To think this is a ridiculous reason for DS to be put into isolation?

[varskudd]

DS(15) came home from school very annoyed yesterday, he said he was put into isolation for having a drawing on his hand/wrist. He got bored so he drew on his hand with a pen, but it's not just scribbles.

Apparently, he was told to go to the toilet and wash it off and he tried to but it wouldn't come off so they sent him to isolation. He tried to get it off at home and it wouldn't, I tried to this morning and it slightly faded but it's still there.

Aibu to think this is ridiculous?

The rule around what they are or aren’t allowed to draw on paper/desk/walls are a separate matter.

It’s not a separate matter at all. It’s the same issue. If this is the way you reason with kids it’s no wonder they run rings round you. It’s like shooting fish in a barrel.

If you're trying to avoid the drawing/writing of offensive and inappropriate things, then I don’t see how a blanket 'Don't draw on your hands' rule adds anything to the presumably already existing 'Don't draw/write anything offensive or inappropriate' rule, since the latter would cover writing on anything (hands, desks, paper, walls etc).

Bingo exactly what child would really admit to being rude or defensive or disruptive and there is only so much teachers and school can do

The upset one disruptive child can do! The impact is extraordinary.
Parents need to step up and whilst of course supporting their dc also make efforts to really see what they are loos at school
Sometimes dc with overly strict parents can act out as a release at school.
It's better to be honest and get a true picture of what's going on, it could simply be a clash with that one particular teacher.
If parents backed teachers more over all it would help enormously, it really would which is why I have been encouraging the op to ask honestly about his general attitude and be prepared for some negative feedback.

I don’t know the reason behind the no drawing on hands rule. The school felt it was necessary for whatever reason and my point is that a blanket rule saying ‘No drawing on hands’ is easier to understand and enforce than ‘No drawing on hands, unless/except…’

The rule around what they are or aren’t allowed to draw on paper/desk/walls are a separate matter.

Why? You're the one complaining about multiple rules and exceptions, and yet you're suggesting there need to be different rules for offensive writing on different surfaces.

@lazylinguist

If you're trying to avoid the drawing/writing of offensive and inappropriate things, then I don’t see how a blanket 'Don't draw on your hands' rule adds anything to the presumably already existing 'Don't draw/write anything offensive or inappropriate' rule, since the latter would cover writing on anything (hands, desks, paper, walls etc).

Exactly that. Not just me then.

I don’t know the reason behind the no drawing on hands rule. The school felt it was necessary for whatever reason

And there we have it.

and my point is that a blanket rule saying ‘No drawing on hands’ is easier to understand and enforce than ‘No drawing on hands, unless/except…’

Has anyone suggested on this thread that there should be exceptions due to situations where students specifically ought to be allowed to write on their hands? Nope. They are pretty much saying that writing on your hands isn't really a big deal, but that it's fair enough to ask them not to (and maybe even give a detention for persistent repeat offenders?), but that putting them in isolation for it is massive overkill.

Lemonmelonsun - I absolutely agree about the impact of disruptive pupils. But there is absolutely zero evidence that the OP's ds falls into that category. I mean...it's possible, but you really can't assume that.

I asked my dc about this subject yesterday, due to this thread. Dd15 says she doesn't know if there's a rule about it at their school. Certain teachers make a big fuss about it, but the vast majority don't notice or care. Dd sometimes doodles on her hands, but has never got in trouble for it, or for anything else except occasionally handing a homework in a bit late, so I don't think it's a reliable proxy for 'disruptive child' .

I used to be paid quite a lot of money write for publications you’ve almost certainly purchased yourself. My ability to think and express ideas clearly were what was valued. We had subeditors. This is irrelevant to your defence of harsh, borderline cruel discipline though, as you well know.
I know nothing of the sort. Discipline at Michaela is strict but very far from being 'borderline cruel.'
As for your job, you seem to be implying that no one who has attended a school such as Michaela, with strict discipline policies, will be capable of thinking for themselves when they leave school. A very sweeping, ill thought out assumption by someone who obviously prides themself on their analytical thinking skills.

I think there must be more to the isolation story as recounted by the OP. It's more likely to have been a result of arguing back when asked to remove the drawing. Even if they hadn't argued, the child was clearly not paying attention to the lesson if they had time to be doodling on their hand.

Even if they hadn't argued, the child was clearly not paying attention to the lesson if they had time to be doodling on their hand

A lot of people find doodling aids concentration. I happen to be one of them. Once again, presumably doodling is fine as long as it’s not on a body part. Which is completely illogical.

@Blossomtoes

I really feel one of the greatest problems in society currently is the fact that too many children never received any sort of teaching in critical thinking, hence problems like the acceptance of stupid rules and, indeed, hence the fact that we currently have the most corrupt and stupid government in the western world. And, of course, they utterly love schools like Michaela

Nail on head.

Totally.

Isolation has its place in school.

But it's meant to be for students at risk of exclusion to prevent that and work with them to integrate.

Nowadays it's used for minor discretions.

There's no denying teaching is hard and teachers struggle in classrooms full of disruptive children and this is an easy way to remove them.

But it doesn't get to the heart of the problem.