Page 2 | P E teacher. Please help.

Chickencuddle · 2025-04-15T20:42:14+00:00

I phoned in today about my daughter being denied her inhaler during PE. I asked to speak to head of pastoral care. But I got a phone call back from PEt teacher who flat out denied and basically said my dd is lying. She also said she wasn't working hard enough to be out of breath or even breaking a sweat. I said this didn't matter and she needs her inhaler. She said she didn't say she needed her inhaler. I felt so bad and actually considered if my dd had lied although would be so so out of character for her. I spoke to dd who was shocked and upset about what the PE teacher had said. She insured me she was telling the truth and said her friend had been with her and also she had spoken to a classroom assistant after teacher told her she couldn't get it telling her what teacher had said and classroom assistant said if she didn't feel better soon she had her permission to go get it. But she told me she jyst dealt with the breathlessness and got her inhaler after PE. Teacher mentioned that changing rooms are 10 minutes away from hall and that dd has never brought her inhaler. I said maybe that could be mentioned that next time she brings it with her. She said that needs to be something I tell her as she has enough kids to deal with. I said that's fine but I wasn't to know it was so far away. I'm only just hearing that now. Also why is she telling me this if dd actually didn't ask? She has said mean things to dd before denied her toilet which I had to phone for. I didn't want this to be a big thing just wanted PE teacher to let dd use inhaler. But now feels like a big thing and feel like I have to clear dds name as head of year bas spoken to PE reacher and obviouslt believes this as she told her to ohone me i assume.. I believe dd. the details and things she was saying and way she was saying it. Plus I phoned friends mum and explained and asked to speak to her dd. Her dd said exactly what mine said. What do I do now?

QuickPeachPoet · 15/04/2025 22:36

Anybody dependent on medication (epi pens, insulin, inhalers etc) need to carry it on them at all times. She should have taken it to the class and put it at the side of the hall or pitch.
Plenty of people take them into the gym, fitness class etc. An inhaler is zero use to you 10 minutes away when you need it.

jellyfishperiwinkle · 15/04/2025 22:37

oustedbymymate · 15/04/2025 22:13

Flip side of story...

DD is allowed back to changing rooms being absent from the lesson for 20 mins. Assuming 1 hr lesson that's 1/3 iof the lesson.

Whilst in changing room pupils 2 phone goes missing....

What then? Who will be blamed?

Or DD having not taken responsibility for her own medical condition and brought the necessary inhaler has an episode in changing rooms unsupervised and is very poorly. Then what? Should the whole class be taken back to changing rooms to accommodate DD? How does the teacher safeguard 30 kids?

Your DD needs to take more responsibility for her health condition

Who gives a flying fucking shite about a phone?

A PE teacher shouldn't be pissing about with asthma, end of.

OhDeerohDeerie · 15/04/2025 22:38

OhDeerohDeerie · 15/04/2025 22:35

Formal complaint.

children have died in school for want of a reliever inhaler.

your child should have it, but as she didn’t her need to take a puff of inhaler is a priority and the need to create a consequence for that comes second

Formal complaint should list who said what when, including classroom assistant, children who overheard etc

School can investigate and if it turns out your daughter is proved wrong, there will be no formal consequences for the teacher. And if your daughter is telling the truth - no one’s going to deny her an inhaler ever again - even if the school didn’t find the teacher was at fault.

Original poster

Chickencuddle · 15/04/2025 22:39

I think it's important to stand up for yourself. She is a child and I'm not going to teach her that this is OK.
Also she's been branded a liar. That will have an effect on how all the other teachers see her. I didn't need it to be a complaint or have teacher brought to justice or whatever but feel like now I need to clear dds name. She was really upset at the the teacher lying and putting blame on her.
On the phone I hadn't spoke to dd yet so I said I was sorry and would talk to dd. Now I feel annoyed at myself for not sticking up for her.

OP posts:

AbigailisPartiedOut · 15/04/2025 22:39

Why is she "good about carrying it everywhere else" but not to PE? I have been asthmatic since childhood and used my inhaler as an excuse to bunk off PE (and I lied to my mum about it too. Sorry mum!)
Yes, asthma kills but I suspect that the teacher could see it wasn't a true emergency. If she really didn't realise that she should take it to PE lessons then that one is on you to educate her and make sure it doesn't happen again. Also, if she was having an asthma attack there is no way she would have been able to walk 10 minutes to get her inhaler, it would have to be fetched for her.

nocoolnamesleft · 15/04/2025 22:40

It’s a PE teacher. The odds of being an evil bullying sadist are high.

AllTheChaos · 15/04/2025 22:40

jellyfishperiwinkle · 15/04/2025 22:37

Who gives a flying fucking shite about a phone?

A PE teacher shouldn't be pissing about with asthma, end of.

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Exactly. Plus most schools now ban phones. Plus - theoretical possibility of a missing object vs actual potentially lethal situation for a child!

verycloakanddaggers · 15/04/2025 22:41

Chickencuddle · 15/04/2025 22:23

Yeah that's great. Next time she will remember. She even said that to me. But for now my issue is she has accused dd of lying to save her own butt. What are my next steps

You email and say you want clarification on the school's asthma policy, say you're concerned your DD was prevented from getting her inhaler, and say you will remind your DD she can take her inhaler to the PE lesson.

OhDeerohDeerie · 15/04/2025 22:41

Exactfare · 15/04/2025 22:31

As someone diagnosed with asthma in my late 30s I think people are being harsh with a newly diagnosed 11 year old

If speak to school and make sure they understand the seriousness of asthma ans the importance of the inhaler

My son's primary and at 9 the school would proactively ask him did he need it when he was bad but maybe that's the difference with secondary 🤷‍♀️

I’ve had asthma since I was 16 and I’m nearing 50 now. I went to the gym this week and forgot my inhaler!

it doesn’t matter the difficulties it causes anybody - or how stupid the scenario you’ve found yourself in- first retrieve an inhaler, then take it, and then berate yourself .

you don’t want to risk death to make a point.

Original poster

Chickencuddle · 15/04/2025 22:41

AbigailisPartiedOut · 15/04/2025 22:39

Why is she "good about carrying it everywhere else" but not to PE? I have been asthmatic since childhood and used my inhaler as an excuse to bunk off PE (and I lied to my mum about it too. Sorry mum!)
Yes, asthma kills but I suspect that the teacher could see it wasn't a true emergency. If she really didn't realise that she should take it to PE lessons then that one is on you to educate her and make sure it doesn't happen again. Also, if she was having an asthma attack there is no way she would have been able to walk 10 minutes to get her inhaler, it would have to be fetched for her.

Because she puts in her her bag wherever she goes. But obviously can't do that during pe. Also pe kit has no pockets and she's running about.

OP posts:

verycloakanddaggers · 15/04/2025 22:43

AbigailisPartiedOut · 15/04/2025 22:39

Why is she "good about carrying it everywhere else" but not to PE? I have been asthmatic since childhood and used my inhaler as an excuse to bunk off PE (and I lied to my mum about it too. Sorry mum!)
Yes, asthma kills but I suspect that the teacher could see it wasn't a true emergency. If she really didn't realise that she should take it to PE lessons then that one is on you to educate her and make sure it doesn't happen again. Also, if she was having an asthma attack there is no way she would have been able to walk 10 minutes to get her inhaler, it would have to be fetched for her.

How on earth can a teacher 'see' it isn't an asthma attack? Trained medics can't assess asthma by sight.

KittyPup · 15/04/2025 22:43

Chickencuddle · 15/04/2025 22:39

I think it's important to stand up for yourself. She is a child and I'm not going to teach her that this is OK.
Also she's been branded a liar. That will have an effect on how all the other teachers see her. I didn't need it to be a complaint or have teacher brought to justice or whatever but feel like now I need to clear dds name. She was really upset at the the teacher lying and putting blame on her.
On the phone I hadn't spoke to dd yet so I said I was sorry and would talk to dd. Now I feel annoyed at myself for not sticking up for her.

It is important to stand up for yourself. However, can you not consider that it was a misunderstanding and both parties understood the interaction differently? Why does that not enter your head as an option? I can also assure you that your child hasn’t been branded a liar and that no other teacher will have a clue, or time to care about an insignificant interaction in a PE lesson. The teachers won’t be talking badly about your child. Honestly… do parents really think they have nothing better to do than that??

Busted2006 · 15/04/2025 22:44

I think a lot of people are missing the point- the teacher lied.

Advocate for your child OP- maybe ask for a meeting?

Yes your dd is ultimately responsible for her inhaler but she is 11, 11 year olds sometimes forget things ffs, if during a lesson a child says they need their inhaler the teacher has a duty of care to ensure that the child has what they need. It could of went downhill quickly.

RedHelenB · 15/04/2025 22:44

Your dd needs to remember to take her inhaler with her to the playing fields, it's no use in the changing room. And that is on her if she's secondary aged. And the PE teacher should have sent someone trusted with her to get it.

Original poster

Chickencuddle · 15/04/2025 22:45

Well she has said that to head of year and that's an important person. Of anything happens in future with anything else I don't want headbof year to think she is a liar.

OP posts:

verycloakanddaggers · 15/04/2025 22:45

QuickPeachPoet · 15/04/2025 22:36

Anybody dependent on medication (epi pens, insulin, inhalers etc) need to carry it on them at all times. She should have taken it to the class and put it at the side of the hall or pitch.
Plenty of people take them into the gym, fitness class etc. An inhaler is zero use to you 10 minutes away when you need it.

Yes yes, but a child should be allowed to retrieve an inhaler even if forgotten.

verycloakanddaggers · 15/04/2025 22:48

RedHelenB · 15/04/2025 22:44

Your dd needs to remember to take her inhaler with her to the playing fields, it's no use in the changing room. And that is on her if she's secondary aged. And the PE teacher should have sent someone trusted with her to get it.

Newsflash: sometimes people forget things, whatever their age.

I've even heard of teachers occasionally forgetting items.

OhDeerohDeerie · 15/04/2025 22:52

verycloakanddaggers · 15/04/2025 22:48

Newsflash: sometimes people forget things, whatever their age.

I've even heard of teachers occasionally forgetting items.

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😱

never!

Oblahdeeoblahdoe · 15/04/2025 22:53

I think the PE teacher messed up here and is now covering her tracks. However, I'm surprised asthmatics aren't instructed to have their inhalers with them at all times, even KS1 children know this and bring it to PE lessons, including swimming. Maybe have it in a make up bag to leave on the side of the pitch /court. If it's a preventative inhaler DD should be using it 10 minutes before the lesson anyway.

Email HoY and give your DD's case, it needs investigating. Also, ask for the asthma policy.

Dragonsandcats · 15/04/2025 22:54

It doesn’t matter that your dd forgot, the teacher absolutely should have let her get her inhaler. People can die from an asthma attack. I would make a formal complaint.

Seashor · 15/04/2025 22:54

You need to drum it into your daughter that she needs to keep her inhaler on her all the time. You and she need to take responsibility for this. Stop trying to blame someone else.
The PE teacher can’t have pupils randomly leaving a lesson. Yes she could have had an asthma attack but the teacher would have been there, allow her to wander off and she could have one on her own with no inhaler and no help.
If your daughter’s asthma is bad enough that she needs an inhaler then make sure that it is with her and stop blaming the teacher.

Smeegall · 15/04/2025 22:54

verycloakanddaggers · 15/04/2025 22:45

Yes yes, but a child should be allowed to retrieve an inhaler even if forgotten.

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May not have been a way for her to get it whilst ensuring no children were alone in the changing rooms.

What if the OPs daughter was allowed to get it, kid says their wallet or phone has gone. Only person to go in during the lesson is the OPs daughter.

It is a bit extreme but worse things have happened in schools unfortunately. It's not a race to the bottom, but the teacher did phone you and now knows your child needs the inhaler - problem solved.

whippy1981 · 15/04/2025 22:55

Chickencuddle · 15/04/2025 22:41

Because she puts in her her bag wherever she goes. But obviously can't do that during pe. Also pe kit has no pockets and she's running about.

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When I was at school I used to take mine and put it at the side of the sports hall so it was in the room. There was usually a bench to put things on. If it was outside then the same - by the gates of the sports pitch. If we were doing cross country or something like that then it was tucked into my skirt as they are L shaped they fit quite neatly over the top of the waistband.

Original poster

Chickencuddle · 15/04/2025 22:56

There was a classroom assistant there. ...and 2 pe teachers....

OP posts:

RedHelenB · 15/04/2025 22:56

verycloakanddaggers · 15/04/2025 22:48

Newsflash: sometimes people forget things, whatever their age.

I've even heard of teachers occasionally forgetting items.

Show quote history

I know, but dd does need to take responsibility. Most pe teachers I know check has everyone got their inhalers before setting off to wherever they're going. This should be a one off incident, never to be repeated.