This punishment is overly harsh

[Whatafustercluck]

Pupil 1 took some test tubes from the science department.

Pupil 2 smashed the test tubes (deliberately) on the floor.

Pupil 3 retrieved a piece of glass from the floor and threw it back down.

Witnessed by a member of staff and a member of the public. School investigations appear to confirm varying levels of involvement/ culpability among the three pupils.

All three have an hour after school detention. All three will be on report, having had 3 behaviour points added to their records. Science teacher freely admits that pupil 3 was not directly involved in taking the test tubes and that there were 'varying roles and levels' of involvement in the incident.

Pupil 3 is my son. I've said he will need to do the punishment, and there would be no case to answer if he had just not got involved at all, no room for misunderstandings etc. We've spoken before about being guilty by association and making better choices. I don't intend to appeal it, firstly because I don't believe it would change anything and secondly because I take the view that I shouldn't undermine a teacher.

But there is a large part of me that believes that differing levels of culpability require differing levels of punishment.

AIBU?

No, one incident that they were all daft enough to be involved in. Do the punishment and say no more about it. Dinae be so daft next time!

@Whatafustercluck did the incident happen as a group or independent of each other?

Everyone's an expert on school behaviour management, eh?

some of us are lol

OPs son saw with his own eyes what happened.

You're being obtuse. He knew exactly what it was. He wasn't a curious innocent bystander.

Think they should all be given the same punishment because they were all involved.

I'm still trying to unroll my eyes from "overly harsh"...

I’ve also got a silly one, nothing major but ‘by association’ kind of things. I agree with most others that your son’s punishment fits the crime; boy B certainly should’ve been penalised the hardest.

Refreshing to hear you’re with the school on this, though. I firmly believe that from 9-3 they are the school’s children and agree you should not undermine a teacher. The amount of parents who phone up or storm in to have sanctions overturned is exactly why so many teenagers are entitled and blameless in today’s society.

Totally agree. Pussyfooting around bad behaviour is why schools have such a problem with discipline!

They are all guilty of dangerous behaviour that deserves punishment. Just be thankful that the school is dealing with this appropriately and that hopefully your DS will learn a lesson from this and won't engage in such behaviour in future. That should be your only concern in this.

From what I understand from further explanation tonight, pupil 1 took the test tubes, partially broke one and left them lying near a building. Ds and pupil 2 came by afterwards, saw the broken glass and further broke them. Regardless, joint enterprise has been a strong feature of discussion tonight, using real life examples. I said he was lucky it was just a teacher dealing with this as outside of school it would be deemed criminal damage. I don't think he'd made that connection and was quite shocked.

That's a shame as it likely means you haven't read my updates.

Better he learns this lesson now, in the school environment, than out in the big bad world where it could have lasting consequences, especially if he wants to go into the police.

I hope he chooses better friends but yes, i do think he should have a 'lesser' punishment than pupils 1 and 2 given their greater involvement.

You might not, but other people would, and do.

In fact, I read the whole thread. Schools don't have much less than detention, so "overly harsh" was overly dramatic.

I'm sure they would. But I was asked how I specifically would react if my son had cut himself.

They were all involved this isn't s case of "who started it" they were all as stupid and reckless as each other!

@Whatafustercluck in that case, his punishment is not too harsh. Sounds just about right and joint with pupil 2.

I'm surprised that pupil 1 didn't get extra consequences, but his punishment being lenient(from my perspective at least) doesn't make your son's too harsh.

By the sounds of it , it was a lesson he definitely needed to learn , as long as all the other discussions you had with him.

The second he picked up the glass and thru it he was involved by choice. It's a good lesson he learns now that joining in gets the same punishment as everyone. There's a law where I live if you are with a person who commits a crime you get the same charge. Let him learn his lesson now rather then later.

And yet the best contribution you could make, having read everything I've said over and above my initial thread title, was a sarcastic comment about eye rolling. Nothing constructive to add.

I don't think the punishment is overly harsh.

Maybe there should be a different punishment for stealing, but that should be more not your DS's punishment less.

Parent one is steaming going up to the school tomorrow.

Parent three thinks the punishment is harsh.

what do you think Parent 2 is planning as their excuse for their poor little vandal?

I wonder how many teachers are thinking to themselves “I still have time to get my resignation in.”

Consequences are fine for all of them, dorsnt ned to be vatied per child. Your stupid enough to be involved by association, then you take the consequences. Next time dc will know to walk away, fast

As a teacher in a secondary school, I think the punishment given is too lenient even for ur son. I woukd be pushing for isolation gor all three in varying lengths.