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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

School makes children clean if they talk in class?

127 replies

Whynotme99 · 04/07/2017 17:35

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.

OP posts:

YouTheCat · 04/07/2017 17:36

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

StillDrivingMeBonkers · 04/07/2017 17:39

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 · 04/07/2017 17:39

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

HighwayDragon1 · 04/07/2017 17:40

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

Pengggwn · 04/07/2017 17:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

EyeHalveASpellingChequer · 04/07/2017 17:42

YABU

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

Cranberryurgh · 04/07/2017 17:42

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 · 04/07/2017 17:44

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 · 04/07/2017 17:59

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 · 04/07/2017 18:00

Saves on the school cleaning budget.

What's not to like?

strawberrygate · 04/07/2017 18:01

What exactly do you think may be unreasonable about it?

Justhadmyhaircut · 04/07/2017 18:03

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 · 04/07/2017 18:03

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

blueskyinmarch · 04/07/2017 18:05

Far more productive than writing lines!

BarbarianMum · 04/07/2017 18:05

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

chemenger · 04/07/2017 18:08

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 · 04/07/2017 18:09

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 · 04/07/2017 18:12

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

Wumpychoo · 04/07/2017 18:19

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

picklemepopcorn · 04/07/2017 18:25

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

sadeyedladyofthelowlands63 · 04/07/2017 18:29

We had to sand and revarnish desks.

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

cattychatty · 04/07/2017 18:32

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 · 04/07/2017 18:32

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

upperlimit · 04/07/2017 18:34

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

ASauvingnonADay · 04/07/2017 18:38

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.

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