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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is this punishment acceptable?

110 replies

Robyrollover · 12/12/2017 16:27

At school DC was told to stand at the front of class with arms outstretched holding a bean bag in each hand for not listening, for 5 minutes. Dc is 12.

AIBU if I complain?

OP posts:
Italiangreyhound · 13/12/2017 00:11

Not at all acceptable. I would complain. The aim is humiliation, not good in anyone's book.

Wisteriastreet · 13/12/2017 00:16

Nuclear. Fucking nuclear.

Moanaohnana · 13/12/2017 00:25

It's intended to cause discomfort to the body as a punishment. I'd hit the fucking roof.

nursy1 · 13/12/2017 00:28

It sounds like a stress position.
My youngest was once made to write out a spelling mistake she had made on the blackboard in front of the class ( a teaching assistant who was covering for the class teacher off sick).
In front of the whole class has an element of public humiliation - especially to be singled out. I’d have a wird

nursy1 · 13/12/2017 00:29

Word

Sprinklestar · 13/12/2017 00:56

I'd complain, and I'd report to Ofsted. Not ok at all.

Chocolate254 · 13/12/2017 06:56

Of course its an excuse ceto! Think we will have to agree to disagree on that one.

ReanimatedSGB · 13/12/2017 08:35

It doesn't matter what the child did to earn the punishment. It's corporal punishment and it's illegal.
Go to the school's website and look at the behaviour policy (if there isn't one on display, the school's heading for trouble but you can request a copy of it.)
Speak to the HT first, and if you don't get an immediate investigation, go to the Chair of Governors, and escalate to Ofsted if you have to.

Yes, schools can apply sanctions for bad behaviour (removal from classroom, detention etc) but they may not do anything to a pupil which intentionally causes physical pain. This teacher should be sacked for gross misconduct.

sinceyouask · 13/12/2017 08:39

Not to me. I'd discuss it with the teacher concerned if possible, as a starting point. When I'd heard their side of things I'd ask to speak to someone more senior.

Coffeeandcrochet · 13/12/2017 08:45

We had a teacher who used to do this - he had a medicine ball for the purpose. This was late 1990s/early 2000s btw. We just accepted it as normal Confused looking back I don't think it was ok, and you should definitely raise it with the school!

notfromstepford · 13/12/2017 12:03

OP - I would complain too. Doesn't matter if he was momentarily distracted or disrupted the entire class - that punishment isn't acceptable. And if it was such a minor thing as not listening for a minute - it is incredibly harsh.
I don't listen in meetings sometimes because I get distracted and I'm 42! 12 year old in the last week of term - hardly a crime IMO.

Lostmyunicorn · 13/12/2017 12:15

what you describe is illegal. Would those posters saying don't complain be ok with the DC being caned or slippered (as happened in my day). All these are punishments whose purpose is physical pain. It's illegal and any head worth their salt would want to know if it was happening in their school. Yes, sanction the behaviour but not with an illegal punishment. There's a difference between saying 'my precious DC should not be punished at all' and questioning whether the method used was acceptable. In this case it clearly isn't.

Chocolate254 · 13/12/2017 14:03

Who said dont complain?

CorbynsBumFlannel · 13/12/2017 14:10

Surprising number of fans of bringing back corporal punishment on this thread!
If this has happened then it is absolutely not on op. I would email the head with what your dc has told you and tell them that you'd like them to investigate.

CorbynsBumFlannel · 13/12/2017 14:13

And my dc has been punished for getting distracted by a display on the wall despite having autism! It was the teacher who told me this so it isn't outside the realms of possibility.
My dc wasn't made to stand with arms outstretched holding beanbags though at least!

MissionItsPossible · 13/12/2017 14:30

Haven't read through the whole thread but when I was 10 I had to a similar punishment. I can't explain it properly but I had to have my arms out in front of me and hands flat and then every two seconds turn them into fists and then back again, for 10 minutes straight. My arms felt like they were going to drop off, it was agony.

selassi · 13/12/2017 14:34

the teacher is clearly a time traveller from 1892

Chocolate254 · 13/12/2017 14:52

Again I cant find any fans of corporal punishment either, Think most people have voiced how they don't agree with it.
Haha selassi!

CorbynsBumFlannel · 13/12/2017 14:56

Have a look at the first few replies!

missperegrinespeculiar · 13/12/2017 15:39

standing with weights? taking away chairs? standing with hands on mouth? what the hell is this? I think any teacher doing this should be sacked!

Original poster
Robyrollover · 13/12/2017 15:56

Suprised to see such a mix of reactions . I'm still not sure what to do. I'm thinking email the head?

OP posts:
GabriellaMontez · 13/12/2017 16:04

It's illegal. Contact the school. Ask to speak to the head or head of year. Describe what happened. Ask if they agree it is corporal punishment. Ask what they'll be doing about it.

Kursk · 13/12/2017 16:06

It’s probably not an officially allowed punishment. But if it was my child that had been misbehaving and that was the punishment, I wouldn’t have a issue with it.

combatbarbie · 13/12/2017 16:19

That's classed as a stress position! I'd be going nuts....

If your not allowed to use stress positions in prisons or with prisoners of war so why is it acceptable to do it to a child? Angry

flumpybear · 13/12/2017 16:32

I think it needs bringing up with the Head urgently as other parents may really take exception to this hideous punishment - it d finitely needs some type of assessment as I can't believe it would be allowed

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