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.

Absolutely. The teenagers in my school are never, ever referred to as children.

Do you understand what adolescents are?

Primary schools teach children.

Yes of course. Supply teachers don't have to work 5 days per week but schools do have to release elected union officers to do their union roles, which can be problematic, so supply teaching is often the best solution. Union roles are usually p/t.

Yet, clearly not based on your previous comments. There appears to be contradiction in your posting.

This sounds awfully like what the quite naughty kids tell their parents... As excuses for why they are in trouble a lot at school.

My teen says there are some kids dont get permitted to go the toilet sometimes... Because they ask to go every single lesson because its a way to get out of lessons, and they dawdle there really slow, take ages, and maje the trip to the loo take like 15 min out of a 55 minute lesson. Teachers used to let them go - in yr7 etc - but got wise to it by yr8/9.

Kids who dont make a habit of that shit are allowed to the loo on the odd infrequent occasion they need to (most of the time they use the loo at break and lunch as you'd expect).

Like others I'd say they're not OK but not because they're oppressive prisons. The issue is, as has been said, lack of funding, of teachers, especially in STEM and support for SEND kids

No there isn't.

I have heard numerous times from students about their period starting and they haven't been allowed to use the bathroom

I've had numerous students tell me they need to go because they are on their period each week for a term.....

Your experience of school is likely at least 15 years ago, things have changed.

Teens are called children in secondary schools quite often 😂.

We are being played here.

'your experience of school is 15 years ago'

As I already wrote: I work in a school now.

But your example of "abuse" was from your time in school. 🙄

Played like a fiddle we are. See you.

'This sounds like what naughty kids tell their parents.'

This makes me sad. Teenagers are dismissed and not listened to. I saw a lot of news articles recently where students were complaining about having to wear their school uniform in the summer.

students were saying that they have been forced to wear their blazers in the heatwave.

Read the thread pet. Reading a thread always helps you when you come to enter the discussion.

If you scroll back you'll see that was one example that I wrote about.I also wrote about many other examples.

Another teacher here. I generally don’t see/hear young people sharing the views you’ve expressed, OP. The school where I work has a calm and happy atmosphere. There’s a lot of laughter and chat between students and with teachers. Of course I expect quiet when I am teaching or the students are doing independent work - that’s necessary for them to learn. And I don’t accept disruption to lessons - it’s not fair on anyone. But they can chat as they enter room, as they walk between lessons, sometimes for a minute or so between tasks if they have concentrated hard for a while and need a brain break. Then of course at social times.

That’s not to say all kids are happy at school, and there are complex, differing factors behind that. I hope that we (as a staff) try to support these students. We do our best. I’ve never encountered a teacher who abuses their power, and frankly would not work at a school where they did.

I’ve been told on MN before that I am kidding myself and that every happy child I teach is masking etc etc, so I am bracing myself for that. But by the evidence of my eyes and ears, the majority of kids don’t seem to be miserable.

My school & my DC school are nothing like you describe.

The elements of secondary that were bad are much better now imho - it was the 90s/early noughties. Uniform was slack so if you didnt have the branded pe shorts or the "right" fashionable style of skirt/shirt & the obligatory huge heel kickers, you got bullied.

You also got bullied (or more often actively excluded/ignored/given silent treatment) if you:

• did well in academic subjects
• were chubby or had bad skin
• could play any musical instrument except guitar or drums
• had stricter parents and weren't allowed out roaming parks at 10pm smoking & drinking

It seems much better for my DC & nieces/nephews. Kids seem kinder & much more body positive. No judgement if you are bigger or dont wear makeup. The uniforms are clear & enforced, theres nothing to tease when you are all wearing flat black brogues, identical skirts & unbranded tops.

Doing well at school seems to be viewed more positively now. When my nephew won a maths competition, his friends were really proud of him & sent him some lovely messages.

The kids don't roam smoking and drinking now, they all seem to be into health and fitness, you dont get socially excluded because you arent drinking schmirnoff ice & white lightning in perkins park every friday night.

I dont recognise what you say about not beimg able to talk. I enjoyed lots of my lessons, discussion was frequent and I foumd things like history/geography/chemistry interesting.

Absolutely agree. Bonkers comments.

My nieces and nephews & my DC are all fine & happy in school & seem to have very normal friends.

https://putney.news/2026/06/26/pupils-fainted-at-ashcroft-as-school-enforced-uniform-in-blazing-heat/

https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/26224535.parents-hit-magna-academy-uniform-policy-heatwave/

There have been many news articles recently about students being forced to wear heavy uniforms in the heat wave.

And every school is the same as the worst case scenario. Gotcha.

Tell me which comment you think is bonkers and lets have an intelligent discussion about it. Isn't that eh...the more adult thing to do?

what about where I wrote that students have been complaining about having to wear heavy uniforms in the heatwave. do you that is ok or not?

Lots of secondary schools refer to anyone up to 16 as children. Because they are children.

What's your opinion on students having to wear heavy uniforms in the heat wave?

I picked two news articles out of many. It's been an issue this year. I'd love to hear your opinion

In my school they didn't. They wore PE kit during the heatwave.

Incidentally, my School had Ofsted in during the red weather warning. We adjusted breaks to ensure chances for hydration and toilet use. Teachers suffered on, one of our English teachers fainted in the heat with an inspector present in the room.

Schools actively can make adjustments. You are not acknowledging it. You are deflecting.

In summary; I am making the classic internet forum error by conversing with someone who at best has a chip on their shoulder, at worst is a troll feeding on my responses for their own validation.

No obviously not. But, for example, in my personal experience schools in my local area and beyond all adapted uniform to PE kit in the recent hot weather. What’s wrong with that?

No they don't.
I have never once heard anyone refer to a teenager in my school as a child.

I just looked at my school's website. The word 'child' is not anywhere on it. The words: 'student', 'teenager' and 'adolescent 'are on it

I didn't bring this topic up by the way. A poster wrote that children are not allowed to leave the classroom to go to the bathroom. She must work in a primary school. I then clarified that I work with teenagers, not young children. The teenagers in my school are allowed to leave class to go to the bathroom at times.