AIBU Fuming about face mask

[yan79]

Hi,
I don’t know if I’m just being a little sensitive but my 13 yo son returned to school on Monday after half term and has received a 1 hour after school detention for forgetting his face mask. I’m livid! It seems quite a punishment for something that isn’t a bad behaviour or intentional. Gosh, I forget my mask on a weekly basis and have to go back to the car to fetch it etc.
They don’t have to wear a mask in class (only on the corridors) he’s only ever forgotten his mask once since we started wearing them (he was in school the entire lockdown as I’m a NHS worker)
and school have a box of Masks for students that do forget them so he did wear one that day. It wasn’t even the teacher who gave out the detention, it was student services where he went when he realised he’d forgotten his mask and they provided him with one.
He’s a good lad and never really causes any commotion or trouble but he’s quite angry about this detention too. I’m tempted to call school and speak to somebody but I don’t know if I’m just being a little OTT and he deserves the detention and we should just ‘suck it up’

I don't like schools going OTT about one off forgotten items. It doesn't help the students who genuinely have issues with organisation and it caises way too much stress when the average student inevitably forgets something (as we all do).

That does seem a bit harsh - when my high school ds was wearing masks at school if you forgot you could buy one for think it was something like 20p.
You didn't get a detention for it.
Didn't realise some schools were still wearing masks in the UK, must be dependent on area as you don't have to here any more, not in the classrooms or corridors!

I absolutely hated school and now my son is in secondary school I still hate it.

Its like corporate bullshit with stupid rules.

I dropped my DD off at school recently and the SENCO rushed in saying to the head teacher that she has been running late that morning and had forgotten her mask, so would have to go straight to the office to get one.

I agree with charging them. Makes them think twice about forgetting but is a minor issue if they only forget occasionally.

Speak to them about the detention? I would.

You can't punish someone for forgetting a mask hut have a box full for that exact reason.

Someone is just power hungry.

But*

Were parents and pupils aware that this could be a punishment for not having a mask?

I forgot my mask for work a few weeks ago and just grabbed a disposable one. Wasn't punished for it. So I wouldn't expect a child to be either.
This isn't logical though Rosebel - there are lots of things you can be punished for at school that you wouldn't be as an adult in the workforce. There's also a myriad of things you wouldn't dream of doing as an adult (I would hope) that young people in school do on a daily basis.
I don't agree with charging either - how is it practical, how do you take the money? What do you do if they don't have money or refuse - let them not have one? Charging only works for a product the buyer actually wants!

Don't be that parent.

Schools can be silly sometimes. It's a good opportunity to learn that life isn't always fair, and sometimes you just have to suck it up. It's just an hour after school - no big black mark on his record in perpetuity.

And frankly, the school wants kids to remember to bring their bloody facemasks! Support your son's school.

What the school is basically saying is that a one off small mistake is something that must have consequences.

Which is fine as long as all school staff are absolutely perfect and never ever make any small mistakes.

But if they are not - and occasionally make small one off mistakes then I would find that unacceptable. All those times that a teacher slightly mismarked work - formal complaint. Teacher forgets to set homework - formal complaint. Teacher ill - formal complaint. Small admin error by admin staff - formal complaint.

I would be angry at this too. I’m a teacher. At my school loss don’t have to wear masks at all. Even on corridors. But staff do

I think it’s hugely unfair. When kids were wearing masks we just have them another one if they forgot.

Extremely harsh

(As a teacher)

Detention seems super harsh. I would query that that is the policy (we wouldn't have enough teachers to run all the detentions if we did this!),

We do give negative 'behaviour' points for forgotten masks. It's -5 points. For objectivity, for getting your pen should get you -10. We email parents of repeat offenders, because masks cost money, but a one-off would just be points.

@Mistressinthetulips The point the poster was making was that as an adult we often make minor mistakes and they get taken at face value. You accidentally forgot your mask, there was no negative intention behind it. Yet if a teenager does it it's somehow considered to be deliberate and requires a punishment. Why are we holding teenagers to higher standards than adults.

Face masks aren't enforceable in schools

Yes they are, for example this school is enforcing them through detentions- it's in the OP. I do wish people on MN wouldn't post nonsense with such certainty.

Each school sets their own rules for the H and S of students and staff based on:

1. The national DfE guidance (generally not needed in classrooms in most schools).
2. The guidance for the area (e.g. generally needed in classrooms in the North West).
3. Their particular school's situation (e.g. ventilation, distancing).

An hour's detention seems harsh to me. Maybe there is more to it and he was rude, maybe the school has a lot of problems with non-compliance maybe any number of reasons.

Personally I wouldn't phone the school for one detention but you know your son and if you are worried, phone his head of year and just ask.

It seems a bit excessive. However being “livid” also seems a bit excessive.

@donquixotedelamancha

Face masks aren't enforceable in schools

Yes they are, for example this school is enforcing them through detentions- it's in the OP. I do wish people on MN wouldn't post nonsense with such certainty.

Each school sets their own rules for the H and S of students and staff based on:

1. The national DfE guidance (generally not needed in classrooms in most schools).
2. The guidance for the area (e.g. generally needed in classrooms in the North West).
3. Their particular school's situation (e.g. ventilation, distancing).

An hour's detention seems harsh to me. Maybe there is more to it and he was rude, maybe the school has a lot of problems with non-compliance maybe any number of reasons.

Personally I wouldn't phone the school for one detention but you know your son and if you are worried, phone his head of year and just ask.

No rudeness or non compliance

On this occasion I would be ‘that’ parent.

When I was Head of Sixth Form many years ago, my biggest problem wasn't the students, but a coterie of really punitive teachers who would be constantly sending nice kids to me who had committed very minor 'offences', such as not tucking in their shirt, and demanding that I dish out draconian punishments. Ghastly tin pot Hitlers!

I'd be refusing to let the detention go ahead but he clearly needs more than one mask with a disposable as back up. Can't you just get him a couple of packs of reusables and you or he wash them regularly so there are always clean ones available?

I would be 'that parent' too. It is pretty reasonable to expect that at least one person is going to forget their mask.
Detentions seem to be sometimes given out for the most ridiculous reasons.

Whatwasigoingtosay surely the issue there was the school rules - either it was in the school rules to have a certain type of dress or it wasn't. It's annoying as a teacher to have something held up as a rule and then not enforced. Just change the rules!
I'm loving the lack of focus on dress code with Covid changes, frees up more time for other stuff.

That's ridiculous. The school should keep some spare masks. Even if they charge to cover the cost.

Punishing kids for forgetting a mask is encouraging them to say that they are exempt even if they aren't because they won't be hassled for it.

I really don't agree with detention for things like this or uniform issues. Not all kids home circumstances support them being able to arrive on time, have correct uniform and equipment.

No rudeness or non compliance

Give 'em a bell. It reads like a policy but an hour for a second forgetting of a mask does seem excessive. I'm surprised at any school having that as policy.