Do you think that schools are okay?

[applejane11]

When I was in school, I remember absolutely hating school. I like learning. What I hated was the constant feeling of being in a prison, having no freedom. Having to sit for 7 hours a day and not speak. Having no say at all in most things. Constantly being controlled. I remember every morning, feeling dread when I woke up to go in.

I now actually work in a school in an admin position. Ive worked in lots of different companies. Now im in a school. I hear the teenagers say the same things all the time. They hate it, they feel like they are in prison, that it is awful, that they feel depressed every day, that all their young life is wasted. I also have to say, I definitely see school teachers abuse their power over the students. Not in a way that you could say is definitely abuse, but just in a way where you can see that they are really loving having power and control over the teenagers.

Do you think that schools are okay the way that they are? Teenagers don't have a lot of say in things or a lot of human rights, so it's adults that need to have the conversation about it.

Wow a lot of questions while you have given zero information about yourself.

Do you work in a school for a start. In what kind of role, admin,, teaching, cleaning, canteen staff?

Many teachers have absolutely no power or control over their classes, especially in secondary. It’s the kids that seem to have power and control over them, especially in failing schools.

As for the teenagers not speaking… I’m surprised to hear you say this, given that you work in a school. Perhaps go out of the office and observe some lessons?

Okay. So you seem to have the audience you need - to voice the concerns of the few kids that share their issues with you - at the school. What do you need MN for?

Yes I can.

Talk to me literally means they talk to you.

You initially said the students talk to you about all these issues. Later on, when challenged about your professionality, you suddenly changed to some issues coming from your safeguarding lead.

So my DC school is the opposite ( year 7 going in to year 8 )
absolutely no rules are followed and the SLT don’t implement them at all.
uniform rules - there is a uniform no one complies
go bathroom when they want
no sanctions for homework
the max they ever get is some break time detention for someone very severe is 100 times being told
swearing , bullying etc never ever punished or if it’s extreme a 10 minute break detention.
it’s a nightmare - I don’t think DD has had a single full maths lesson all year.
every Class is absolutely chaos

Being charitable. Validation they are not getting?

Is it relevant whether i work in a school? You seem uncomfortable about questions regarding your role in a school? Why is that?...and yes that is relevant because you are claiming that there are issues and you are involved in a position of trust.

In some schools the safeguarding lead has also never taught so imagine the two of them spending a whole meeting each week slanging their colleagues and saying how rubbish they are, with no knowledge or understanding of what's needed to run a classroom.

If you're going to ask me a million questions about my position in the school, you should be willing to share some information about yourself. Who even are you? do you work in a school?

Ah I see, you didn't read the thread correctly again

I never changed anything anywhere from 'talking to me' to 'issues coming from my safeguarding lead.

What I DID write is that they ALSO spoke to the safeguarding lead about the issues. Of course they speak about their issues to multiple staff members.

here is what I wrote

'The teenagers don't just say these things to me. They say it to our safeguarding lead. We discuss student issues in our safeguarding meetings.'

Our safeguarding lead is a teacher in a school. And she is lovely thankfully, unlike some of the teachers on here

If you read the thread, I never wrote that we slag off colleagues in our meetings. I wrote that we discuss student safeguarding issues.

@applejane11 i dont need to do anything of the sort as i have not started this thread and am not making any claims on this thread and am attempting to understand how your role within your school operates with regards to these safeguarding concerns and how long you have held the position for, neither are unreasonable questions.

That's interesting. So they have barely any rules at all.

Your whole thread is about how terrible you think schools are......

It is relevant what you do as you wrote:

'I can't see a safeguarding lead having meetings with admin staff'. I'm interested to see where that viewpoint of yours came from.

What's your experience of seeing safeguarding meetings in schools then?

Massively. Kids like me were crucified in the 90s. There's much more of a live and let live attitude now. Weirdness is shrugged off.

But misogyny is definitely getting more overt. I thought we were past in in the late 90s, but i think we just accepted it (semi naked melt brook posters in the common room anyone?). Girls are going back to conforming to stereotype and that's v frustrating.

Schools, the ones I've worked in, are def not like prisons. I would love to work in one of these mythical strict schools that seem to be everywhere but the schools i know. Imagine going to work and...Kids doing what they were told!!!!

@applejane11 if the kids in your school are moaning about having to wear a polo shirt as uniform, and not being allowed to leave lessons as and whenever they wish for the toilet, then you work in a good school, because these things are minor.

Right I've finally worked my way through your grammar to see that the point you were trying to make is that the students couldn't possibly be lying because they say the same thing to your safeguarding lead.

Again, students can lie to more than one person.

i love learning, it was the bullies that put me off school

The only admin staff who have safeguarding meetings are ones dealing with behaviour admin ime. This isn't normally a receptionist because they are needed on reception. Sometimes it is a "general admin" person and sometimes it's a heads PA role to cover. But heads PAs don't usually have much interaction with children.

Aw sorry to hear you were bullied. Yes, I loved learning in school too. What subjects did you like?

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No, the kids in my school are not moaning about uniform.

Yes i did write that, but still not sure why you are evading questions about how your role in admin relates to having safeguarding meetings with the safeguarding lead on a regular basis. My job is irrelevant to that.