DD15 was forced to do PE today despite having a sprained hand

[pennywisetheclown]

DD15 on Monday accidentally fell off her chair in classroom at school picking something of hers up when she got her right hand trapped between the 2 desks. Came up a bit bruised on the Monday so thought it would go down as she wasn't really complaining too much about it and also said to her give it till Weds and if still not better we go Drs (Urgent Care).

Yesterday at school a ice pack was applied to it and took her drs and they said its just bruising/slightly sprained and to give it time to settle down - paracetamol for pain and ice pack to be used which we did.

Today as she had PE I emailed her Head of Year to say that she had hurt her hand and as it was bruised/slightly sprained depending on the type of PE she was going to do if she could maybe take part in another way but to not be left out either as she does like PE. I also told her to pass message on to PE Teachers.

However DD15 came home and said that despite her telling PE Teacher the situation she was forced to do PE (daughters words).
PE was netball and as she went to catch the ball her thumb bent backwards and was quite swollen around her thumb area so took her to Urgent Care to be told she has to have a Splint put on for a few days.

Not sure whether to say anything to Head of Year (she may not have seen/read message as she always replies back) and if so what to say. Or whether I should speak to PE Teacher/s to ask if Head of Year actually passed on my message.

My son, same age, sprained his finger a few weeks ago. He asked me to write a note for his PE teacher because he didn’t think he would be let off PE (table tennis but he couldn’t grip a bat) just on his say so.
Perhaps they didn’t see your email and didn’t think her hand was that bad?

It seems that some PE teachers might be so used to kids making up excuses to try and get out of doing PE that they don't believe the genuine ones.
Something similar happened to my dd2 following an injury, and I was livid (and told the school in no uncertain terms that I'd sue the pants off them if they did it again).

Sorry posted too soon.
I think YANBU to be annoyed by the situation but I don’t think there’s much you can do about it now and I would probably write a passive aggressive email explaining that your daughter has to have a splint due to being forced to do PE after saying she couldn’t. That’s if you can be sure that’s the whole truth? I know my son would usually do PE at all costs because he loves it

Would it not have been better to send a note in with your daughter for the PE teacher rather than emailing the head of year who may not have seen your email in time or may have been too busy to prioritise passing on a message to a PE teacher

Yeah PE teachers have heard ALL the excuses from parents. Should have taken a doctors letter in.

If anyone ever forced my child to participate in their underwear heads would absolutely roll.

Op, I feel for you. I would take it further if it was me, but I live in an area where the parents have a greater amount of authority over their kids' schooling. Notes from parents here have to be taken seriously by the staff or the SHTF. I don't know which system works better, it's just a different approach.

I hope your daughter's hand gets better soon!'

That's weird coz yr10 DS was forced to do no PE for weeks after recent injuries, one of which was barely dislodging a bone at tip of his finger (he wore the shortest, tiniest splint ever). They wouldn't even let him jog.

Emailing isn’t the most reliable form of communication in a busy school environment. There’s a good chance they didn’t see the email in time and your DD’s newest injury appears to be just bad luck.

@TraceyTheOne
I’m sure that’s illegal forcing a teenager to strip down to her bra and pants!

Assuming the email didn’t reach them...in fairness a sprained wrist probably doesn’t look like anything. PE teachers would be daft to excuse every child who said they had a bruised limb! Better to send a note in next time - I always sign and date it and usually put my mobile no. on it so they can ring and check if necessary - that way there is no confusion and no legitimate excuse to refuse to let ds stay off the lesson.

Blimey times have changed. I got out of all PE for a term with chilblains. Told the teacher myself as well. Hated PE and all games so very adept at excuses. As I was ‘A danger to myself and others on the hockey field” most excuses worked. I was a keen swimmer so if the excuses didn’t work used to refuse to represent the school at inter school galas.

Posted too soon. A keen swimmer but not competitive so couldn’t care less about galas.

I think it's in response to a deleted post.

Ideally you should really email the tutor and PE teacher and send her with a note. Teachers teach. All day. And heads of year do a shed load on top. Your message may not have got to the teacher in time. And some kids will do anything to get out of P.E. also bear in mind the PE staff probably take the approach of getting everyone involved ie into kit and on the field but not putting injured girls at undue risk.

It sounds like they didn't see the email so in future I would write a note.

That said it really pisses me off as a secondary teacher when teachers don't trust teenagers. Yes they might be lying but 9 times out of 10 you know which ones are likely to be lying

E.g. If a child who is generally well behaved came to me and said " i can't do my homework because I have a family funeral please give me an extensio " i wouldn't ask for a note or not trust them. If someone who had a poor homework record and was regularly in trouble for behaviour said the same thing I might say " no problem just get your parents to write a quick note in your planner please" I would never say to any child "I don't believe you" which is what the PE teacher essentially did to your child.