To think school shouldn't refuse my child lunch

[Rathercrossaboutthis]

DS (12) forgot his school lanyard today. He's a well behaved boy who rarely forgets things (although it causes him much anxiety to stay on top of things not least because he has HF ASD). He called me in a panic en route to school as at this school forgetting the lanyard is a behaviour point, if not a detention offence, but it was too late for me to do anything.

He just told me that he was refused entry into the canteen for not having his lanyard (even though you don't actually need the lanyard to purchase lunch as there's a "thumb print" system). The teacher concerned was apparently very unpleasant when he tried to explain and shouted 'No lanyard. No lunch". He actually usually has packed lunch and goes to a "quiet room" for this so tried to go there to ask one of the SEN staff for help but again he was blocked by this teacher. He was told he was only allowed to lessons but nowhere else.

Ok I know he broke a rule by forgetting his lanyard but surely they can't punish him by refusing him lunch??? For all this teacher knew he could've been diabetic or something.

WIBU to complain?

I can JUST imagine this teacher.

YANBU.

How awful! My son has ASD and if he doesn't eat he gets terribly stressed, grumpy, agitates and often unreasonable.

Take it up with the head or SENCO. Explain exactly as you have explained it here x

I'd actually take this to Ofsted.
If you were to deny your child food or the opportunity to get some, anyone in the children's workforce would be concerned you were neglecting him (let's be clear, I haven't said a 12 year old missing lunch once is neglect. But a child being denied food probably would be). The school have care of your child, they need to make sure he can get fed.
I'd also start sending him with a packed lunch. Although that's as easy to forget as a lanyard, so may not work.
Lunch is a right, not a privilege.
Schools are turning into the Stanford Prison Experiment!

Teacher is completely unreasonable! How did she know he didn't have diabetes or something which could make him very ill if he didn't eat! How distressing for him. I don't understand how a teacher will happily let a child go hungry.

That's terrible! I can't imagine refusing a child food. You should complain so that doesn't happen to anyone else.

Is if possible that he was being told to go and get a temporary lanyard from his head of year and then come back? Could he have panicked and misunderstood the instruction?

Pengggwn Mon 18-Sep-17 16:24:20
If I let in every student who presented me with a reason they needed to go in, they would be at risk.

Letting them in to the school would put them at risk? From what, exactly?

I would go absolutely mental if my child had to go through the day without food for whatever reason and would be going into the school to sort it out pronto.

Sounds harsh. I'm a secondary teacher and sometimes the pupils don't give their parents an accurate account of what happened. I would investigate but would make sure you have an absolutely honest account from your child.

Totally unacceptable to block his access to the quiet room and SEN support. The staff member on the door clearly should not be trusted with vulnerable young people. Are you sure it was a teacher not a non-teaching lunch supervisor? Kids don't always know the difference.

So this teacher 'shouted' "go away"
But 'muttered' "go to the year office".
That's rather skewed reportage, isn't it?

I completely believe the kid was anxious and wasn't sure what to do. But it's not fair to characterise the teacher as shouting the part he understood and muttering the part he didn't.

Is if possible that he was being told to go and get a temporary lanyard from his head of year and then come back? Could he have panicked and misunderstood the instruction?

Very possible unfortunately. He said he didn't really catch what she was saying (he misunderstands quite often) plus it was noisy, crowded and she was shouting and brushed him away with the "go away". He said he spent he spent lunchtime wandering around school alone

That's horrendous. I would complain.

I find it unacceptable whether or not there are special needs.

I'd be absolutely fuming and go straight to the year head or HT.

Common sense has gone out of the window.

I worked in an environment without uniforms for students so lanyards were for ID and safety to.some extent. They gave access to certain rooms (including senco areas). But it was always made very clear to anyone where to go without a lanyard to be issued a temporary one. There was a system in place.
Surely the form tutor would have picked up on it before lunch?

My ds has just started college if he doesn't have his lanyard they aren't allowed into the cafeteria, obviously a bit different because he's 17, they made a point of telling us at the induction day

Go straight to the head. Completely unacceptable behaviour from the teacher and if this 'No lanyard, no lunch' thing is something that comes from above, the head has some serious explaining to do.

My dd was refused lunch one day too for forgetting her card, she also has ASD and is very forgetful. Luckily one of her friends gave her some of her lunch so she didn't starve but I was I bit angry that a school would let a child go without any lunch. She also got a detention last week for forgetting her printer card which really upset her. I think sometimes they are a bit harsh, I know kids need to learn to be more organised but for some that's not easy.

if I were you, I would be straight in the school tomorrow morning demanding an explanation.

Probably best I didn't see that teacher either.

My son has ASD as well and I am aware I am over protective of him, however it is my job to speak up for him when he can't.

I feel angry for your son. What a horrible experience for him and no food

Sounds like another school where the SMT starting point is that all children are little shits who need to be rigidly controlled or the world will end. I would definitely take it up with HOY and SENCo - the teacher may be new to the school (or to teaching) or s/he may be a bully who likes shouting at DC, but the matter is worth investigating.