Someone complained about my child at sports day!

[SackRaceComplainer]

DC is 8, Y4. Has SN including dyspraxia.

For sports day every child has to take part. DC has some adjustments for sports day so they can fully take part.

Even with their adjustments they still come last in every race.

Someone has complained about the sack race and how my DC had an unfair advantage. DC started roughly half way along the track in their sack, had help to get in from staff (which the others didn’t) and then was picked up when they fell over while doing it whereas the others had to get themselves to their feet, DC had insisted they wanted to do this race – they were told they did not have to do it.

DC still came last and finished about 2 minutes after the other children they were racing. DC also fell through the finish ribbon thing onto the grass and had to be helped out.

And someones complained to the Governors about DC starting in a different place and that giving them an unfair advantage even though my child came last. Apparently starting half way along the track was an advantage.

Apparently it was taken straight to the governors, and I was informed as I was asked by the HT if she could share with the governors why DC started where they did because it’ll help the governors to decide if it’s an Reasonable Adjustment for DCs condition or whether in future all children start in the same place - I was just picking DC up for an appointment and was told this. HT says she doesn't agree it was an advantage.

My DC struggles enough as it is, just being upright is hard for them and now someone is complaining. DC was thrilled to even finish the sack race, they don’t care where they placed! The person who complained as a child in my DCs class – as it's been mentioned by name on the class whatsapp, and they’ve been together since Reception so said parent will have a fairly good idea of why DC started where they did.

Whats likely to happen now anyone know?

Ah this is so shitty, I can't imagine being that parent. It's just a rubbish sack race too.

Please when they get back to you on this let them know how let down you feel by this becoming a thing in the first place.

What a twat of a parent. Your dc was hardly advantaged as they came last anyway. What is bloody brilliant is that they wanted to take part and this was made possible. Your dc sounds wonderful.

Timing sounds very fast unless it's been an "informal whinge at a governor who really should know better than to become a one-stop playground complaints shop" type complaint rather than a formal one - which it kind of sounds like it has been. I don't doubt the twattiness of some school parents after we were hounded out of a previous primary school by parents who just begrudged a child whom they saw as being "OK" having reasonable adjustments for diagnoses she had which they weren't privy to. We also had one knobhead grandad who openly stood there howling with laughter at DD2's attempts to join in on sports day when she was in Reception and only just being diagnosed with DCD (and she was diagnosed at age 4.5 so she was spectacularly obviously impacted by the condition).

At our school I know the Head would be likely to have a quiet word with me that there were rumblings just so I knew about them and he would ask me how I wanted to approach it along with DD2 - knowing DD2 most of the class will know anyway and she's pretty OK with it in herself and is likely to tell anyone who asks (she's a formidable little lady) and in that case I would probably have asked the Head to make a point of explaining it (and thus make the arsehole parent look like more of a twat) - but not all kids are as relaxed about things as DD2 is.

This year though I've had enough of Sports Day shite and we've buggered off on a term time holiday to dodge the whole shebang - she's had more physical benefit from spending hours and hours in the swimming pool actually swimming (she's chosen to spend time practicing her swim stroke because she's decided she wants to move up in lessons) than sitting on the field waiting to come last in yet another school race.

Our school have also had to pension off the sack race - all the sacks broke so the kids were just shoving their legs through holes in the bottom and running it like normal. They replaced it with a space hopper race which is so much more fun.

This is exactly what I was going to say.

This is so horrible. My DS has dyspraxia too. He had no adjustments made for him and lost all 6 races today. Thankfully both the other pupils and parents were cheering him all the way. Sorry you encountered such ridiculous behaviour at your school.

At my dd’s Sen school they all have various adjustments. Being able to even try is the win. I’m astounded that someone complained.

No idea of the governors likely response however just wanted to say some people are absolutely fucking disgusting, and I can't believe the school are even looking into it rather than robbing them off with a generic response.

The fact he still finished last shows the 'advantage' didn't go far enough to even make it a reasonable adjustment as he still had a lower chance of winning.

That parent should be ashamed of themself

What was said on the WhatsApp group?
I wouldn’t give permission. I’d ask what the process is for reasonable adjustments to be decided - seems odd that the governors need to discuss it whether or not it was a reasonable adjustment.

God there are some arseholes about! Some parents really don't have a life. I would love to tell em where to go. x Bloody fair play to your kid for competing! x

What kind of knickers in a twist arsewipes would report that? People are fucking mental. Mortified for them. This has really enraged me that someone would actually take the time to either ring or email complaining about a fucking SACK RACE involving an SN child.

Nothing will happen. The person that complained has made a huge twat of themselves. Hopefully someone will have pointed that out to them.

Congratulations to your child and their achievement on Sports Day.

Not all HTs are the same sadly.

Pure TWAT

What a cunt! Horrible excuse for a person

I can't believe the HT told you that...with a straight face. I'd have been Hi OP, sorry I'm just following protocol but...get a load of this cunt.

I'd put up in the what's app that you can't believe that some parent has complained to the school about your dc having unfair advantage with sack race. With sarcastic - great to see inclusivity is alive and kicking.

Timing sounds very fast unless it's been an "informal whinge at a governor who really should know better than to become a one-stop playground complaints shop" type complaint rather than a formal one - which it kind of sounds like it has been.

Fair point. Sounds like it may have been an informal whinge to an inexperienced governor. And neither the HT nor the Chair appear to have had the courage to push back on it.

As a committee chair, I have had such whinges brought to me previously by inexperienced parent governors who haven't yet got a handle on their role, asking if gripes expressed on class WhatsApp groups etc can be added to our meeting agendas. They are well intentioned, I'm sure, but I always decline and ask them to tell the parents to follow the proper complaints process if they are unhappy about stuff. We seriously risk undermining the role of the HT/SMT if we overstep and don't follow the proper procedures.

Surely this school is totally shit for your son OP? The staff, head and governors seem completely inappropriate to be involved in the education of your son.

I would use this experience as a spring to start looking at alternatives

Oh good grief I did not mean to add that!!!!

I didn’t even know it was possible to add those shorts

What a stupid parent to complain!
I’m all for fairness in sports,( Especially women’s categories) but at this level, and your child didn’t even win, why is the other parent being so silly about it.?

I hit yabu by accident- the other parent is the one being unreasonable. Their poor child must have it tough dealing with that level of competitive parenting if they'd take it that far without seeing any issue.

The role of the governors is strategic not operational. I imagine the head will explain the need for the reasonable adjustment. In my experience, children with mobility difficulties, of whatever kind, are cheered on and helped by their peers and adults.

What a mean spirited person.

Hopefully if they posted on the WhatsApp class group a parent would set them straight.

This!