To think school should give a reason?!

[bzoo]

DS came home with a detention slip for tomorrow after school. There are options to be circled as to WHY they have received the detention. Options are

1. incorrect/missing uniform
2. incorrect/missing equipment
3. other

Circled is the option other. No other info given except time and place of detention and to bring homework or a book to read.

Aibu to think the teacher should have given a reason?!

DS says that in PE on Friday their first instruction was go to the field and do anything to warm up. DS and several friends ran up the field and started to do the long jump. Whilst I appreciate that long jump is not exactly warming up does this warrant an hour detention after school?

DS accepts he has been given a detention. I accept he has been given a detention. Not sure he is going to 'learn a lesson' as he is not entirely sure why he has the detention! He says nothing else happened in his PE lesson.

So would you expect a short reason as to why the detention has been issued?!

yes, i would expect a reason

I don't think you're being unreasonable; they should give you an actual reason for the detention.

I think it's odd that they're relying on a kid to explain to his parents why he got detention. Not all kids are going to be completely honest about what happened, it seems as though not explaining it on the detention slip would generate more work for the school, i.e., parents calling and demanding to know what's going on.

YABU. The school expects your ds to tell you. He knows why. He and his friends were tacking the mick doing long jumps when they were told to do warm ups. Quite funny though, made me giggle a little and yes, I am a teacher.

I would expect my child to be given the reason, otherwise it's a pretty ineffectual punishment. The way the slip was filled in wouldn't bother me, as long as the child knew what it was for.

If the children blatantly disobeyed an instruction and knew they shouldn't have been doing long jump, then that's an acceptable reason for a detention.

It made me giggle too. As a badminton player for the town and county he KNOWS about warm ups. However he says the instruction was do anything to warm up and he says they did run to the long jump... They just started secondary and are becoming accustomed to life as such!

Of course he knows why he got detention. They don't just hand them out as they walk around the school being precious little angels. Either he and his mates were being mouthy when told not to do the long jump, had to be asked several times to stop, or the truth is much worse and he doesn't want to tell you.

Don't bank on him knowing why he got the detention. Had lots of them through the door, some for totally ridiculous reasons. Such as "finishing work before teacher finished explaining it on the board", hand on heart! Ask them.

Did I say he was being a precious angel?!

I think I know my son a little better than you! You can't be pissed at a kid for doing anything - when you tell them to do anything. Meh. DS says it's a good opportunity to read for 60 mins. He has to do 150 mins a week anyway!

I'm guessing (as a secondary school teacher) that by "doing long jumps" he actually meant "arsing around in the sandpit". Read between the lines .

I would just rather if they want to keep my child an extra hour they should give me the bloody reason! Not be lazy and circle other!

YANBU. If a teacher gives ambiguous instructions they shouldn't be surprised if they don't get the response they expected.

I think we can see the root of your child's discipline problems. You have no respect for the teaching staff and your son has probably picked up on that. Your son was not doing what he was supposed to do. The teacher could have been lazy - they could have turned a blind eye or had a little laugh at his antics. The child would have learned nothing (do you see where I am going with this?) but instead they have imposed a punishment which will take up an hour of their time. How is that being lazy?

You need to stop bleating about the teacher being at fault and start making this your child's problem. Arse about at school and you get your time wasted by the teacher.

They were told to do anything to warm up - they were doing something to warm up. If teachers want specific things done, they should ask for them and not expect the kids to be mind readers.

Yes - the slip should tell you what an after school detention was for - I'd like to know if it requires futher punishment at home or not as well!

I think a reason would be appreciated by most parents. You can't always rely on a child to tell their parents the full truth of the matter. They may be embarrassed/ indignant/ annoyed at being caught etc etc.

It would make everyone's lives easier if communication was clearer. As a parent to fully support my children's teachers and any punishments they dish out, I would really need the details.

Does it really make a difference if they tick a box? He was arsing about instead of warming up.

I think that the "other" box should have a .................................. next to it as a prompt for the teacher to fill in something.

For some pupils may seek to minimise/lie/feign inability to remember when their parent ask, and that is unlikey to be helpful.

YANBU, I guess. On any other forms, the 'other' option would have a space for explanation.

Agree with chipping and nighttrain I would want to know so I could dish out my own personal hell admonishment.

If I didn't respect the teachers then he wouldn't be attending the detention! He is indeed attending the detention. Neither of us have disputed that. I am wanting the school to explain what the detention is for. I can decide then that he understands why he has the detention and sees that he doesn't do it again!

There was room in the slip for an explanation it wasn't given. I do find that a bit rude actually. He's a hard working lad working far above his age level in almost all subjects. He's already taken a GCSE paper in maths for example. He enjoys school but seems genuinely confused as to why he has the detention. As I know my son I do know when he is lying! This is not such an occasion.

Bit harsh lizzzy! OP was only asking for the form to be filled out in a useful way. ..

neat stealth boast!

smart kid, little commonsense, yes?

ask school, your kid obvs not able to deduce the reason, do tell school that he genuinely can't work out why he's got the DT

yes the teacher should have given a reason, I would be more annoyed with my son for getting a detention. Your son may be a genius beyond his years but I suspect the teacher has things they would rather be doing for an hour after school.

I should imagine like EVERYBODY in life my son made an error. SHOCK HORROR!! School is about learning in all aspects of life, is it not?

I just don't think it's much to ask for the school to give a reason as to why they think a child should remain after to school to his/her parent.

The school wish me to support them. I can only do this if given the facts.

Oh, and my son knows I am annoyed and disappointed with his detention. I asked a simple question here regarding the form and expectations. I didn't think it necessary to labour that point here in a post.

In pondering this I am now curious if school would accept an absence from school note that just stated 'DS will be absent from school on XXX due to a reason I am not disclosing'

I somehow think not. I am merely asking for a little courtesy as I would show them!