Child ill, school made him stay and refused to contact me - WIBU to complain

[CrowInTheSnow]

My ds is in y7. He felt unwell at school today - cough, sore throat, generally poorly. Teacher in period 1 clocked he looked ill and sent him to reception, but he was sent away to see how he got on, as he hadn't been physically sick and didn't have a temperature.

He went back at break and was told the same. They also refused to let him contact me on his mobile.

I've just had to collect him once he got out of school, he called in tears, is really obviously unwell - temperature over 38, cough, headache, sore throat, nauseous, and really distressed. He's gone straight to bed.

WIBU to put a formal complaint to the school about this? He has some additional needs and is young in his year too - I feel like this was so neglectful of them esp not even to let him call me.

😳😳that's shocking 😳

@crowinthesnow
I think that's what you need to discuss when you talk to them, rather than rush in with 'a complaint.' If he has a phone and it's exceptional circumstances, such as feeling unwell in school, they need to consider being a bit more flexible and he could perhaps send a text on his lunch break or whenever, not in lessons. It's not the world we live in anymore that phones aren't allowed!- even in hospitals, churches, anywhere. I'd also reiterate to the child that you want him to text you when unwell at school. Perhaps even put this in writing with the school/a note for him to keep in his bag?
But, to answer your question, no, I don't think this is worthy of a complaint. The school did their best, used their judgement and your child has lived to tell the tale!
Far too much complaining these days.

@Willmafrockfit same as anyone else, and same as if he'd vomited or had a temperature I guess - if he is unwell and needs collecting DH or I would do it as soon as we practically could.

@Moon22 good idea I will see if they can have any flexibility for him, and I'll speak to the SENCO too I think and figure out the best approach for if he feels ill another time.

Probably worse at the moment as it's his first term so staff don't know him yet.

I'm sorry he's poorly op. I'm a teacher and just came on to say that lots and lots of parents are angry when we send kids home. They are angry that they have to leave work and often feel that we have over-reacted and should have kept them going. No school wants an ill child in school, suffering and contagious. I'm sure they thought they were doing the best thing. I hope he feels better soon.

It sounds like the illness built up during the school day and therefore nobody behaved unreasonably. You don’t send a child home because they will have a temperature by the end of the day, you respond to the fact their parents decided they were well enough for school that morning and the child doesn’t actually have a temperature at the moment. As for letting a child call their parents so that they can bypass members of school staff - unfortunately there would be chaos quite rapidly in a secondary school if its population of hundreds, or possibly thousands, of teenagers and pre-teens were all allowed to contact their parents directly whenever they felt like it. It might therefore be worthwhile talking to the school about the effects of his ASD in his communication, but would be very unreasonable to complain to the school about their handling of the situation as it presented itself to members of staff at the time.