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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Not impressed with the daily chanting. Do other secondary schools do this?

332 replies

ReanimatedSGB · 12/01/2018 09:00

DS is in Year 8 and he has told me that, at the start of every lesson, they all have to stand up and chant together, something along the lines of 'we promise to be good and work hard' (OK that's NOT the wording, don';t want to give exact wording in case it outs us).

Every lesson FFS. This strikes me as a waste of time (DS told me that the class took to dragging it out as much as possible in lessons no one likes) and... well. a bit creepy and cultish. AIBU?

OP posts:
C0untDucku1a · 13/01/2018 11:06

BUT who decides what is a sensible rule?

And why cant the child who think it isnt a sensible rule raise it at the student council, rather than just ignore the rules they dont think are sensible?

user1497199406 · 13/01/2018 11:08

There is also nothing in the teacher training process that states teachers should allow parents to dictate what rules are good enough for children to follow. If, god forbid, your child ever falls into legal trouble, are you going to tell the judge that you disagree with the law?

CourtneyLoveIsMySpiritAnimal · 13/01/2018 11:09

'so what if they smacked someone. I told them if anyone say owt then you batter them'

Maisy are you a teacher at my son's school? This sounds exactly like some of the parents from there.

As to the rest of the thread, I wouldn't be a teacher these days for a gold pig. It's no wonder teachers are leaving the profession in droves Hmm

user1497199406 · 13/01/2018 11:10

Home education is an option in most countries. If parents feel that professionals are too incompetent to create sensible rules, why not home educate? I'm genuinely curious because it seems less troublesome than fighting schools over every tiny issue.

Original poster
ReanimatedSGB · 13/01/2018 11:10

If my child got into legal trouble for breaking a law that was poorly formed and unethical you bet I would be campaigning and hiring lawyers. There are all sorts of laws in place which are harmful and stupid.

My point is: the government is not always on your side and it is perfectly reasonable to question authority.

OP posts:
Mammasmitten · 13/01/2018 11:11

MaisyPops, to quote Op's previous comment regarding the chant: 'it's along the lines of being ready to learn and achieve'. I interpret that as an attempt to motivate the students to learn and achieve. We can agree to disagree if you likeWink And from my involvement in education and interest in pedagogy I'm of the opinion that there are better ways to motivate students to want to learn and apply themselves. There are plenty of schools all over the world who achieve that without the use of chanting.

ppeatfruit · 13/01/2018 11:11

User 149 It's a great pity that the laws of this land are often either totally mystifying or incredibly hypocritical. I suppose we must expect schools to follow suit Grin

user1497199406 · 13/01/2018 11:12

In that case, Reanimated, there is no point continuing any debate because anyone, whether it be school, court, government, etc, who disagrees with your stance will merely be cast aside as wrong.

ppeatfruit · 13/01/2018 11:14

Exactly Reanimated

PigletWasPoohsFriend · 13/01/2018 11:14

We should learn from history and recognize the red flags. Stop it before it's too late. Nazi Germany was gradually conditioned over time

FFS if you think we are anything like that then give your head a massive wobble!

user1497199406 · 13/01/2018 11:14

Of course it's reasonable to question authority. But unless something is harming you or your child directly, why pour the energy into making life difficult? Chanting is a bit cheesy, no doubt, but it's not harmful. There are bigger battles.

bfgdreamtree · 13/01/2018 11:15

that's not for you to decide. My children would not be chanting, and that would be the end of it.

user1497199406 · 13/01/2018 11:18

Of course. It's your right as a parent. So please, home educate if you are going to be difficult about every little thing. There are huge issues in schools today where you might have to fight for your child and be taken seriously. I don't like the phrase "that parent", but it's definitely easier to be taken seriously re. the big issues if you haven't thrown a fit over small ones.

WitchesHatRim · 13/01/2018 11:19

that's not for you to decide. My children would not be chanting, and that would be the end of it.

So remove them from the school then.

ppeatfruit · 13/01/2018 11:20

I did some supply teaching in an RC school and those prayers before every break time were IIMO indoctrination. Chanting silly rules are almost as bad.

bfgdreamtree · 13/01/2018 11:20

Why does she have to home educate because the school have introduced a stupid chanting thing that is not standard to schools?
It is not for you to say what are the big issues. Are you always this arrogant?
You sound like a teacher

user1497199406 · 13/01/2018 11:20

Where is the line? What is ok for schools to decide? As Courtney said, no wonder this country is haemorrhaging teachers Hmm

bfgdreamtree · 13/01/2018 11:20

So remove them from the school then

No. Remove the chanting from the school.

WitchesHatRim · 13/01/2018 11:22

It is not for you to say what are the big issues. Are you always this arrogant?

Says the person who is stating what the school will or won't be doing.

ppeatfruit · 13/01/2018 11:22

bfg We're not all the same Grin

WitchesHatRim · 13/01/2018 11:23

It is not for you to say what are the big issues. Are you always this arrogant?
You sound like a teacher

You sound like a GF and no I'm not a teacher.

user1497199406 · 13/01/2018 11:23

Bfg, so who does decide what the big issues are? I would say that isn't for teachers or parents to decide, merely that common sense should prevail. As for "you sound like a teacher" Hmm there is the problem in a nutshell. Teachers want what is best for your children, they pour hours of their free time, unpaid, into providing that. And it's a little irritating when parents pick over nonsense issues instead of supporting teachers. You'll probably find the chanting is a senior team initiative that class teachers have been forced into.

usedtogotomars · 13/01/2018 11:26

What is weird about this thread is how many people think that teachers should never be questioned! And if you do question them, no matter how nicely, you are single handedly responsible for teachers leaving the profession in droves! Confused

NeverUseThisName · 13/01/2018 11:26

My secondary school had very formal behaviour rules, one of which was that you stood up in silence when the teacher (any teacher!) walked in at the beginning of a lesson, and did not sit down again until the teacher told you to do so. A very clear and grounding start to the lesson. Though not necessarily popular with the students.

This was in the late 70s. One year 'they' decided to move with the times and relax the formality a bit. Now we could stay seated when the teacher came in, but once she was ready to start the lesson we all - including the teacher - chanted a similar mantra to the OP's.

It was rubbish.

Within a term the old system was reinstated - at the students' request.

The well-behaved/motivated/hard-working students felt infantilised and patronised. The shy students felt embarrassed. The shirkers felt validated - they were being encouraged to make promises that they knew, and the teachers knew, they wouldn't or couldn't keep.

But while I think it really is a nonsensical method, is it really one for parents to get het up over? Definitely a pick your battles situation.

bfgdreamtree · 13/01/2018 11:27

As Courtney said, no wonder this country is haemorrhaging teachers hmm

Teachers are leaving because parents don't want their kids doing cultish chanting?

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