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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
Wheresthattomoibabber · 04/07/2017 18:41

If kids at the primary school I work in deliberately drop food on the floor at lunchtime I make them sweep it up. It's so disrespectful to the kitchen staff.

We used to get litter picking as a punishment at secondary school. I think it's a brilliant idea.

gamerwidow · 04/07/2017 18:45

I had this at my secondary school. If you did something to earn detention you cleaned the ovens the HE classrooms.

JustMumNowNotMe · 04/07/2017 18:45

My primary age DD has to hoover her room and the rest of upstairs if shes been particularly obnoxious and answer-backy.

If she carries on she hoovers downstairs too.....better call social services OP!

ForalltheSaints · 04/07/2017 18:46

OK for me if it things that need cleaning.

Glumglowworm · 04/07/2017 18:47

YABU

it's more productive than sitting in detention or writing lines. You disrupt the class, which negatively affects the school community, your punishment is something to benefit the school community

Kids know the rules, they know the punishment, it's a reasonable punishment for the "crime", tough shit would be my response if they moaned! (Perhaps not shit...)

Leeds2 · 04/07/2017 18:50

I have never heard of this before, but actually think it is quite a good idea. Not sure how you would cope with the inevitable DC who refused to clean though.

jarhead123 · 04/07/2017 18:54

I like the idea.

chowmeinchick · 04/07/2017 18:54

I don't see the problem.

Teaches them to keep things clean and tidy.

SomewhatIdiosyncratic · 04/07/2017 18:57

My school used to have litter detentions. 10 minutes around the grounds tidying up.

I had one; my friend forgot her games skirt and was given a humongous one from lost property. It was too difficult for her to pin it on my herself, so I stayed to help her, and the bastard PE teacher from cliche hell gave us both a litter detention for lateness. I still remember the searing feeling of injustice at being punished for helping out! When we turned up at the staffroom on the alloted day, the teacher on duty took pity on the sight of two tiny terrified year 7s and sent us to the sixth form common room. It was years before we set foot in that mystical room again Grin

I'd rather wash windows than do gum scraping Wink

Wumpychoo · 04/07/2017 18:58

At dd's school they sit in silence doing nothing. I think a lot of kids would prefer doing cleaning as the time would pass quicker and they'd feel like they'd achieved something.

user1471453601 · 04/07/2017 19:03

So school teaches them that cleaning is a punishment. Is that right? If so, what do they think about the people who clean their school/home? Are they also being punished? If so, for what?

BorisTrumpsHair · 04/07/2017 19:06

We used to have to pick up s certain number of ice lolly sticks.

It's not the cleaning that is the punishment. It is the removal of their free time.

upperlimit · 04/07/2017 19:09

Absolutely user, cleaning is both a privilege and a pleasure. Confused

Elendon · 04/07/2017 19:11

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Elendon · 04/07/2017 19:18

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Wumpychoo · 04/07/2017 19:26

So school teaches them that cleaning is a punishment. Is that right? If so, what do they think about the people who clean their school/home? Are they also being punished? If so, for what?
No they aren't being punished, they are being paid. Bit like the difference between doing community service, cleaning graffiti etc for free as opposed to being paid to do it.

MistressDeeCee · 04/07/2017 19:27

Torn on this one. Its the (paid) cleaner's job. & they're only children. But I go round to schools doing workshops and am utterly shocked how gradually over the years its become a thing that many children talk ALL THE TIME. Its like a continuous monotone, a backdrop to everything with them barely drawing breath. Like an urgency to make a noise constantly.

I commend teachers for putting up with it, it must be so very wearing on a daily basis. & its unfair on children who don't behave like that and want to learn. So now Im inclined to think if cleaning stops the parroting then so be it

Elendon · 04/07/2017 19:31

It doesn't happen. If I saw this as a punishment in the school I worked, I would call the police.

Sorry.

And as for picking up lollipop sticks - what the actual F? Those who throw them should show them the bin is the answer to that.

Next we will have bad pupils sitting on boxes and offering to shine other pupils shoes. (And I bet someone thinks this is a great idea).

Wumpychoo · 04/07/2017 19:35

Why the police? It did happen in the 80s but i don't know what's allowed now.

Lunar1 · 04/07/2017 19:36

They must like cleaning windows if they keep on talking!

Wheresthattomoibabber · 04/07/2017 19:36

Elendon - you would call the police?

NicolasFlamel · 04/07/2017 19:38

The police?! Grin

Wheresthattomoibabber · 04/07/2017 19:38

What is an acceptable punishment?

Pengggwn · 04/07/2017 19:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SideOrderofSprouts · 04/07/2017 19:41

Our primary ks2 children have table wiping monitors after lunch...