School makes children clean if they talk in class?

[Whynotme99]

What are your thoughts on this? It seems to be a regular occasion in our school, children who say something in one particular class without raising their hand are made to wash windows in break time. Mine have not done it yet (!) but they talk about it. Aibu to think this is not acceptable. This is secondary school.

[YouTheCat]

In Japanese schools the students do all the cleaning. I think it's a good thing.

[StillDrivingMeBonkers]

I don't have a problem with it.

DS (@ grammar school) was made to clean chewing gum off the underside of desks for some misdemeanour or another . Irrelevant, he broke a rule, he knew what the consequences were. Apparently I was the only parent in living memory who didn't have a complete hissy fit about it.

Frankly a little more community participation and they might stop littering the play grounds, graffing the desks and filling the bogs with paper towels.

[19lottie82]

Why not? Teaches them discipline and respect. The little snowflakes won't melt.

[HighwayDragon1]

Good! A little bit of community service won't do them any harm, but can do a whole lot of good.

[EyeHalveASpellingChequer]

YABU

They know the consequences for talking in class but they choose to talk anyway.

[Cranberryurgh]

I think its not bad, break a rule, do something that benefits everyone to make up for it, it's a more productive punishment then lines or whatever. It used to be picking up litter at my school for detention.

[GreatFuckability]

Wouldn't bother me. in my school if you misbehaved you were sent out litter picking in the yards. put people off being twats.

[Aquamarine1029]

For FUCK'S SAKE, children NEED to learn that they are accountable for their behaviour, and acting out has consequences. This trend of treating kids like little snowflakes is totally out of hand. Doing a bit of harmless cleaning is something ALL kids should be doing. When did the belief of teaching children self-reliance and accountability get thrown out the window? Coddling them will do them no favors.

[SuburbanRhonda]

Saves on the school cleaning budget.

What's not to like?

[strawberrygate]

What exactly do you think may be unreasonable about it?

[Justhadmyhaircut]

When my dc are acting up they get chores. Same thing. .
Instilling looking after their environment can only be a good thing for deterring vandalism/ littering in the future imo.

[DontTouchTheMoustache]

Genuinely don't understand what your issue is with this? It's not dangerous or excessive punishment.

[blueskyinmarch]

Far more productive than writing lines!

[BarbarianMum]

Wouldn't bother me but then I've never viewed cleaning as an inherently humiliating or degrading activity.

[chemenger]

What punishment would be acceptable? This seems like a good idea to me. Cleaning windows is hardly breaking rocks, it's not demeaningor humiliating, it's not cruel, it's not pointless like lines or copying things out, it is useful and improves the work environment.

[youarenotkiddingme]

I like the fact schools are issuing differing consequences than just detention nowadays!

My ds (who is autistic so hyper focuses on things as he gets anxious!) spent 20 minutes this morning obsessing (again!) over his strict maths teachers rules. She is particularly strict about having the right equipment and talking out of turn.
She sets detentions before school at 8 am and allows the students to buy equipment off her if they forget it!
I simply told him again that as his escourt/transport (school over 3 miles away) he won't be attending at 8 so stop stressing and why shouldn't the teacher make a profit from it when she also had her petrol and time costs to make up from having to buy the equipment.

I then pointed it it would make more sense for him and others to spend 20 seconds checking they have everything rather than hours complaining about her methods.

I'm not sure he agrees but that did shut him up at least

[Wumpychoo]

I don't mind this. It's productive as it teaches them a skill.

[Wumpychoo]

And i did have to do cleaning detentions myself for three nights in the 80s, so am speaking from experience of it myself.

[picklemepopcorn]

We had to sand and revarnish desks. Showing my age...

[sadeyedladyofthelowlands63]

We had to sand and revarnish desks.

So did I (after a friend and I had written our names on one)!

[cattychatty]

Always said to mine if you don't want a punishment don't do the crime. Knowing the rules and breaking them anyway well you pretty much deserves what you get

[Allthewaves]

I think it's a good idea. Much more useful form of punishment

[upperlimit]

I think it's great, I might introduce it at home

[ASauvingnonADay]

I think it's great. I'd like to introduce it at our school... although I feel like kids would just refuse! And parents would support them.