To think this is a ridiculous use of detention?

[oldbirdy]

Ds (year 8) got detention today. He was 3 minutes late for school. This was the first time he has been late; he goes with a friend and the friend's mum hadn't realised the car would need de-icing. I assume this is done kind of zero tolerance but to me it devalues detention as I have had to tell ds it doesn't matter, and he thinks it is stupid. I would have wanted detention to make him feel a bit ashamed of himself and for something that was significant. If he was very late, or had been late a number of times, fair enough...

Danica - 30 mins after school, so a 'proper' detention the same as he'd have got for unacceptable behaviour in class.

I suppose it depends what the unacceptable behaviour is. Talking in class i suppose could be of the same level as lateness, whereas swearing at a teacher i would expect a much stronger punishment. An after school detention does seem a lot for a first offence with a good excuse though.

I totally disagree with most of these responses.

Since when is it OK for a child to learn that adults can just apply stupid, pointless rules without any regard for fairness. It happens, but it isn't OK.
It shit advice for children to just 'suck it up'.

Surely there is a place for respectful resistance to this type of crap?!
If it was a work place there would be (possibly) be a union, grievance procedures, etc.

Why, because its school, do all normal societal rules go out the window.

Detention should be about punishing the child/young person's behaviour or poor choices or lack of work or a multitude of other things.
Not because the school put a blanket sanction on something that was outside the child's control.

I would be a royal pain in the arse about this with the school.
Got too many kids turning up late?
Address the individual issues.
Current monitoring system doesn't allow for individual circumstances?
Change the system.

I am not one of those sad-face Daily-Fail parents who want to send their kid to school in Uggs and green hair extensions; I am all for respecting the rules for the good of the school community.

However, I would not permit my child to attend that detention for this reason and the school could go fuck its policies and procedures.

Am I the only one who thinks a 12yr old should be able to help de-ice the car and thus it is partially in their control? I think that as he could leave a little earlier and walk but can't be bothered then a little lesson that sometimes the easy way isn't the most efficient way. He might also learn that maybe next time he sees it is frosty he leaves a little earlier and he and his friend defrost the car.

Meryl i hope the same zero tolerance attitude is applied to bullying as in the FIRST instance of it gets a punishment.

TANBU and the slippery slope arguement shouldnt apply.
Your son cannot control the weather and doesnt make a habit of turning up late with a stupid excuse.

Helena all bad behaviour is noted and dealt with quickly. It's probably unusual as there is a number of support staff just to deal with behaviour and nothing else and there's a strict framework applied everyone has to follow and report to.
They don't shy away from excluding pupils also - which was the thing that really shocked me. But the parents have to be heavily involved in that process too.

Am I the only one who thinks a 12yr old should be able to help de-ice the car and thus it is partially in their control?

This takes the . Do you usually de-ice other people's cars when you are having a lift? Perhaps he should have rung her up to make sure she got out of bed ten minutes early to deal with the frosty car. FFS.

Yakatori of course I would offer, what would you do, sit there in the warm while the driver, who is already doing you a favour, gets cold? My dc are all younger than 12 but help defrost because they know that it will be they who are late for school. She wouldn't need to get up any earlier as with two 12yr olds helping it would take less time, say it takes 3 mins (to make maths easy) for one person to defrost the car, if she has two willing helpers it would only take 1 min.

If defrosting the car made them late then they were cutting it fine anyway. Leave earlier.