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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be mildly amused by the teacher placing sticky tape on her pupil's mouths?

178 replies

Firsttimmemummy · 04/03/2014 21:11

I know it's not on. I do. But all the same I can't help chuckling every time it's read out on the bbc news and picture this teacher just snapping.

Please don't all be mean to me, I'm new!!

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-26431417

OP posts:
GimmeDaBoobehz · 04/03/2014 21:35

:I

There were a few kids when I was in school who really would've benefited from this.

southeastastra · 04/03/2014 21:37

i laughed at this too (naughty me) but i also laughed at the cat bin lady

maggiemight · 04/03/2014 21:39

When I hear these stories I just think thank god I'm not a teacher.

amistillsexy · 04/03/2014 21:40

I feel very sorry for this teacher, who must be on the edge of a breakdown to resort to doing such a thing. I also feel very sorry for the children, who must have been scared and confused at an adult losing it so completely.

My DO used to lose his temper with me, and it was terrifying. Now I have my own DC, I can understand how he got to that point, but also wonder how he must have felt afterwards, when the red mist lifted. Pretty wretched, I should imagine. This teacher will feel dreadful, especially with all the media attention.

It's not funny for anyone concerned. It's indicative of the amount of stress that teachers are under. I hope the teacher gets some good support and counselling.

HadABadDay2014 · 04/03/2014 21:41

It was a bit of tape, my DC would have found it funny if their teacher did this.

amistillsexy · 04/03/2014 21:41

DO should be DF.

TheNightIsDark · 04/03/2014 21:42

DP offered to send DS's teacher duck tape if she needed it for him.

JennyCalendar · 04/03/2014 21:43

I had one lad in my class once volunteer to tape his own mouth shut, and proceeded to do so, as he was in an excitable mood. After laughing a bit, I made him take it off in case the headteacher popped in for a surprise visit and thought I'd done it to him!

shakethetree · 04/03/2014 21:44

I can't see what's so bad about it tbh, it's not like it's going to kill them is it. & if they refuse to shut up then job done imo.

< realises why I never went into teaching >

YoureAllABunchOfBastards · 04/03/2014 21:45

How the fuck did she get them to stay still while she did it?

I have threatened to put nine inch nails through the desk into pupils' legs to make them sit still. Or superglue them to chairs. Or kick them downstairs. I was joking mostly

SoleSource · 04/03/2014 21:45

Lol south

Original poster
Firsttimmemummy · 04/03/2014 21:45

Thanks formerbabe I did mean without actually doing it, lol! Or was that how the parents of the 2 allergic children found out?

OP posts:
usualsuspect33 · 04/03/2014 21:46

I would think she was a crap teacher.

JabberJabberJay · 04/03/2014 21:46

It's not funny.

Apparently some of the children were bleeding. The sellotape took the skin off their lips when it was removed.

A disgraceful way for a teacher to behave.

midwifeandmum · 04/03/2014 21:48

southeastastra
I laughed at the cat bin lady too lol. I dont think this is right in the slightest but I remember my class at that age, we were well out of order. wish our teacher thought of that.

I wonder how many teachers have wooped and chuckled about this in secret in the staff room.

wonder how many will get compo money..........Hmm

midwifeandmum · 04/03/2014 21:49

yourallabunchofbastards

almost chocked on my tea with pmsl

manicinsomniac · 04/03/2014 21:49

I use sellotape on children's faces to hold stage microphones in place all the time.

Micropore falls off, plasters hurt their face far more and electrical type tape doesn't stick to skin at all. There's specialist stuff available but it's too expensive and, with children handling very delicate and expensive microphones, too expensive.

I wouldn't use it on allergic children, on mouths or in anger but, at the same time, I don't see it as a suspendable offence either.

Viviennemary · 04/03/2014 21:53

I'm amazed that a teacher would do it these days. And what a silly fuss about nothing. And those precious parents on the news. Who'd be a teacher!

aquashiv · 04/03/2014 21:54

Her Father was stated as saying the tape took the skin of her lips and made them bleed when taken off. Think the teacher is in the wrong job.

midwifeandmum · 04/03/2014 21:54

I dont know how she got them to sit still long enough to apply sticky tape.

20 years ago when I was that age, we would of pissed ourselves laughing, took the tape off then probably taped the teacher up. come on, they are not 5 year olds.

How did the tape stay on. We tried it for halloween mask on dd1 and it would not stick

maddy68 · 04/03/2014 21:54

Unless it was a joke. With some kids you have a banter with and you would know the ones that would think it was funny. This needs to have context!

NearTheWindymill · 04/03/2014 21:57

When I was at school teachers did this:

sellotaped pupils to chairs for not sitting still
sellotaped mouths for not stopping talking
held up by ankles for being thoroughly naughty
shut in stock room for five minutes for disturbing lessons

really naughty boys were sent to the deputy head for the slipper
slightly naughty boys and girls were sent out of the class

the struggling children went to the remedial unit on Friday mornings

None of that was as bad as the PE mistress at secondary who had a very short haircut, a tweed suit and brogues who liked to make sure we all had a full shower and stood at the entrance to the showers to make sure we went in completely naked and washed everything.

What went before was excusable and meant with no ill intent. It's what happened then. What that PE teacher did remains with me.

I'm nearly 54 btw.

Kayakinggirl86 · 04/03/2014 21:59

As a teacher I have handed a 6former tape before as they would not stop talking (pretty sure i said i think you need this) before I knew it the full class had decided taping there mouths shut would help them learn better and I could not make them answer questions if there mouths were taped. After a few min I was begging them to take it off. They were all over 16 though. They put it on themselves, also I knew the kids well had taught all of them for over 3 years. It was a bit of a laugh.
This supply was clearly not coping where was management!

specialsubject · 04/03/2014 22:02

my partner (similar age to windymill) reminisces about having board rubbers thrown at him, being hit by rulers etc etc. Pity it took them so long to sort out the class bully.

I recall the teacher who checked us all to ensure we were wearing the regulation colour knickers under our skirts for gym.

no long term harm done to either of us - but sellotaping the entire class isn't really on. Clearly the kids on the news report were LOVING the attention though!

NearTheWindymill · 04/03/2014 22:14

Oh, I forget about the board rubbers and chalk flying across the room.

There was almost zero disruption at my school though and the girl who got pg in fourth form was summarily expelled and told never to darken the school again with her presence. She entered the road once with the baby and the headmistress strode along the pavement and told her she was a bad influence on her gels and to stay away.