School Discipline

[WedgiesMum]

Just going to drop this one in to see what response I get. Am quickly posting now at work and won't get back to it until this evening so please don't be offended if i don't reply until later.

At my DS's school if they do anything considered naughty a child will receive a 'naughty card'. This is then held by the Head until Friday assembly when their names are read out and they have to stand up in front of everyone. They then lose their playtime on Friday as well (and could possibly have had some other loss of priviledges when they committed the misdemeanor). They also have a certificate system whereby the 'best' child in each class gets a certificate in the same assembly and is praised by everyone.

I am not entirely comfortable with this and would seek your views. I am not sure whether I am so uncomfortable because DS has had a few cards and therefore the humilation in assembly, or if I am unhappy about it anyway (I rather think the latter), but am feeling sensitive about my reaction to things at the moment with school as I am not happy with quite a few of the ways in which DS is treated. Everyone and their parents know who has had a card - surely this is not a good thing??? Or am I just being over sensitive.

Thanks in advance for any advice/opinions.

WMx

Hi wedgiesmum, just think you need to quote the children's human right act as will be included in the education act. The punishment cannot be degrading or humuliating infront of others. I feel this kind of system is outdated and totally wrong. What on earth are they doing? Afterall they are just primary school children. Even in my day there was the cane but in was done in the heads room not in front of other children.
larsxx

YUk it sounds like punishment and humiliation to me!

I would not let my kid go to that type of assembly at all. My ds 8 would be so upset it would kill him and he would cry for days. I would tell the school about you issues with this.

Most schools do send the discipline policy home and ask parents for comments. Mine did anyway and am still not sure if I am happy with mine which is much much better than this.

wedgesmum, how are things going?

tigermoth thank you for asking! And thank you for thinking of us.

Have spoken to lots of other parents now and none of them like the humiliation of this. One parent I spoke to didn't know that was what happened with cards and her children have been attending this school over the last 8 years!!!!! She was shocked about it. We also had to see the Ed Psych this week and we mentioned it to him and he seemed to be dismayed that it happened and suggested that we approach the Governors.

I am writing a letter this weekend to get to the Governors before school ends so they can do something before the start of term (ho ho ho). We've also been notified who the new Head is so I might try and see him as soon as he starts to discuss his view of discipline.

Really glad you are going to write to the govenors about this. Amazing that other mother had no idea this was happening. Any good you getting other parents to sign the letter along with you, or at least mentioning that you know other parents at the school are deeply unhappy with this humiliation tactic and you will consider starting a petition?

If the present head of your school still won't budge, as she has only 1 term to go till she leaves, can you get the govenors to influence the descipline policy of the new head? In the meantime, if you keep your son out of assembly, you can state quite honestly that it's to do with your beliefs (you believe the humuliation he and other children risk is wrong).