AIBU to contact a school about the behaviour of one of their pupils?

[TheDetective]

Because the member of staff who took my phone call made me feel a little unreasonable. And grilled me rather a lot too.

DP walks past a high school on his way from work back to his car. Today, he was walking past not long after the end of the school day.

A young boy which DP estimated to be around year 7 age, in full uniform, grabbed the carrier bag of shopping which DP was carrying. He got it off DP, but DP's quick reflexes grabbed the boy and took the bag off him. The boy ran off making stupid noises.

When he got home, he told me about it. My own year 7 DS was sat in the room at the time. So I decided that it would be the right thing to do to contact the school to discuss the matter.

a) So that the school could remind their pupils on behaviour.

And b) To set an example to my own son - that people will not tolerate bad behaviour. (He has just started high school, and is walking too and from school).

Anyway, the purpose of my call was simply to inform the school that one of their pupils had behaved in this way, and could it please be addressed through assembly or a letter to pupils/parents. Whatever way they thought suitable. However they seemed rather perplexed by my call. They wanted to know the precise location of the incident, which side of the road it happened on. Wanted to know how tall the child was, what type of uniform they had on. I wasn't asking them to identify the child, merely asking them to bring it up to all the pupils whatever way they thought appropriate.

So WIBU to ring the school? We have no way of identifying the child, DP said he wouldn't be able to accurately describe or recognise him. But I think it would be important that the child know they haven't got away with the behaviour.

[MrsMongoose]

No point telling the whole school to behave over an anomaly incident. Sounds like they were identifying the kid to just punish/teach him a lesson. Quite right too.

[AgentZigzag]

Fuck off with your self pity, I'm fucking 42!



I'm going to rub it in big style when DH hits 40 although I like the idea of being married to someone still in his 30's.

[TheDetective]

He calls home alone 'old' and any 90's music.

Anyway. He might be younger. But I look younger! So in your face DP!

He bought booze in the supermarket. I was with him. They asked ME for ID!! Haaaaaaa!

[AgentZigzag]

'Ds1 is 11. DP was 12 when he was born.'

Hahahaha, yeah, that's freaky

It's not that much of a gap though, not that age gaps matter or anything, but it can mean a difference in expectations when it gets a little bigger.

[ilovesooty]

I agree with MrsMongoose If he can't identify the boy there seems little point in taking it further really.

[AgentZigzag]

'Anyway. He might be younger. But I look younger! So in your face DP! '

One person, years ago People think DH is older than me

Shaving takes 15 years off him though, so it depends on what day of the week it is.

[ThisIsMummyPig]

My DP passed his driving test before I started Junior school. Now that's freaky.

To get back to the OP though, you were right to call, but I probably wouldn't have done. I suspect the boy would have just thrown the shopping on the floor if he had got the bag, cackling all the while. Of course, the school may be worried that he's hungry and stealing food, or just wanting to identify him so they can keep an eye out.

[hufflebottom]

my dp's son is the same age as me. his gd is the same age as my dd

i would have phoned the school, even as a 'are you aware' sort of call. i've phoned when the little shites darlings have been playing football across a road.

[AgentZigzag]

Yeah, sorry for going a bit off track there

My mate from the next year up at school was becoming a GM for the first time when I was having DD2.

That made me wonder if maybe I'd left it a bit too late (I didn't, DD2's bloody lovely).