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.

I just never understand why people don't read a thread before they comment.

I've also reported you for personal abuse. Bye.

You know, there is more then just the imaginary workplace you claim.

You should have a chat with our Safeguarding lead who is very much focused on the safety and wellbeing of our Children.

Very defensive.

'imaginary' wow. You honestly couldn't make up some of the posters on here.

I don't need to chat with your safeguarding lead hun, I have a lovely safeguarding lead in my own school.

Would your safeguarding lead approve of you abusing people on the internet?

Concerning you work in a school and haven't heard of KCSIE the safeguarding legislation that refers to children. A website without reference to KCSIE is also very concerning.

They may not be referred to as children in your school but anyone under the age of 18 is a child.

The millions of schools that relaxed uniforms or had kids in pe kits dont make for clicks/interestimg media coverage! The press always pick up on the extremes/outliers. We have 6 secondaries relatively near our area as we border a few catchments, they all relaxed uniform fore heatwaves & offered extra water breaks etc or closed early.

Not at all. Being called ' a patronising fucker' which she called me -goes against mumsnet rules, which you should know

Where have I been abusive? I am simply challenging you.

Are you aware of the narcissistic tactic of deflection?

Ah so now you do like rules.

My DS’ school sent an email home asking parents to please ask their children not to wear full uniform during the heat, but at least remove their ties and jumpers, and preferably wear their PE kit (some were apparently still in full uniform despite advice to the contrary 🙄). Yes, there probably were instances of having to wear full uniform in the heat, but I would say this was not a majority of schools and that the media are bound to have picked up on those extreme cases

You love that word ‘abuse’. You seem to throw it around so easily.

Who said that I haven't heard of the KCSIE? I didn't say that.

It's more concerning and hypocriitcal that InOverMyHead84 works in a school and is talking about safeguarding, and yet here she is abusing people on the internet. I wonder what her safeguarding lead would think of that?

I’ve worked as a prison officer - prisons aren’t like this at all so by that token they are very much wrong. Most prisoners wear their own clothes (and it’s significantly cooler and more comfortable than the uniform the staff wear), they can use the toilet whenever they like (unlike the staff, who are generally pretty busy), and prisons are some of the noisiest places you can ever go.

I’m now a teacher. My school isn’t like this either.
Yes there will always be one or two students who will peddle the ‘this is like being in prison’ nonsense, but since they can’t possibly know what it’s really like to be in prison, how can they compare the two things.

Teenagers are very good at hyperbole and melodrama. That is all that’s going on here.

honestly the people on here really show why we need reform and change in schools.

That poster called me a 'patronising fucker'. So you're saying that you think that's fine? Mumsnet don't and it's their opinion that counts I think.

Directly quote where I have abused you. Go for it.

The C stands for children which apparently you don't have in your school.

Rules that stop abuse - yes of course we all like those.

Rules that cause abuse - no one likes those.

Happytaytos again if you read the thread you'll see why I clarified that I was working with teenagers not young children. Go on, you can do it! Give it a go! You can read

How many times are you going to say this by the way?

Of course.

You wrote that my job was 'imaginary;.

Would your safeguarding lead say that is best practice in how to write to people?

Wow you’re good! You managed to use your favourite word twice in one reply.

The Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance covers all children up to the age of 18 in state education, academies independent schools and further education establishments..

Try harder.

Have you an example of a school rule that causes abuse?

Still waiting for the website for a school that doesn't use the word children but should refer to KCSIE.

I mean, at best patronising. I should probably try harder too.

Saying I don't believe you, that is not abusive. Based on the nonsense you are coming out with, i'm perfectly justified.

Retired teacher here. Well of course it’s ridiculous to make students wear blazers in the heat but in my experience they were allowed to take them off. Why on earth wouldn’t they? I can’t comment on these schools but presumably they’ve made the news because they are so exceptional. You can’t take a few crazy examples and say every school is doing this. I can name ten schools that I have experience in that don’t do this.

The toilet thing is really tough. Most lessons are an hour long and there is ample opportunity to go to the toilet between lessons. For the vast majority there’s simply no need to leave a lesson. We know there’s an issue with vaping, bullying, phone usage when students are unsupervised in toilets. So we try to avoid letting that happen. Plus, a break when a lesson is in progress means they return, disrupt, ask what’s happening etc. imagine if this was happening 4 or 5 times every lesson.

We don’t make these rules up for no reason. In 30 plus years of teaching, I’ve never had an issue with girls and periods but, in an emergency, if a girl had a quiet word, of course I’d let her go. And then I’d see if that behaviour had a pattern or was genuine.

I taught in comprehensives and can honestly say I have a drawer of cards, letters, emails of thank yous. Sure, some students founds school hard ( mostly because of their peers) but most appreciated they needed to learn, get exams and behave in a way that allowed that to happen. I simply don’t recognise the characterisation of ‘prisons’.