punishment at private school

[rawspice]

AIBU to be cross because my dd was punished at her school in such a way that it left her with a blister and cut on her finger and she was understandably distressed?

The teacher had her sharpen pencils for 1 hour as a punishment for using rude language nearly 3 weeks after the incident. She's only 8 years old and maybe I'm overreacting....

I have spoken to the headmistress but she does not feel it is an unreasonale sanction and she claims they only made her do this for 30 minutes, but I cannot see how an 8 year old child can sharpen 36 pencil in 30 minutes - is this even possible????

I know that schools have to have rules but should punishments result in cuts or blisters?

Makes me feel like a basket case!

You are being totally unreasonable. It wasn't unreasonable punishment for a child who used rude language at school. Sharpening pencils for an hour - what, poor princess, how very dare they. Never mind that the said princess was being rude to others, that of course is entirely forgivable.
Children must learn that their actions have consequences, mollycoddling them creates the very social misfits the society so loathes.

Posieparker, she didn't swear at school - thank god! She was found to have used the term 'willy' and 'boobs' - not sure if this is normal 8 year old bahaviour...but on speaking to some parents it seems to be.

I took her to see the nurse because the cut was bleedding and deep and still visible 7 days later.

Sharpening pencil per se is not an issue and I also take quite a hard line when the kids are rude or disrespectful to others BUT as a punishment I don't feel it is acceptable because it only taught her that sharpening lots of pencils can hurt and NOT that rude language is unacceptable. That's why I feel it is a little peculiar.

She was punished 3 weeks later because they had a week of hols for half term.

Just feel annoyed about the whole thing

YABU

I would expect my 6 year old to be punished for using rude language, and I would expect an 8 year old to be able to use a pencil sharpener safely or have a statement of special needs explaining why she can't. I'm really not being bitchy, my own child has motor difficulties, bu6t I would still expect him to not cut and blister himself on a standard pencil sharpener.

If you are prone to over reaction, she may have done it on purpose to get a 'rise' from you, it's exactly the sort of thing I'd have done aged 8.

Knew someone would use the word 'mollycoddle' presently.

Fliight - I am actually a bit shocked that you are happy for your 3-year-old to swear - I'd have been horrified if my dses had routinely used a swearword at that age - even if they were using it in the right context!

And by allowing it in the home, you are setting him up for disapproval if he does this in public, in school or at friends' houses. If your son uses it at school, and is warned that it is unacceptable but continues, will you back up the school's right to punish him?

I believe that teachers have a right to do their job without kids swearing at them, and parents should support this - and I do think that zero tolerance is the only way to go - if you allow some words but not others, this will lead to confusion, and to kids trying to argue that the banned word they've used is no worse than another permitted swear word.

In your situation I'd be asking the school why they feel that non-pejorative terms for genitalia are 'rude languge'. I was expecting her to have actually said something rude.

Rawspice, may I ask, how did she manage to cut herself? Pencil sharpeners usually fairly safety-orientated ime,
can you explain? It might prevent the attacks a bit.

I personally dont think boobs and willy is rude language tbh!

It wasn't only me that was asked to sharpen the pencils either. Another mum was asked to do the same thing. Now I am wondering what I did do wrong.

We actually considered buying the teacher one of those battery operated pencil sharpeners.

By the way is it unreasonable of me to actually want one of those?

Or just an incredibly sad reflection of my life?

Flight, glad I am not the only one, I think some people owe the OP a apology!

BOOBS and WILLY?

how terribly disrespectful.

Fliight, you can't be serious with your 'beast comment' [shocked] Perhaps you should take heed from PP post regarding 'dicipline at home', why, if your 6 year old swears then there's something rotten in the towers of Fliight.

Message withdrawn

Posieparker, she didn't swear at school - thank god! She was found to have used the term 'willy' and 'boobs'

Oh dear I am definitely going to buy one now. I can see ds will be needing it

rollmops I have genuinely no idea what you're talking about.

willy and boobs are not swearing.

Why did the school punish her for it, if she didn't do it at school?

TBH she is quite slight for her age and I asked her how she could possibly have cut herseld sharpening a few pencils. DD replied that she sharpened about 50 but school is saying it was only about 35. She DID say to her teacher that her hand was getting sore and the response was to run it under water and carry on...???

When I asked the next day how she came to have a cut and blister the teacher would not give me a straight answer and the Head did not call me even though I had left a message just to enquire about the whole situation.

bloss - this is the whole story which is why I find it peculiar

The full moon is tomorrow

that's really weird. I'm sad that they told her to carry on when she said her hand was sore.

FFS what a strange school.

Do you have other misgivings about them? If so think about pulling her out.

If not this needs taking further - they need to know it's not acceptable.

Quote Fliight:"Posie don't be such a beast.
A lot of 8yos probably swear without knowing what it means, I know my 6yo does."

Which might explain the random weirdness on this thread, Quattro.

Amusing how most people have kind of backed off since the revelation of what the kid said. There's no longer an opportunity to knock someone else's parenting or their child's motor skills - how boring.

So you're just upset because pencils aren't related to being rude (which depends on context of course)? If she'd had to spend an hour writing lines "I will not speak of willies genitalia", and then got a paper cut from the paper would you be upset?

If not I think you just need to chill out. Maybe the school could have punished her better/quicker but they've done nothing wrong. If you carry on, your DD will get the idea that the school have no right to punish her because her mum will tell them off if they try it.

So that means our house is rotten, does it rollmops?

Nice. He only says rude words because he's heard me do it. Usually when I'm driving.

I'm sure you never utter a single profanity in earshot of your children, though - so, feel good about that.

Actually my dcs are not allowed to use 'boobs' and 'willy', we don't and so they won't. I hate nick names for genitals. They are not appropriate words for school either. Perhaps the child was a sacrificial lamb due to bad language used by whole class, perhaps this is not the first time....

Elephants - I do kind of agree with you because I see little point in the matter dragging on, however I also feel that if I don't act on it then another daft 'sanction' will be used in the future instead of just dealing with the poor behaviour immediately.