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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think my ds should be allowed to skateboard to school.....

77 replies

Hakluyt · 13/06/2014 17:53

.....if he doesn't use it in school and chains it to the bike rack during the day?

He has been told today that he's not allowed. No suggestion that he caused any problems for other road users or anything like that. He wasn't told off, or punished- just told that he isn't allowed to board to or from school. I'm not going to object obviously, and I've told him to deal with it- rules is rules- but I really don't think it's fair. Any thoughts?

OP posts:

Original poster

Hakluyt · 14/06/2014 09:11

The problem is that, apart from the last little bit, his journey to school is a prime safe non annoying to other people skateboarding route. And even that last 100m is only crowded with other school kids. He isn't a little boy- he's 13- and a sensible, thoughtful boarder. But I know others aren't.

I just wish they had said "OK- no boarding after X Road, and you can chain it to the bike rack during the day". But, hey ho, first world problems!

OP posts:

Agggghast · 14/06/2014 09:11

Skateboards are also a bloody nightmare in secondary schools. They cannot be fully secured at the bike shed and then get taken wasting hours of staff time investigating. If carried around in a bag they can cause a hazard in classrooms, not always the most spacious areas and reception might be able to store one safely but what happens when there are 30 plus.

Also our school does not have exclusive rights to the city pavements, there are also other people who need to walk past in order to get elsewhere. Staff are busy making sure pupils are not blocking them. Having said that we allow skateboards but I can quite understand why a school would choose not to, but the PE dept create a skatepark after school twice a week, bastards!

UptheChimney · 14/06/2014 13:55

If kids are allowed to scoot or ride bikes to school, he should be able to skate

Small children scooting on the pavement out of control of parents are also a real nuisance, and can be a danger to others.

WTF is wrong with walking?

Original poster

Hakluyt · 14/06/2014 15:55

"Small children scooting on the pavement out of control of parents are also a real nuisance, and can be a danger to others."

He's 13.

OP posts:

Sirzy · 14/06/2014 17:59

i just wish they had said "OK- no boarding after X Road, and you can chain it to the bike rack during the day". But, hey ho, first world problems!

But then that's another thing they have to police. It must be pretty bad for them to need staff supervising secondary age children as it is. It understandable they want to minimise the problem.

At 13 he is more than capable of walking to school without needing a "toy" surely?

Original poster

Hakluyt · 14/06/2014 18:07

Sirzy- have you got a secondary age child? I would be surprised if any school on the other side of a major road to the town where the kids live would not need to police the crossing a bit, to be honest.

And yes of course he can walk.

A board is not more a toy than a bike is, by the way.

OP posts:

Sirzy · 14/06/2014 18:16

None of the secondary schools near here need to police the children crossing main roads!

Original poster

Hakluyt · 14/06/2014 18:52

Do any of them have nearly 1000 teenagers converging on one crossing point of a major road at 8.40 every day?

OP posts:

Sirzy · 14/06/2014 19:16

Yes

Original poster

Hakluyt · 14/06/2014 19:23

Well done!

OP posts:

Ragwort · 14/06/2014 19:31

I agree that skateboards/scooters on pavements are a hazard to other users - and surely lots of people are using the pavements around the school, not just the pupils - where we live the pavements and roads are crowded enough with children walking to school (and no 'policing' the roads at all unfortunately) skateboards would be a nightmare.

DogCalledRudis · 14/06/2014 20:10

OP said its pretty long distance. Skateboarding is faster and less tiring. Its not a TOY, its transportation.

13Stitches · 14/06/2014 20:11

I have both a recently-buggy-using-child and a skateboard, and it's fair to say I've seen (and been involved in) more buggy-pedestrian collisions than skateboard-pedestrian collisions.

Also, if we're playing the 'more dangerous' game, statistically by far the most dangerous are the cars dropping the children off, or driving past them.

Skateboards and skateboarders are unfairly vilified.

FWIW OP, I think you should try negotiating with the school: board as far as is reasonable and carry the board when it's crowded (as I'm in no doubt he probably does anyway). Carrying a board around school is no problem, teachers can usually find a place for them to be deposited during a lesson. And if no, a bike-lock round the trucks in the bike shed would secure it.

Nanny0gg · 14/06/2014 20:28

Carrying a board around school is no problem, teachers can usually find a place for them to be deposited during a lesson.

You're not a teacher are you?

That would be a nightmare to police in a secondary classroom. Not to mention the pain they would be in the corridors.

I think 'proper' skateboarding is a sport, not a 'means of transportation' and the public route to school is not the place to practise it.

Sirzy · 14/06/2014 20:32

Not sure what the well done comment was for?

You seem to have ignored my main point in that adding something extra for the staff to police at an already busy time is madness. Politely requesting that children don't take skateboards to school is fair enough.

No wheeled form of transport (other than wheelchairs obviously before any smart arse comes along ;)) should be used on the pavement by people over the age of 10 (and under that age should only be used if no other options and closely supervised/slowly)

KatieKaye · 14/06/2014 20:44

I'd go further and say no bikes on the pavements, full stop. Far too dangerous for pedestrians. If a child is too young to ride a bike on the road, then they are too young for a bike.

Original poster

Hakluyt · 14/06/2014 22:10

Sirzy, the well done comment was to you for having a secondary school where 1000 teenagers cross a major road at one crossing point every morning in 10 minutes with no pushing, shoving or any other issues at all. It doesn't bear any relation to life as it lived round here- your town must be idyllic.

As I've said, obviously he will obey the rules. And I have been wholly supportive of the school. I just think that if you have over a mile of pretty empty road then 100m of busy road, then there should be a way of being able to board the mile then put the board away for the final 100m. But obviously the school doesn't think so, so we will comply.

OP posts:

DogCalledRudis · 15/06/2014 08:22

What about a backpack designated for skateboard carrying?

MortaIWombat · 15/06/2014 09:50

Why not one of those small (penny?) boards? Skate almost to school, dismount and put board in rucksack, keep there until end of day once out of sight of school. Job done.

MortaIWombat · 15/06/2014 09:51

once out of sight of school get on skateboard and zoom home. Job done.

Original poster

Hakluyt · 15/06/2014 09:52

No- I won't allow him to break the rules. And the school has said specifically it's the boarding to school he's not allowed to do.

OP posts:

Original poster

Hakluyt · 15/06/2014 09:52

It is a penny board! But as I said, I won't let him break rules

OP posts:

marne2 · 15/06/2014 10:00

I'm sure school can't dictate what he travels to school on but I can also see their concerns ,I hate it when I'm getting the dd's out of the car outside school and I almost get knocked down by children on scooters.

DogCalledRudis · 15/06/2014 10:34

Sorry, but stupid rules are meant to be broken. Get him the bag

KatieKaye · 15/06/2014 10:41

OP - the school have not put a rule in place, they have made a suggestion. Nowhere did they say he is not allowed to use his board, merely that he should not use it. Therefore he wouldn't be breaking any rules, although he would be choosing not to go along with their suggestion.
As long as he uses the board considerately, does not endanger himself or other pupils and carries it around with him, then there is nothing more the school can do other than to tut in an annoyed fashion.
I'd support my DS in this - and if I was able I'd probably get a board and join him on the school run just to show solidarity against this piece of nonsense masquerading as a commandment from on high on a matter that has nothing to do with the school.

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