Bias at school in selection of teams and positions

[GiftOfGob]

At our child's Primary school, there has always been a tendancy for roles in sports teams and positions held in school to be allocated to the same children, often the children of teaching staff or friends of.
Has anyone else encountered this and if so, did you do anything about it?
My sister lives in a different part of the country and says there was none of this at their primary school and it's weird then there were no children with parents on the teaching staff at the school.
AIBU to think this is unfair on other kids who don't get a look in or is it a fact of life, it's who you know, get over it?!

edwinbear,

I would welcome some trialling...
similarly at our school, it is only cross country...other sports based on participation in pe which does not always necessarily encompass the school team sports, ie, ten pin bowling.
Most of the kids in the competitive sports teams are already playing for outside clubs. There are kids we know who are perfectly good enough for the team who don't get a look in and whose parents can't afford to send them to clubs and activities outside school who miss out because the school lacks creativity and inclusion when it comes to selection!

LizzieBet14,
That's what you'd expect right...?
So blatant and obvious when it's the same 5/6 kids whose parents just so happen to work at the school or best friends with the head's kids!
This is not isolated year groups either, this has been going on for years! Same faces in the newsletters! No embarrassment whatsoever. Nauseating!
Send them over to our school, they'll soon be picked first...for everything!

This just seems to carry on and on. I argued this when my DC were young and pointed out it is no achievement for the school to pick kids who play for outside teams. Pick the kids who don't play outside school and you get the true reflection of the school teaching/ coaching... play 2nds/3rds matches etc..imagine if school only entered outside tutored kids for exams because they are 'the best for the role' and most likely to achieve.

We were discussing this a few days ago. In Primary School my partner and I were always the reserves for the country dancing show At secondary school I was very good at tennis but not selected for the team because I wasn’t in the netball team. Everyone in the room had similar stories. My GD has missed out on being selected for the swimming team because she hasn’t been able to practice during the pandemic while other girls were swimming at home.

I think schools should be playing B,C teams etc. DC's school play all the way down to E teams because they make a point of ensuring every child will represent the school in sport at least once a term.

I do see the flip side though, primarily in athletics and XC as DS's primary sports. It's not confidence building for a child who isn't quite so fast to run against children so much faster. I've seen many a child who runs the 800m in 3 mins, competing against children who run it in 2.20 - 2.30. Likewise children who run the 100m in over 15 secs competing against children who run sub 13. Being the child who still has 200m of an 800m to go, when everyone else has finished isn't a nice experience for them and is more likely to put them off. I officiated at a county high jump competition once, where one child couldn't clear the bar at the starting height of 110cms, whereas many cleared over 130cms. That child went off in tears and it was heart breaking to watch.

@mrsm43s

In my experience, the children chosen to do things are usually the ones who are capable, show commitment, and often are confident. They also have parents who support bringing them along to practises/rehearsals etc.

It's not nepotism or favouritism, its choosing the best child for the job.

I am not a teacher or PTA member or in anyway linked to the school and have two children. One is hard working, determined, committed, turned up to every practise, always learnt her lines/practised her music/did any prep work required, was well behaved, always volunteered. She got picked for things all the time, she also put effort into doing the best job she could do. My other child, whilst perfectly capable is inclined to be lazy, puts in little effort, is scatty and will miss practises (or prioritise a more fun activity), will leave things like learning lines til the last minute, can be prone to mucking about - he often (but not always) volunteered, but would be picked far less often that my other child. Rightly so, simply not as committed.

If your child really wants to be picked, then they have to make sure that they consistently show the behaviours that make them the best child for the job.

This continues in Secondary BTW, and is even more pronounced. Prizes at prize giving will go to either the best or the one who has consistently made the most effort. Sports teams are picked by the best player. Choir/orchestra are usually filled on talent. Form captain/sports captain/house captain/Head boy/girl are picked based on how a child behaves. There's no more "everyone gets a turn to be Star of the Week". If you don't put the effort in, you won't get the reward.

This is spot on. I read posts like the ops and just think 'sour grapes.'

aretheareanyleftatall

Sour grapes about the 5 out of 6 teaching staff kids awarded a role? Totally!

Sadly this happens at our school, same children chosen for all the important roles. In this case regardless of whether they are the best child for the role.

When a secondary school sport teacher was challenged about this by another teacher in my hearing ( as parent on a school trip) the answer was children of teacher turn up for sporting events other children don't always . So teacher children and other child that are so as reliable get picked .

Which sadly is true as children only have transport to sport events if their parents take them . If parents can't or won't take them then children can't do them .
School sport and plays take up lots of time outside school so need a massive commitment from the parents if this does not happen kids don't get pick.

ColumboOnTheCase,

Reading some of the posts, this behaviour is not so unusual after all!

I'm surprised there isn't any embarrassment on the teachers' or their kids' parts, however this sadly appears to be the norm where we are too. The times I've seen awards going to coaches'/teachers' kids! Suppose there has to be a perk to what they're doing...!
They must take parents for stupid not to notice or too polite to challenge, I am neither! Of course when you do, opens the door to sour grapes rather than the lacking meritocracy and nepotism!

I see this as a failing of education, in a way. For some children, their only opportunity to be taught how to be consistent with practise and committed to a team is through school. If the school just picks the ones that already have those life skills, then that’s a missed opportunity to improve a child’s life skills.

Myyearmytime,

Glad I wasn't privy to that conversation!

How times have changed...I represented both my school and district at athletics. Not once did my parents take me to the venues, we would go on the school minibus...had it relied on parent transportation, I wouldn't have either.

Reading such comments sadden me...
the 'haves' who are already participating in extra-curricular activities both in and out of school have it all and the 'have nots' are shut out in the cold. Sums it up really! So much for social inclusion and equality!

Don'tAskIDon'tKnow,

Precisely!

A failing of education and society!

Favour and promote Middle England who already have access to betterment and fail the less privileged who don't.

We have a high ratio of pupil premium families at our school for whom clubs are not an option.

Would it be that great a hardship to assess the kids on merit rather than their connections to the school? And what message does this send out to the kids? Yet their policy spouts inclusion, equality, fairness. Bulls**t bingo at its best!

That such thinking and practices are forming the foundation of our future society is disconcerting!