lock away phones, but I consider it unprofessional to have mine with me in my classroom. It stays in my office, and I check at breaktime or during my free periods. My DTDs are in Yr R, and if there is a problem (there has been twice), their school contacts my school and a message is brought to me. I see absolutely no reason why students should have to have their phone with them in lessons - if I can manage, so can they. In my VI Form lessons, we have a "phone box" and all phones go in there for the duration. With younger students, if I see a phone, I confiscate it and it goes to the school office for the rest of the day. If any one student has a phone confiscated more than twice, it is only returned to the parent, not the child.

Mamatomany - I think your attitude is awful. In the "old days" (ie when I went to school), there was no rule about schools having to let parents know 24 hours in advance. Detentions are supposed to be inconvenient. That is one of the points of them. I teach in a school where a great many parents have your kind of attitude and all it does is give kids the idea that they don't have to adhere to rules. That's not a great thing to teach children. We all have to follow rules. That's the way life is. And teaching your child that they don't have to is irresponsible and unhelpful. In pratice, I can't imagine that any school will keep a child in detention without letting their parent(s) know - the difference is that a school can contact a parents to inform them that their child will be kept in that day, rather than giving notice. Personally, I think that's a good thing.

ilovesooty · 26/03/2011 18:37

I don't see why teachers should give up their right to a meal break when pupils can't behave.

Goblinchild · 26/03/2011 18:37

Grin And breathe, SQ

pointydog · 26/03/2011 18:38

A parent did not always used to be waiting at home. Not at all usual for me and my friends at secondary.

ilovesooty · 26/03/2011 18:39

the difference is that a school can contact a parents to inform them that their child will be kept in that day, rather than giving notice. Personally, I think that's a good thing.

Agreed. Apart from anything else, it punishes the misdemenour on the actual day.

mamatomany · 26/03/2011 18:43

My children are in private school where the discipline is 10 times that of any state school i've ever come across but they do not feel the need to endanger the children by letting them out an hour or even half after every one else has gone. There are more sensible ways, by removing even the rules about giving parents notice children are potentially being put at risk, the first one that goes missing or under a bus will end these stupid ideas immediately.
Teachers should just get a bit more creative, the boys who play at my children's school can't play for the cricket team for example, far more effective.

ilovesooty · 26/03/2011 18:45

My children are in private school

That explains a lot.

mamatomany · 26/03/2011 18:47

I'm sure it does, you must be relieved

Rosieeo · 26/03/2011 18:47

Not so effective when the purpose of the detention is to get work out of them. And as for endangering, how ridiculous and alarmist.

EvilTwins · 26/03/2011 18:47

Mama - if your children are in private school, then this new rule will not impact upon you, as private schools can make up their own rules.

So really, you have no need to comment, do you?

Goblinchild · 26/03/2011 18:48

Oh Ya!
You boy, stop filming porn on your iPhone right now or I'll ban you from the cricket team.
Should go down a treat in Hackney.

mamatomany · 26/03/2011 18:49

I can think of at least one occasion when I accidentally missed the school and I had to walk through the park home at 4pm, utterly terrifying for a 13 year old, is that really justifiable in you so called caring professionals minds ?

meditrina · 26/03/2011 18:49

I don't agree - the school cannot know what else is going on that very day.

Inconvenience to the whole family isn't fair, and teachers shouldn't be expected to try to work out what is serious inconvenience to third parties.

That said, if my DCs were being given a detention, I would happily allow the school to increase the detention in return for giving long enough notice for me to fix work wronged where necessary.

mamatomany · 26/03/2011 18:50

*missed the school bus.

NinkyNonker · 26/03/2011 18:50

People have been calling for teachers to have more power and authority for years.

Rosieeo · 26/03/2011 18:50

No! Not ... 4pm?!? And you're still here to tell the tale. Amazing.

EvilTwins · 26/03/2011 18:50

Goblin - Grin

Would work a treat in my Gloucestershire comp as well (according to offical documentation, we're in an area of rural isolation and social deprivation) - "Put the phone away and stop filming that Yr 11 beating up the Yr 8, or you can forget about representing the school at Eton Fives"

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