Is this punishment 'fair enough' and normal practice?

[youarenotkiddingme]

So a child in yr 7 is walking through school with friends.

See's older pupils wearing something non uniform policy. It's very obviously not in keeping with the school. The school have a massive image complex and drum it into the pupils.

Pupils makes a comment to friends about how come they get away with it, they don't like the image and then says it makes them look like (but not racist/ disablist or anything)

Teacher overheard the comment (or rather the context of conversation) and pupil out on harshest detention they dish out for using an unkind word.

I'm being vague as don't want to be outed.

But I'm wondering if it's normal to punish children so harshly for a comment made in passing to friends in a corridor?
(Teacher admits they didn't actually hear word first time and only know exactly what was said as pupil asked and she told her)

It depends what the word is.

I think it's totally acceptable. If they're making a derogatory comment about another person in public where they could be overheard, then they have to accept the consequences.

What's the "harshest" detention? Surely a detention is fairly standard? And yes, if she was name calling in front of the teacher it was hardly going to be ignored.
Maybe she should learn to police herself as regards correct uniform, and not worry about infringements other people are making?

If I overhear a student swearing or using derogatory language in the corridor I issue a detention. It doesn't matter who they are speaking to.

Depends on the word.
If it was sexist / misogynistic then absolutely.

How would you feel if your dd came home and said another pupil had been calling her names and making derogatory comments about her appearance loudly in a corridor. I imagine you'd be pretty cross.

And of course the word itself matters. Not sure why you're being so coy about it

Was the word chav? If so i think that's quite bad. Flogging at dd's school there are different levels of detentions.

Perfectly acceptable. You don't walk down corridors being nasty about other pupils, lesson learned, hopefully.

If the word was something like 'chav' or 'pikey', then it was absolutely justified. Awful appalling words.

What was the word.

It doesn't depend at all. If the school pride themselves in having such a massive image complex, then 1). It's plainly not working for all the pupils, and 2). They can police it themselves, unless they've made your dd some sort of ambassador, op?
Your op really makes it sound like her behaviour was justified by the ethos of the school. It wasn't.

I notice you didn't say the word wasn't misogynistic op. Was it?

First, it's impossible to say whether it's fair without knowing what the word is. Second, how harsh can a detention actually be unless you're at Hogwarts?

What an awful thing to do.Your DD was bullying. There is no justification for loud spiteful comments in public about another individual. Very nasty behaviour indeed.

I'm surprised you are not dishing out your "harshest" sanction at home too. What are you doing do teach your child that their behaviour is unacceptable, ( and that she is absolutely in no position to judge someone else who's situation she knows nothing about either)

did the year 7 child call the older pupils sluts?

So the child got detention for using a derogatory word about another pupil?

And you think thats harsh?

I think its perfectly acceptable.

The same schools that have high expectations/strict enforcement on uniform often also have high expectations/strict enforcement on behaviour. And good for that school.

Depends on the word.

I would expect using derogatory terms to warrant a harsh punishment as standard. Any school that didn't do that would be doing its job.

Uniform infringements are petty in comparison, and would deserve a lighter punishment.

Sounds good to me.

Which derogatory words would be ok, rollon? Are there any?

Sounds like a perfectly acceptable punishment.
Also sounds like you're one of the parents that will forever excuse your child's poor behaviour

Was the word gay?

And what's the harshest detention.

I would judge on the circumstance, but have given anything from lunchtime detention to day in isolation for unkind single words this week.

DS, year 8, called someone fat at school and the other person punched him in the face. Teachers didn't hear or see any of it. School punished them equally.
The year 7 in question should certainly be punished. Name calling/using offensive language aimed at another person is not acceptable.