To say school went too far suspending him for a vape

[Abdican]

basically DS14 has been suspended for 3 days cos he was caught with a vape at school and I just feel like that’s too harsh for a first time he only had it in his blazer pocket he wasn’t even using it in class or anything it was at break time.

I know vaping isn’t good before anyone says it but loads of kids are doing it and I’d already told him off and taken it off him when I found it before so it feels like he’s getting punished twice. He’s gonna miss lessons and he’s already behind.

I rang the school and they were really rude to me saying they have a zero tolerance policy and if it happens again he could be permanently excluded. I get rules are rules but I don’t think chucking him out for 3 days is going to teach him anything except to sit at home on his Xbox.

sorry long post but I feel like they’re making an example of him cos he’s a bit cheeky in class sometimes. do schools really suspend for this straight away? or am I right to think they’ve gone too far?

Vaping falls under the use or possession of illegal drugs or alcohol. It's absolutely the correct response.

Extremely fair. Lots of kids vape is not a reason for allowing it.

Oh diddums!

If this is a serious post, why on earth would you let him sit on his x box if he's been suspended from school?! Take the damn thing away.

The school have their policy and are sticking to it…good for them!
Instead of letting your son sit at home for 3 days on the Xbox you remove it and make him do the work he is missing.

Don’t even get me started on the line you have used that ‘loads of kids are doing it’…step up and be a parent!

A child at DDs independent school was expelled for bring caught with a vape so no, I don't think a suspension is too much.

ok I didn’t mean I was gonna let him sit on the xbox for 3 days straight obviously I’ll take it off him if he mucks about but what I meant is he’ll just end up at home bored and I can’t exactly sit and do algebra with him cos I don’t even understand it myself

and yes I did take the vape off him before but he got another one off a mate at school so it’s not like I handed it back to him. I know it’s not good I’m not saying I’m happy about it I just thought 3 days was harsh for literally having it in his pocket and not even using it in class

I am telling him off at home and he knows I’m not impressed I’m not just shrugging it off I just wondered if other schools do this cos when I was at school it would have just been a detention.

don’t bite my head off I’m just asking xx

I don’t think chucking him out for 3 days is going to teach him anything except to sit at home on his Xbox.
Come on, get some parenting done!

Take the x box a way. One parent i supported put the x box in the boot of her car and went to work with it. The kid was given some chores. If they weren't done he list use of x box for an additional day.
There has to be consequences.

Its not harsh at all

I agree to far. They seem to suspend kids over everything now years ago when I was at school hardly anyone got suspended it would have to be really bad. Things like smoking was a detention

Why do you seem surprised that they have a zero tolerance policy? Of course he's suspended and the only person to blame if he sits at home for 3 days on his xbox is you, his parent.

What happens when it's joint, a baggie or a knife?

"It's not fair, it was only in his pocket...he didn't smoke, snort or stab in class or anything..."

Ah, I have just realised that you're the mum with the 2 year old still getting up 4 times per night for a bottle of milk. At least now we know how old one of the other kids are

Drug use at school - yes, i would expect a suspension. same as if he had a bottle of booze on him!

You are being very very very unreasonable. Back the school up on this.

The boy stands no chance if you don’t parent him properly. A three day suspension seems a good idea and I would make sure he spends that time doing something productive for his community it.

Yabu - totally appropriate and what we received if smoking 20+ years ago. In fact I think we got a week....🥴

If he is spending his 3 days suspension "sitting at home on his Xbox" it's worth self reflecting on your (poor) parenting choices.

Its a huge amount of teens do it but health will 💯 be a new wealth currency for the next generation. Poor health is also going to cost them £££ as the nhs collapses / privatisation comes in over the next 20 yrs. I would be strongly discouraging vaping - It's inhaled harder deeper and with much higher frequencies than cigarettes...long term effects will not be good.

You arent doing him any favours by dismissing the school and "backing" him

Oh dear. What a shame. Never mind.

Maybe look at some online work for him to do on BBC bitesize, give him subjects to write essays about or even ask the school to set him work. You don't have to do algebra but allowing him to have access to his console and phone wouldn't be teaching him anything, the 3 days suspension isn't meant to be fun that goes down to how you keep him busy at home during the day

Because they are the new smoking it is just bizarre, but these things are fruit flavoured and "everyone" Vapes.

I thought the single use .vapes were banned how are teenagers still using them.

It’s literally against the law. He broke the law.

He's 14, he shouldn't be vaping! How is he even getting them? Stop giving him money so he can't buy them/get people to buy them for him.

He's actually breaking the law even having it so I think suspension is pretty fair tbh. I'd be mortified if it was my child, not bloody defending him!

And he still owns an Xbox? After being caught with a vape in school. Fucking stellar parenting right there.

Oh @Abdicanim really hoping this is a wind up and you do actually parent your child?! Jesus.

Your son broke the rules. May I suggest you unplug the xbox and get him to do the work?? Or if he's struggling get some help for him?

Given how many young people are not fond of school, I’ve always thought being sent home where they’d much rather be, is an odd choice of “punishment”.