To think this total dickhead student should be permanently excluded?

[WotFreeWords]

I have a teenager in a school 6th form, in a Tier 3 area.

Student in a different form went for a covid test last Thursday due to very mild symptoms, but didn't inform school. Stayed off school Friday. Went to another students 18th birthday party Saturday night. Went back to school Monday

Test came back positive yesterday. School only found out this morning.

About half of 6th form (everyone who has been in lessons or tutor group with them) now sent home to self isolate, school staff trying frantically to find out who else was at the party so they can be told to isolate as well, but not many are coming forward because obviously they know damn well there should have been no bloody party in the first place!!!

My poor teenager, who has complied with every restriction, worked their arse off to keep up good grades etc etc, now sent home to isolate for the last 2 days before half term. They haven't been to a party since last sodding New Year because they take it seriously.

I'm hopping fucking mad. What sort of selfish little TWAT does that? If I was the head I'd have the student who went to a fucking party while meant to be self isolating permanently excluded by whatever means I could find. I mean how dare they fuck it up for the other kids like this?

(And no, it's not gossip, they all know who it was and what happened. They have been asked to come forward if they were at the party but so far the other kids know of several who are denying it )

[OzziePopPop]

@WombatChocolate

When people cock up or do something illegal (going to the party) there need to be proportionate repercussions.

This is true for all age groups. The punishment for a small child with limited understanding has to be proportionate. The repercussions for a younger teen need to be proportionate. For an older teen adult they need to be proportionate.

Proportionate reflects seriousness. Going to illegal parties during a pandemic and then attending college whilst waiting for a test is serious. These actions must be seen as serious and not akin to not giving in your homework or smoking down the alley from school or first time shoplifting. The fact lots of adults seem happy to turn a blind eye shows that people of all ages are not taking the requirement not to mix in Tier 3 areas seriously.

This won't be a prison sentence. That would be disproportionate. But a fine from the Police wouldn't be disproportionate and neither woukd an exclusion from college. I suspect a permanant exclusion wouldn't be used by the college. I'd imagine if this were a large workplace, it could result in the worker being sacked.

If a blind eye is turned every time these things happen 'because they are struggling teens who have had a rough deal' then no-one will ever take the restrictions seriously.....and is t that what we need to happen. In a way, this boy receiving a fine from the Police and a serious punishment from the college will have an impact on him but also send an important message to the other teens too....isn't that part of the role of these policies. If the law is never enforced, what's the point in having it?

Wish I could like/upvote this!

[christinarossetti19]

What BogRollBOGOF says.

It's two weeks isolation, one of which is half term anyway. An absolute PITA, but pretty much everything about covid is.

It was a serious mistake, a stupid error of judgement, but a permanent exclusion would be disproportionate, unlikely to be within any grounds for exclusion the school has, and wouldn't benefit your child's education which, of course, is your primary concern.

[alreadytaken]

On another thread someone is being told they should cancel their wedding because their child now has to isolate. If I had to do that because of an irresponsible teen I'd be inclined to sue them for the cost of the wedding.

At my child's school if someone had done this I'm pretty sure it would have been mentioned in the school reference for university or a future employer - as it should be.

I'd regard a temporary exclusion as perfectly justified, permanently a bit too much.

[christinarossetti19]

Also, his irresponsible actions need to weighed up with the fact that he did behave responsibly by telling the school about the positive test.

An overly harsh punishment would be a deterrent to students being honest in future, which would hardly be helpful would it?

[Miljea]

@WombatChocolate

How frustrating.
Teen errors of judgement are common but fortunately don t usually impact vast numbers of people.

I think in this case the seriousness of the issue (and it is serious as there is a health risk to the elderly cot acts of all these students) needs to made clear and reflected in the repercussions. I would hope the Police would impose the fine on all those at the party. It is a matter for the Police and not just the parents or school. It isn't an issue to turn a blind eye to, nor to say 'oh silly teens' which is why government powers have been given to the Police to enforce the rules and punish those who break them.

I would also expect the parents to crack down heavily on this and also the school as it is damaging the education of many people.

There need to be repurchasions. AND then the school and the family need to say to the teen that they must bear the repercussions but beyond that a line will be drawn under them, because people make mistakes. When this happens, we do our punishment and then we move on. So that teen remains loved by their family. If the school or college lets them remain, they move forward after any punishment with a line drawn under it. It doesn't mean their life is ruined forever or they are rpforever cast out from the family or society. BUT both need to happen.....there cannot be no punishment for this (and just a 'daft teens' kind of comment) and there cannot be any hanging them out to dry for the rest of their life. It was serious and a serious repercussion is needed.....and then move on.

And Op you will have to leave it to the Police and the school to decide on the best course of action and pursue it. It will not be up to the parents of the people impacted to decide the boys fate.

You missed out the hung, drawn and quartered part! 😂


Calm down.

[MushMonster]

Whatever is difficult to understand on "stay home self isolating till getting the results". Not sure why people do this?! And then, you know is not like they went into a shop to get food because they were caught without, no, a party!
They will get a disciplinary for sure. And the same for the party goers/ organisers.
But not permanent exclusion.
We all are having to exercise a lot of patient these days! Well done to yours for behaving properly. And now the time can be used enjoying and studying. The main punishment for the others is that they are not going anywhere for 14 days!

[Miljea]

@mum11970

I can’t believe they went for a test on Thursday and it took until Tuesday for the results to come back.

Indeed. Where's the outrage about that?

[SecretSpAD]

I see where you are coming from but it must be so difficult for young people to be so restricted

It's difficult for everyone to be so restricted. But while twats like this boy and his parents flout the rules then the longer our lives will be restricted.

Unfortunately there are some parents who seem only concerned with their children's needs and wants and don't seem to give a shit about the impact of their actions. No one is enjoying this.

[Gazelda]

WotFreeWords
Yeah, maybe my opinion is coloured by the fact that by 18 I was living independently and going to college while my baby was in nursery. I don't understand why everyone thinks 18 yr olds can't manage to stay at home watching Netflix while they wait for test results, it's hardly rocket science 
I don't think having a baby by the age of 18 demonstrates that you were particularly responsible yourself.

I'm staggered that no one else has picked up this rude post. It could surely be classed as a personal attack.

OP, I'd be fuming too. But I think expulsion is too harsh. He made a very serious error. He behaved selfishly. Hopefully his classmates will let him know exactly how much he's wrecked their half term, and cost them class time.

I wonder what on earth his parents were thinking?

[Gazelda]

Bold fail there. My comment referred to the response to the first paragraph.

[Haskell]

That's pretty much normal time for postal tests.

[Miljea]

@VintageStitchers

I agree OP.

If he’s permanently excluded, it’s sending a message to the other students to start taking this seriously and act responsibly and not treating this as a minor annoyance that’s restricting their freedom.

I wonder if the posters siding with the student are the same ones who think taking illegal drugs is perfectly normal?

.....or it's sending the message that you're better off not getting a test at all, if those are the consequences?

I've deleted the App off my phone because I'm a HCP and I keep forgetting to disable it at work.

[StCharlotte]

@Charmatt

It wouldn't fit the criteria for exclusion in any behaviour policy.
Everyone does dickhead things when they are that age.
Unfortunately but not the end of the world.

But it might be the end of someone else's world...

[asprinklingofsugar]

YANBU - it's incredibly selfish and it wasn't a mistake. It was blatant disregard for the rules.

[user1497207191]

The real anger should be at the dickhead parents who facilitated it!

[Bramleyapples13]

I think the parents should get the 10k fine. They must have known their kid had symptoms and had to have a test. And must have wondered at some point "where is my child? 🤔 I'm sure I have one?"

[ParisianLady]

What the hell is wrong with people that they'd write this off as a mistake? It's a serious breach of rules which are there for the safety of others.

I'm generally fairly liberal but I wouldn't object to short jail sentences for people who break isolation rules in this way. A few weeks of sad face DM stories of families with locked up idiot relations would work wonders for people obeying the rules.

[Topseyt]

You are entitled to be annoyed, but wanting him to be permanently excluded is an overreaction.

[littlealexhorne]

We've had a similar situation here, only the mum sent her son in before his (positive) test result came back so she could go to work. Now for one she shouldn't be going to work anyway, she should be isolating too, and secondly this is a 17 year old, so hardly in need of childcare.

[Aragog]

He isn't a kid, he's 18. Hope he's thrown out for causing so much trouble for other students.

I don't. I really do not think he should lose his education due to this mistake.

Just like I don't think the kids he went to the party with should be punished for their mistake either.

Let's face it, the MP who caught a train after getting a positive result - and presumably knowing they'd had a test and had symptoms, didn't lose her job did she? Nor have any of the other so called responsible adults who have ignored rules despite being in parliament jobs.

So why would an 18y who we know doesn't have a full formed brain so is more liable to making mistakes where this kind of logical thinking is required?

Fortunately due to the timing your DC will only miss a couple of days education all being well, and will stay well throughout.

[rashalert]

@WombatChocolate

When people cock up or do something illegal (going to the party) there need to be proportionate repercussions.

This is true for all age groups. The punishment for a small child with limited understanding has to be proportionate. The repercussions for a younger teen need to be proportionate. For an older teen adult they need to be proportionate.

Proportionate reflects seriousness. Going to illegal parties during a pandemic and then attending college whilst waiting for a test is serious. These actions must be seen as serious and not akin to not giving in your homework or smoking down the alley from school or first time shoplifting. The fact lots of adults seem happy to turn a blind eye shows that people of all ages are not taking the requirement not to mix in Tier 3 areas seriously.

This won't be a prison sentence. That would be disproportionate. But a fine from the Police wouldn't be disproportionate and neither woukd an exclusion from college. I suspect a permanant exclusion wouldn't be used by the college. I'd imagine if this were a large workplace, it could result in the worker being sacked.

If a blind eye is turned every time these things happen 'because they are struggling teens who have had a rough deal' then no-one will ever take the restrictions seriously.....and is t that what we need to happen. In a way, this boy receiving a fine from the Police and a serious punishment from the college will have an impact on him but also send an important message to the other teens too....isn't that part of the role of these policies. If the law is never enforced, what's the point in having it?

An absolutely brilliant post!

It's the only way forward. I was going to say the little git should be taken out and have his arse kicked around the college but your post is much more reasoned and grown up.

I'd still find the little shit and kick his arse if I was the OP because nothing spells satisfaction like administering a swift kick up the hole to an entitled, ignorant man who thinks the rest of his world should be inconvenienced for him.

You ae the adult in this thread though, @WombatChocolate

[StealthPolarBear]

I love that we hold our teenagers to higher standards than our elected officials and their advisors.

[OwlBeThere]

It’s two days. Calm down.

[Pelleas]

@StealthPolarBear

I love that we hold our teenagers to higher standards than our elected officials and their advisors.

Who says we do? If I had my way, I'd sack and prosecute all the MPs and hangers-on who've broken the rules.

[maddening]

His whole family should have been isolating with him, the whole family should be fined and then whoever had the party.