The perils of sitting next to the 'blameless pupil'.

[WalkingThePlank]

My DS sits next to a lovely girl, let's call her Sally, in class. 2 weekends ago their exercise books were sent home for parents to peruse. On the day that the books were due back, 'Sally's' exercise book went missing. My DS has been interviewed about it twice and even I have been asked whether we have it at home.

I am at a loss to understand why it's even a consideration that we would have it - that my DS would put it in his book bag and that I would then take it out of the book bag when we got home and simply discard it. Surely if it went missing last Monday, the natural assumption would be that Sally's parents have mislaid it or it's been put in the wrong book-tray when brought back to school.

As I write this I can see it sounds so petty but it's beginning to grate that somehow this situation has become DS's (or even my) fault.

How can I stop the teacher going on to my son about this blasted book? Am hoping that next term DS is sat next to someone less perfect.

What do you mean by 'interviewed'? Do you mean the teacher asked you if you'd seen it?

I said, "I have been asked whether we have it at home."

Perhaps the natural assumption was that Sally took it home, but when it didn't turn up at Sally's house, it seemed worth asking if an adjacent child (your ds) had accidentally taken it home? It all sort of depends how old the chidden are. If they are infants, I wouldn't think much of the teacher asking you too. Sometimes little kids forget things or misunderstand.

I imagine they are trying all avenues to find it. Would be a shame if the little girl lost the whole year's work. If it were the other way round would you want the teacher to ask the nearby kids and their parents?

I don't understand what the girl being perfect or blameless has to do with it.

But they've probably asked her parents too. And the parents of other children who sit nearby.

Children do pick up stuff that belongs to other, asking you & your son is a common sense thing to do. You have said you don't have it i'm sure they believe you

They've lost Sally's book. (Or her parents have.) They are desperate to find Sally's book. So they are trying all likely avenues, no matter how unlikely.

Next time they ask you say, "I DON'T HAVE SALLY'S BOOK. WHY SHOULD I?"

And back to them to explain/sort out the loss.

LOL! At what point has Sally be named as a 'blameless' child (except by you). I would always ask the child next to the child who has lost something (and in the case of clothing after changing for PE the child behind them). The teacher has checked with your DS (and yes I would possibly ask a child more than once, they are RUBBISH at checking their trays) and they've asked you too. That should be the end of it. I think you are being a bit paranoid tbh and sound rather unpleasant about Sally who has committed no crime worse than misplacing a book.

I suspect there is more to it than just the book. & for Op this has become the final straw.

If Ops ds has been asked once and she has been asked too then I think it is fair for Op to feel that her ds and she are now out of the " might be there line" and it is a bit over the top that her ds was asked a 2nd time if he had it.

I would simply rise over it Op and yes if they ask again then point out this is now the 4th time asked and say you do hope they don't doubt your sincerity or similar :)

Sometimes the small things do smart but rising over them can be the best thing to do.

Well as I said, I know it's petty. I just don't understand why they would think the book is at our house , or anyone else's to be honest. These are 6 year olds and exercise books don't come home except once a term and in this last instance, the book went to Sally's house, not mine.

I'm annoyed that I was asked when my son had already denied it, and the response to my denial was to take my son out of the classroom to ask him again.

Frikadellen is right, there is a bit of a back story and without wanting to out myself, Sally's mum didn't even want her in this specific class and the former teacher told me it was Sally's role to report back to her on the boys' behaviour.

Having said that, Sally is lovely, as I said before - and as she and DS are of comparable ability, it looks like they are stuck with each other.

Should say form teacher, not former teacher.

Well, if a teacher wanted to be sure that something wasn't at our house, it would have been no use her asking my ds at 6 yrs old or 16 come to that, but that's another issue. Not sure why you are so worked up about it. As others have said, if something belonging to your ds went missing, wouldn't you hope the school staff would check with other parents if it had accidentally gone home with one of them ?

She's supposed to report on the boys? That is beyond bizarre!

If I were Sally's mother, I would be very unhappy that my daughter was given the role of monitoring and reporting back on other students, particularly at age 6!