AIBU to be cross about this (P.E. at school)

[UndertheCedartree]

Like many areas we are experiencing heavy down pours. And like many schools the DC wear their P.E kit to school and don't change.

On Friday there had been heavy rain the night before and rain showers on and off all day. My DD's class were expected to go for a run over muddy and slippery ground and play basketball in the pouring rain. The running club was cancelled but this went ahead. Considering they then had to wear their kit for the last hour of school, there was then a information meeting so they sat in wet kit for another 45 minutes and then however long their journey home is, would you think this reasonable? I personally, don't.

However, my DD has Long Covid which has all been documented in an Education plan. She has only just been able to start coming to school full time again and missed so much last year. And they got her soaked through (due to weak muscles she slipped multiple times in the mud as well as the pouring rain). She's had a respiratory illness all weekend and soldiered into school this morning for her Mock 11+ and then got sent home. I'm really cross. Where's the common sense? I emailed the school regarding this.

When I went to pick my DD up the P.E teacher had passed on a message asking me to detail all the reasons she can't do P.E in the rain (it was all in the email plus all previous meetings/correspondence re Long Covid) and wondering if she had a coat. Well, yes of course she does, but they obviously don't take them to P.E! It hardly answers why they were getting a child with Long Covid to get soaked through with no opportunity to change. I honestly feel like I have no trust in this teacher to do the right thing for the welfare of the children and especially my own DC. I'm so upset that she's missing school again due to this incident.

My immediate reaction is to email the principal and say my DD is not doing P.E. until this is properly resolved. Meaning I know everything is documented properly about her condition and what would happen in any given situation as it seems I can't rely on the P.E. teacher's common sense.

What would you do?

I'm so sorry to hear you have LC too. It is awful. I hope you are on the road to recovery soon.

Oh, I wish I could! Her class teacher is lovely, though.

It makes no sense that your daughter who has long covid, is being forced to do PE especially as I am presuming she is not getting enough oxygen into her lungs.

Let alone to force the poor girl to get soaked in a down pour.

I think she should have been exempt from PE, and the same for other kids with the same condition.

All P.E is outside so there was the option to move it inside. This has happened in the past and that was when they were getting changed!

Everything has been explained and put in her Education plan (or whatever they call it) to the extent that the P.E. staff should be well aware she has a post-viral illness and that she has certain physical issues. Maybe I'm expecting too much for them to know that means getting cold and wet and then being in wet clothes for a prolonged time is not ok, but honestly I thought it was common sense. I will now make sure that I put together a very thorough plan for the P.E staff and to request if any eventuality comes up that I've not thought of then she can skip P.E. because I have no trust in them any more.

Issues: teaching in a way that puts many young people off, encouraging/allowing a damaging culture
Closed culture: just means PE teachers are a bit of an echo chamber

If your school is fabulous then your school is the exception. I would urge you to please not be defensive about PE in general. When I had concerns I wanted to raise about PE I spoke to some who taught PE teachers to ask their views before going into school.

I live in an area with excellent schools. Sensible parents who support their school are regularly having problems with PE teachers - the problems tend to revolve around bullying, excessive discipline, unreasonable demands, sexist attitudes - all the things sport in general is having to take a long hard look at.

I feel lucky because I have been listened to on a number of occasions about PE issues - but the fact I have had to complain about unacceptable behaviour from PE teachers more times than for all other subjects combined speaks for itself IMO.

If this is primary perhaps this p.e. teacher is in fact a bought in sports coach who is used as ppa cover rather than a qualified teacher.
In my experience as a teacher, they are often very young and, sorry but a bit wet behind the ears. It's probably a communication failure between the teacher and the coach.

Also - secondary P.E. teachers for me, nasty, evil bastards and utter, utter twats. I'm sure the one on here is nice and means well but there is definitely a type.

In all fairness, I have to say they used to have a lovely P.E teacher. During Lockdown he posted videos of challenges the DC could do. He's left now, though.

Thank you to everyone for letting me vent and get my frustration out! It's funny what you forget but I now realise why this has upset me quite so much. When I was a teen I had a serious illness meaning I had to have a lot of time off school in hospital. Once I could go back, I still had lots of hospital appointments and had to go in for operations. And some of the teachers were awful to me! Telling me off because I had to leave early for an appointment or getting into trouble for not having done the homework set while I'd been in hospital for an operation. Making out like I was skiving!! 🤬🤬🤬

It's brought it all back! I'm not having this teacher suggest my DD is just trying to get out of P.E. when she has this awful Long Covid, through no fault of her own!

I know! 'That's life...' No, it's not going to be my DD's life. She's missed so much school already, over my dead body will she miss more because this bloody P.E teacher wants to wield a bit of power!

@SproutsAtChristmas this is not me under another name I promise!! www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4632242-to-think-that-pe-could-be-reconsidered-in-order-to-be-a-more-meaningful-and-enjoyable-experience-for-secondary-aged-pupils-and-primary-too?reply=119948772

The reason I mention the muddy ground was that my DD was slipping in it.

My DD's Long Covid has been fully documented at school with me providing all updates from her paediatrician. She has an Education plan with all sorts of details including about P.E. If based on that the P.E teacher thinks they can just tell my child 'to get on with it' then they deserve all the complaints I will be making about them.

Where do you think the PE teacher was in all of this.....getting wet themselves! The kids don't do PE alone so why complain about getting wet to the person who was also wet at the time.

I will be. They already have letters.

I always hated PE because I completely numb fingers and toes in the cold so I do sympathise and I agree that PE teachers can be rather sadistic.

However, I believe that the myth that cold and wet reduces immunity has been completely debunked. If anything, research shows that getting cold boosts the immune system. The only reason people catch more colds in winter is because the virus itself thrives in cold weather. It has nothing to do with the individual getting cold.

She didn't do P.E for over 6 months. However, as she is improving, we decided with support from her paediatrician and thought talking to school to put a plan in place for her to join in a bit as much as her Long Covid allowed. This teacher has shown he obviously doesn't give a damn about any of that. Do P.E teachers not have to do risk assessments? My mind honestly boggles as to how he thought this was ok!

The P.E teachers are all 'specialists'. So maybe a sports coach? It is not her class teacher who has been very supportive and didn't seem happy about his decision. Her class teacher was actually in training when it happened. So yes, maybe he is a bit wet behind the ears as well as the poor kids being wet everywhere!

He was sheltering in the woodland area! And I'm sure he did get a bit wet and then changed into dry clothes for his journey home. While the DC had to go back for the rest of class wet, then had to sit in the hall for the information afternoon, then had to walk home.. wet!

So did she have a coat? Was she allowed to wear it? Did she wear it?
Did she have waterproofs in school that she used when walking to school? Does her healthcare plan state that she must be kept inside a warm at all times? What special arrangements does it say should be made for her?
Does the school regularly do PE outside in all weather? My DCs school used to say no bad weather just bad clothing - or something along those lines.

@carefullycourageous 🤣🤣🤣🤣

No one likes a PE teacher clearly! Maybe I'm very fortunate who I know in the profession or maybe I should just give in and find a job that the nation likes more 🤣

People with post-viral illnesses have many problems with the cold. Their bodies often struggle to maintain temperature and when they get cold it can be hard to warm up. This leads to the cold having a larger effect on them and this can include reducing immunity. Getting cold can also lead to flare ups of their symptoms.

Yes, she had a waterproof coat. No, they weren't allowed to wear coats. Yes, she had her coat and wellies. No, it doesn't state she must be kept inside and warm at all times. In terms of P.E the plan is for her P.E teachers to be aware that she has lost a lot of fitness/has weakened muscles and struggles with breathing - cold air can affect this. She will most probably not be able to take part without breaks. They need to allow her to rest when she needs it. Now tell me how she can do that in the pouring rain! The plan also details her anxiety - so she would be very anxious speaking up for herself with this P.E teacher who she barely knows.

They have done P.E in drizzle before but not full on rain. If I'd known it was a possibility then I suppose I could have made sure the plan said no P.E for her in the pouring rain. But firstly, that had never happened before (they would always have indoor P.E if it rained) and secondly, I thought the P.E teacher would have some common sense.

I have cold induced asthma, it was no issue until I got covid this time last year and has since been significantly more noticeable with me relying on an inhaler more.

I am a teacher and we are still having to keep windows open. My classroom is already cold, I couldn’t imagine sitting there in wet clothes, it’s not just mildly uncomfortable.

It sounds like your DD should have an Individual Health Care Plan (is that what you mean by her education plan), which should be shared with everyone who is teaching her, including the PE teacher/ sports coach. This is not the same thing as an EHCP.

Go to the headteacher. The responsibility for meeting the needs of children with medical needs in school sits with them. Either DD has an IHCP that wasn’t followed, or it needs updating now we’re heading into autumn/winter, or she needs one written. Once you know which of these is the case here, then you know what outcome you are looking for from the meeting (IHCP reissued to staff with clear reminder/instruction to follow it, her IHCP to be reviewed then reissued, or an IHCP to be written).

School is responsible for writing and reviewing the IHCP, using information from Health, in this case a report or letter from her paediatrician (not GP) - you will need to provide the report if you have one or give consent for the paediatrician to share your DD's relevant medical information with school. DD needs to know what she is to do instead of PE - most likely to go to another class or to a particular member of staff during the lesson.

Whether anyone else's child should have been outdoors for this session is for their parents to take up, and there may well be days when the weather is suitable for most healthy children to be outdoors, but not for your DD and you need to get this documented so there is no ambiguity.

Sorry OP but YABU

Long covid doesn't really exist in children and does nothing to the immune system. Damp clothes don't cause pneumonia and exercise is crucial for good health

If you've labelled your daughter with a chronic health condition for other reasons YABVU

Is she overweight perhaps?

www.bmj.com/content/376/bmj.o143

For details

I think the main issue is that they are not being allowed to change out of wet/muddy clothing. Definitely challenge that. It can't be comfortable to sit around for a long period in dirty and wet clothes. It won't cause illness, but it will make them cold and miserable.
I would tell- not ask- them that she will be changing after PE and they need to allow this to happen. Even if it's into a clean and dry PE top and trousers.