Excessive punishment - should I say anything?

[Solo2]

DS1 aged 9 has a class teacher who doesn't teach him any subjects and rarely sees him. He has had a few 'run-ins' with this teacher on the rare occasions he's had him for anything. Today, DS1 made a mild joke when the class were doing a fun quiz instead of Games (it was too cold to let them out). Teacher sent him out of the class to stand in the corridor for 1 hr 40mins. DS1 was distraught by the time he came out tonight and I'm afraid I also feel that the teacher was well OTT with the punishment. DS1 had said nothing rude and was simply getting a laugh, without meaning any harm.

This same teacher has also told DS1 to come for detention at lunchtime, when DS1 did something else v mild (talking to himself quietly whilst revising) but then never turned up for the punishment and left DS1 waiting all break in the classroom alone and confused.

This teacher also kept in the entire class, making DS1 miss an important music ensemble he plays in, just because one or two others (NOT DS1) had been a bit rowdy one morning.

This teacher is newly qualified and seems to have a diffculty with managing discipline and clearly overreacts with punishments, porbably because he feels he lacks authority. This is the same teacher I mentioned on another thread about a punishment for not changing within 5 mins after Games, involving missing both morning and lunch breaks and then dressing and undressing back and forth in and out of clothes on your own in front of the teacher.

I have to say I am completely FURIOUS tonight and want to go ina nd give him a piece of my mind but DS1 is adamant that he doesn't want me to say antyhing at all otherwise it'll get worse. From a detached perspective, I'm also wondering if it's wise to keep silent as there's little that can be done to change a teacher's idea of fairness, I presume.

It would be questioning his authority and certainly no other staff would do anything other than be on the side of their colleague.

Would you say anything or just let things be? Am I over-reacting because this is my own son and I feel v protective towards him? Is this kind of unfairness just what children have to accept as part of school life and hopefully they'll then learn not to provoke any similar situation in future?

This is worringly similar to the experience of my 9 year old which I have just learnt about tonight. he was slow getting dressed after P.E as he couldnt find his sock (remember him coming out with just one on now) the following day he was told to go to the P.E teachers class room during lunch break as also a form teacher get undressed and dressed again - there was one other 9 year old child doing the same thing. The teacher is male and I am talking about two boys - if it was two girls given this punishment by the school it would be seen as inappropriate 10 years ago - 10 years on it is just as inappropriate to ask two young boys to carry out this task watched by the teacher. I dont know much about the teacher but hear about his bullying from other mothers and alot of pupils are distressed by him - hes only been at the school since last september. I have told my son a little more about life tonight and will be at the school in the morning. The only reason he told me about this today is I witnessed first hand his wrath on my son at a football match this afternoon whereby someone pushed my son over he turned to see him on the floor and said you will be with me tomorrow lunch - very threatening and it sent chills down my spine so I questioned him as to what that would mean in terms of punishment when he got home (he did not deserve a telling off let alone a whole night worried about running into this man the following day to find out what punishement was to be unleashed). I felt like exploding on the field but decided to evaluate the situation overnight. Hence now not being able to sleep and searching for advice of mumsnet

Lucy - I couldn't leave this unanswered. If I were you I would be very upset too. I think it is not at all reasonable to expect children to get undressed and dressed while a teacher watches them. If my son (6) were asked to do this I would be absolutely furious. He would be very anxious and would become even more clumsy than usual. I would ask what the school's discipline policy is and whether or not it covers this situation and would make this request direct to the head teacher. You do not have to say that the punishment has been carried out on your son at this point. I expect that the answer will be that it is not included, at which point I would complain directly to the head teacher. As far as this morning is concerned, would you be able to speak to the form teacher directly and ask what punishment is being given out and what the reason for the punishment is? Good luck.