Is it acceptable for a teacher to punish a child by making them stand facing the wall?

[twokidstwowheels]

Some context: I'm in France. Schools here are about 30 years behind the UK, however, there are rules (that many teachers just ignore) about what they are/are not allowed to do. Because I'm not in the UK I would really like some perspective on what is and isn't acceptable. French parents went through a harsh system themselves and because of that seem very blasé about any form of discipline that isn't obviously violent!

Anyway, my son is in a mixed class with ages from 5-8, 13 in total. School started two weeks ago and my son told me that in that time he and two others have had to stand facing the wall as a punishment. My son is confused about why but his friend told his mum that it was because DS kept answering questions without putting his hand up, which I can imagine being the case: he struggles not to blurt out his thoughts at the best of times. Another 7-year-old has had to stand there twice, my DS says for fidgeting and "being naughty" along with one of the girls in the class. Is this acceptable in UK schools? AIBU to want to take this up with the head and the mayor (mayors are the ultimate heads of the school here)?

To add... this is my son's first year with this teacher and the teacher's first year in this small village school. He has had school phobia in the past and only by working closely with a very wonderful teacher, to unravel the damage done by the bad one before her, were we able to get him back to school full-time last year, so this is really triggering for him and he is starting to show signs of refusal again (having a sore throat, can't find shoes/socks so can't go, etc.) so we can't let this go.

Were they made to stand at the wall during playtime or during lesson time?

No it’s not and I’d absolutely kick off. This was a ‘thing’ in the very early 90s in the UK but not now!

Teach you son not to call our and interrupt. In a class of 13, he will have plenty of chance to contribute, but it's the teacher's decision who answers what to ensure everyone is learning.

How exactly has he been badly impacted by facing a wall?

I'm sure the rest of the class were able to get on better while he wasn't blurting things out, seeking attention and monopolising the teacher's time.

It was during lesson time.

No it wouldn’t be acceptable in an English school - but you aren’t in England.

He has anxiety caused by previous bad experiences in school so he is starting to express this again. It's not something he's used to and doesn't understand why. His friend said that's why by my DS thinks it was because he hiccuped or coughed loudly.

I think it’s awful.

My son has ADHD and struggles not to blurt out. He’d find this absolutely humiliating- being singled out or embarrassed is a horrible form of punishment and, ironically, finding things like this harder to cope with is a feature of ADHD.

It wouldn't be acceptable in the UK but as you're not in the UK I'm not sure how helpful that is - especially when you acknowledge the French system is very different to what you're used to.

No not at all okay but we're not in France...

Do they have a behaviour policy?

I think I’d try to understand if this is unusual for the school or a cultural norm in France.

I’d also work with my child to encourage them to behave with respect in class to minimise any future occurrences.

I just want some perspective regarding my reaction. It's not allowed here but culturally most people just suck it up. Probably because they have never recovered from the trauma they suffered at school due to harsh discipline!

I do disppair of this place sometimes .. my D’s has adhd and does that he manages it far better as he has got older. I am not suggesting this child has adhd just sometimes it isn’t as simple as teaching them .

no it wouldn’t happen in the uk but no idea what is normal for France

Give it another week or two.

I think many teachers start a new year by really enforcing politeness rules and also many kids start a new year with a new teacher by trying hard to test the boundaries. It's likely that the teacher will relax when she and the children trust each other's behaviour.. Worst of all would be if the teacher had no control of the class.
Standing facing the wall for brief periods, for logical reasons and after a warning seems okay however you are right to contact a teacher for anything that bothers you.

I doubt that standing facing a wall is going to lead to trauma...

You need to speak to your son about disrupting lessons, he is not the only child in the class. He is lucky to be in a a class if 13.

You are in France, they have a different discipline system to the UK, you need to accept this, they will not change the system for your son.

He already suffered trauma at a previous school. It's taken 12 months and alot of patience and understanding to get him back into school full time.

You'd be better off asking French people as saying to the school/mayor that it wouldn't happen in England won't help. It doesn't seem bad to me but then I was at primary in the 70s and there was corporal punishment so my opinions are probably skewed by that

Well, it was fine in my day. I never had this particular punishment but I remember others did, and they had to stand with their nose touching the board inside a chalk circle the teacher had drawn. I don't think this would fly today.

I doubt any kid would be traumatised by having to stand facing the wall for a bit (without the extra described above) but I don't think it would generally be okay in this day and age.

Pros (for the teacher)
Child faces away from little friends who might be egging on any impolite behaviour and doesn't giggle or interact with any naughty kids for a minute or two.
Child reflects on correcting his ways.
Child who is blurting out gets to not answer a few questions while the other kids have a turn.
Child's face is not looking at class nor seeing any negative feedback from classmates.
Next time child considers doing the antisocial communication they remember that they might have to take time out.

I see it like a naughty corner strategy which some families employ.

I'm not sure I follow why standing against a wall would be traumatic?

What would you consider an acceptable measure if he is interrupting the class?

That's not what I'm referring to. You said that French adults are suffering from trauma as a result of their schooling.

The reason why this is not okay is because it’s a form of humiliation. She can achieve the same effect by making him stand out side the classroom (time out, time to reflect, not reaction from peers etc).

I think the most important thing is that you help your son to understand why it happened. To which end I would be going to talk to the teacher, explaining that your son doesn't understand what he did wrong, find out the reason and discuss general expectations of classroom behaviour then going through that with your son so he is clear on what the expectations are.

The not knowing the reason will undoubtedly be causing more anxiety, because how can he possibly modify his behaviour to prevent it happening again if he doesn't understand what he did wrong.

Depending on what the reason given is then you will also then be able to judge whether it's a reasonable expectation and response from the teacher or overly harsh/unrealistic for his age.

I would also discuss your son's history with the teacher and open a discussion on how you and they can ensure your son behaves in the classroom and isn't disruptive, but without triggering his anxiety.

Well, in that case we're talking about much more serious physical and abusive punishments that are illegal today. The details of historic abuses in French schools aren't relevant to my question, which is basically, is this acceptable in UK schools? (I realise I am in France, it's a different system, etc...[