To think this teacher is fucking loopy?

[OverReactionMuch]

DS2 (just 5) apparently broke a branch off one of the trees in the school playground. He was swinging on it (normal boy behaviour?).

Teacher, who is Head of KS1 then paraded him around all the KS1 classes with the offending branch lecturing the other DC on how naughty my DC was and what a terrible thing he did.

She also phoned me (I did not know she had taken him round the classes) to inform me of my DS's 'crime'. I said I would talk to him. She also took the 'dead' branch into the afterschool club and showed all the DC there and so the staff could show me the offending article when I picked him up.

DS has said that he did not mean for the branch to come off.

I am actually quite furious that she has demonised my DS to the other DCs. DS has found it very hard to settle into school and I actually had a meeting with this woman before he started at school as I was concerned about how he would settle (undiagnosed SN is my mother's gut instinct) and she has totally ignored every thing I said.

AIBU to loudly voice my displeasure on Monday?

[crashdoll]

I would certainly not march in and go mad. I would calmly get the facts from the teacher before you go demanding to see the headteacher. Was it your son who told you what she did?

[EndoplasmicReticulum]

I think a lot depends on how often she had told him / other children not to swing from the tree branches.

And it depends on how the "parading" was done. Was it "look at this naughty boy" or was it "swinging from trees is dangerous"

I suppose it all adds up to getting the school's side of the story first before loudly voicing displeasure.

[Lafaminute]

OF COURSE he should have been reprimanded for his behaviour but humiliating him was so below the belt and unacceptable. I would complain - on the grounds that this is bullying behaviour, on the part of the teacher

[HollyBerryBush]

A study by Play England found that we're wrapping up our kids in a cotton-wool culture of safe, soft play.

Over half of all children have been prevented by their parents from climbing trees, for example, whilst 21% are prohibited from playing conkers and 17% stopped from playing tag and chase.

Yet, these outdoor activities - deemed too dangerous for today's generation to take part in - were those most fondly remembered childhood games by 70% of parents questioned. And guess what? 77% of children questioned wished they had more freedom to enjoy these kinds of pastimes.

But it's not just adventure we're depriving our kids of. A study published last month in a child health journal also found that today's 10-year-olds have less muscular strength than children born 10 years before them because they don't do activities like climbing trees and ropes any more. It's action games like this that boost muscular strength so that they can hold their own body weight.

[MissAnnersley]

I agree Mintyy, the language used on this thread about the teacher is a bit scary.

I totally, totally get why you're angry - I would be too but you need to dial it down a bit so you can get to the bottom of what happened.

Poster saying they would slap the teacher? Really?

[maddening]

She has punished him as if he had done an act of deliberate vandalism. I would speak to her - get her side then decide what to do. If you are unsure then tell her you will consider her response and get back to her - then if you want to go ahead you have more info to hand when drafting your complaint.

[BOF]

Hollyberry, that's all well and good, but even in the seventies the teachers would have gone apeshit if you'd been doing all that on school grounds.

[fluffywhitekittens]

HollyBerry I don't disagree. I just think there is a time and a place for tree climbing, swinging and it's not during school break times.

[Meglet]

It's normal child behaviour to swing on branches. A stern telling off would suffice.

I really hope the teacher didn't march him around making an example of him, he's reception year right? .

[LilQueenie]

just for the record I am a girl and I climbed trees and anything else that took my fancy. I fell got hurt and got up and done it again. I was encouraged to do it again so I didnt get afraid of what had hurt me.

[SmileAndPeopleSmileWithYou]

A 5 year old boy is supposed to be inquisitive and would naturally want to swing on a tree branch. It is up to the school to make it a rule that they cannot do this (which they may have done). If this has been done then yes it is bad behaviour.

The punishment was not right. He is only 5! How demoralising.
I agree with previous posts, this could have been highlighted to the whole school without subjecting him to that. i.e. "It is not safe to swing on branches as someone could get hurt, this branch has come off and we are lucky this time".

Go in and calmly ask about the circumstances before expressing your worries.

[Pagwatch]

I really do want to know how the OP knows what the teacher did?

[Feenie]

MrsRajeshKoothrappali Sat 16-Feb-13 18:15:05

I think I'd give her a slap.

What an utter bitch.

Yes, get yourself charged with assault, that will definitely help the situation.

[crashdoll]

I wonder how many times he was asked to stop....? Not condoning the teacher's behaviour btw but do we even know who gave the account of what happened?

[cheesesarnie]

he should have been told off but not humiliated.

i would make an appointment to speak to her and state (calmly) that you feel that she over reacted.

[countrykitten]

As a little girl I was always hanging out of trees and such (bit never school trees!) - so a bit annoyed at your sexist assumptions about 'normal boy behaviour' OP.

Apart from that, swinging on trees at school is not good behaviour at all and if he has been asked not to do it then he deserves to be punished as he has damaged the tree as well as putting himself at risk. You sound exactly like the sort of parent who would rush in all guns blazing had another child torn off a tree branch and it had fallen on/hurt your son in some way. Many school rules are in place for health and safety reasons. Let him climb trees to his heart's content when he is not in school - then it is YOUR responsibility if he falls and not a teacher's.

The fact that you think he was 'paraded' around classrooms...hmmmm. Who told you about this? Maybe the Head of KS1 was concerned about safety and was driving home a point - you were not there,you don't know.

To go in all guns blazing would make you look like a fool - get the facts straight and then say politely whatever you feel you need to say. One of the irrefutable facts is that your child misbehaved at school so try getting your head around that before haranguing teachers.

And as for the mother's instinct on SEN. Get it sorted out (or not) and don't use this as a half excuse for poor behaviour - it is insulting to kids who have SEN.

[WhatKindofFool]

I think the school is right for not allowing swinging from trees. However, the teacher sounds like a nasty piece of work. I cannot bear humiliation like this. Go in and calmly explain that you think the teacher's reaction was unacceptable.

[badtemperedaldbitch]

On my dd's first day of school, she fell out of a tree.... They are encouraged to climb...


I was thrilled. We moved from a city to the countryside and I'd much rather her fall out a tree than not know what one looked like

[HollyBerryBush]

Indeed, Holly, but is it the school's job to facilitate this? Should trees be planted in the school ground specifically for children to climb on/swing on? Or should children be taught to respect school property?

I agree with you there BUT we live in a compo culture, therefore it is the schools responsibility to remove/reduce risk.

Personally I think it's someones responsibility to look where they are going, but I dare say, others will disagree with me regarding uneaven paving slabs etc. Tree with low branches = legitimate dangling post. Trimmed tree = no dangling. Problem solved.

[BarbarianMum]

Not normal boy behaviour, normal child's behaviour - lots of girls like swinging on tree branches too.

I help run a forest playgroup and we positively encourage tree climbing and swinging. Trees can be castles, horses to ride, a pirate ship, a secret hideout....

And yes, I think schools should plant trees and shrubs specifically for children to play in, around and with. Willfully damaging trees isn't good but tbh they are tough things after the sapling stage, as long as you leave their bark on.

Teacher's reaction way over the top.