My child was hit by a pen, thrown by a teacher

[Tiredallthetimelaura]

So my daughter who is in year 8 was in a lesson when her teacher 'cold called' her a question. My daughter responded she didn't know the answer and the teacher then threw a highlighter pen at her, hitting her on the arm. The teacher then did it again to another student, also hitting them on the arm. We have reached level 2 of a complaint, but it's always investigated by management within the academy. The school keep down playing what happened and not investigating what we ask. This teacher is still teaching, although my daughter isn't going in on the day of that lesson, which is greatly affecting her attendance. The school said they would move my daughter so she could do a different lesson (double Maths or double English), but we said no! This feels like a punishment to our daughter. She wants to do that lesson, just not with that teacher... and we agree.
Any advice on what/how the school legally should be handling this? Happy to answer any further questions Xx

No, but over a decade teaching in secondary schools, I didn’t see any teachers violently throw things at children in anger. You’d have to be pretty stupid to do that and think you can get away with it.
But I have seen plenty of children embellish the truth or lie to get out of a situation. And I have seen plenty of teachers get called in over things that turned out to have been caused by teenagers not being truthful. I could tell you things that would make your jaw drop open (and the teachers have been found to be totally innocent). Children lie and/or misinterpret things a lot.

I’m also going by the fact given that the teacher used a frisbee throw. That doesn’t scream ‘angry fit of rage’.

This is what you discuss she discriminated against a child who has been diagnosed with selective mutism. The teacher thought it was a good idea but your daughter did not enjoy the game and that's what matters. Forget the other children they are not your concern talk only about your own daughter. The teacher should apologise to your daughter. I would ask for a meeting with the music teacher, the head of year and the headteacher. She is continuing teaching while your daughter is missing out on education because the trust has gone.

You need to get over this, OP, and send your child to school every day. She is missing far too many lessons and you are jeopardising her education.
It wasn't ideal, but being hit by a pen is really not a big deal.

You might like humiliating kids for the shits and giggles or think it’s ok for teachers to do. I don’t.
Yes- I think from what OP has described, the teacher wanted to humiliate and embarrass. Why else lot something at them when they got a question wrong.
What ‘evidence’ have you got to the contrary?

This would make me want to throw something at you both. Honestly not worth all this fuss.

Bloody hell. Hope you don’t have kids

If any of my kid came home complaining about "humiliation and embarrassment" because an highlighter was frisbeed to their arm, I would shake my head and told him/ or her to stop being so ridiculous. I would probably laugh at them if I am honest.
They wouldn't do that though, because they are not stupid!

it’s about the humiliation and embarrassment the teacher would have wanted the child to feel,
that's projecting and a bit of a worry you manage to interpret it that way!

I don't need evidence that you're not a murderer, someone needs to provide evidence that you are. If you think you have been provided sufficient evidence to decide that someone in your profession has acted in the reprehensible way you describe, I just hope you never sit on a jury.

I hope that if they do have kids, they don't go to any school you teach in. I hope nobody's kids do.

I am a teacher too, albeit in a primary school. Whilst I do agree that children can and do tell elaborate tales, I don’t think that a teacher should be throwing anything at a child.

You literally made this statement, 'Can you imagine if your child had thrown something at a teacher there would be an uproar. Maybe even police called for assault.'

I was just correcting you.

In the case of the OP, a highlighter pen catches their child on the arm. All hell breaks loose.

Teacher hit with chair. Student back in their class the next day.

What’s the offence?

Even in games? Makes it difficult for PE teachers.

I hope she does. We need parents with common sense who aren’t just raising a generation of whiny, feeble young people who have to have therapy at the mere whiff of any minor inconvenience.

The OP has complained to the school and the teacher has been spoken to and hopefully will no longer attempt any daft lobbing of pens in the classroom. That should be the end of it.

The OP needs to focus on getting her daughter back in to school 5 days a week so she can continue her education.

Really. Well I would actually believe my child if they said they felt humiliated by a teacher. Because I know my child and that’s not the sort of thing they would usually say and I would be able to tell in their voice and manner how it had affected them.
Im glad that my kids can come to me and tell me what’s happened in the school day without the fear of me laughing at them. Because then it just gets to the point where they dont bother to tell you anything.
There is tossing a pen gently and there is scornfully throwing it hard.
A teacher in my secondary school used to throw a wooden white board marker at you if you got a question wrong. Often hit pupils on the head. No one died but it was horribly humiliating for the kid that was in the firing line. All it taught us was to be afraid in that lesson. No one actually learnt any better. She also used to throw your entire pencil case opened out of the window of the classroom on to the path or grass. Again just to humiliate you.
It’s not ok. Anyone who thinks it is is just a bully in my opinion.

There is tossing a pen gently and there is scornfully throwing it hard.

Keep going. You're getting there.

What crime? I think you would struggle for that to be deemed assault.

I think you are being very dramatic honestly. It was a highlighter that hit her arm did her zero harm. I’m really honestly struggling to understand how this has become a major incident. The poor teacher was just trying to liven things up no doubt and so tossed a small object. Chances are they meant for the pupil to catch it rather than hurt them. Teaching is difficult enough already without silly complaints like that. Put it in perspective my friend who is a teacher has been physically assaulted by pupils on a few occasions. Once she had a chair thrown at her so I think a highlighter is a bit ridiculous honestly.

I’ll bite. What crime do you think it is and why?

This wasn’t a game but you’re clearly determined to make out that it was.

The teacher should get a detention. Thats what happened when my son threw a pen. Then after he has behaved properly for 10 lessons everyone forgets about it!

I am not saying I wouldn't believe my child if they felt humiliated by a teacher.

I am saying that my children have enough brain cells to understand the difference between humiliation, bullying and jokes, and they are raised with enough self-confidence for not being offended or humiliated about absolutely nothing.

Not only it makes their life easier, but it also means people do take them seriously when they have a genuine complaint to make.

What's next? complaining that the teacher humiliated them when he asked a question they didn't know the answer for?😂

And yet the school, after investigating it on more than one occasion, say it was. For a teacher you have very little trust in the institutions you work for.

Why did your son get a detention? Surely he was only playing a game!

My Latin master once chucked the chalk at me because he thought i wasn't listening. I was actually concentrating and quick as a flash whisked my desk lid up and it ricocheted off.

Even he had to laugh

I'm not sure sitting silently in a room would be the same punishment for a teacher that it is for a student. It sounds awfully like a rest and a bit of peace and quiet to me!