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

So just what do you hope to achieve OP?
If you’re so sure it’s a crime and it’s caused irreversible harm to your dd then report it to the police quite honestly this has to be the most farcical post I have read for a long time

This is the language teachers have to deal with now. Children being humiliated and traumatised when in reality it’s mildly embarrassed as a result of their own behaviour. Going home and sobbing at their parents who then fly into a keyboard warrior rage. I’m surprised anyone stays in teaching at all.

I absolutely despise the throwing of anything in my classroom. Kids are getting terrible for it. Glue sticks, bottles and pens. They often get left on the floor too.

I would never throw a pen at a student ever. What sort of game is that? I can't believe people's reaction on here. It would make sense if it was passing a pen by accident. But getting a question wrong and getting hit. As the kids say 'What the Helley? '
It isn't acceptable and the teacher should apologise.
I can see how some children would be humiliated too. I mean the school should just say she was out of order. She will have some training etc.
I just can't believe the stick the op has got for a valid complaint.
Don't throw things at people. It isn't hard.

I want to know what this game was?

Own behaviour? She didn't know the answer.

I mean maybe she hadn't been listening. Annoying yes. Pen thrown at her No.

It could easily have gone off trajectory. It is crazy , who does this?

It is complaints like this which makes teacher eventually quit. I tell you, after a day where one parent had told you to f off, where another has denied their child has done anything wrong in throwing a chair at you, and where you've been told you have to 'try harder' to engage the child screaming in the corridor despite the special curriculum you have spent all weekend writing based on their personal interests, the final over-the-top response from a parent allowing their child to truant because of a pen, is the reason you go, "You know what? It's just not worth it!"
Work with your child's school, not against them.

You sound awful, op. Keeping your child out of this class for this transgression says a lot about you.

@Blueyshift fwiw I agree that it shouldn’t have been thrown. But it’s been investigated. The school after hearing children’s views and the teacher themself, have decided not to take it further. This has already been dealt with. As much as it shouldn’t have been thrown it’s been dealt with. Teacher was probably warned not to do this again. I’m not sure what OP is hoping to achieve by taking this forward. Restructuring to ensure this teacher never teaches her child again, firing this teacher? She needs to get her child back in school and move on.

The stick is for op’s ridiculous over reaction - calling it a crime, keeping her daughter off school, getting statements off other people, claiming there’s been a cover up.
All over a highlighter

Yes- own behaviour. Maybe she didn’t know the answer but reacting with all this emotion is nonsense. It’s a small event which has been blown out of all proportion.

The poor girl is probably more embarrassed that the OP is going around interrogating her classmates!

This exactly. And dragging parents in too. Judge and jury, kangaroo court. Who knows what rumours are swirling in the town.

Utterly ridiculous. Even the OP said it was thrown in the manner of a frisbee. What's malicious about that? If it had been thrown with determination, it would have hurt, despite the blazer.

Just imagining illegal arms dealers...AK74s, AR15s, Trident nuclear missiles, highlighters...("Be careful with them, Sir, they bring people to tears...")

Pen thrown in anger very different to pen thrown in jest. Not something I'd bother to pursue...

I think you are right to want reassurance that this adult will not be throwing things at children in her class again and that the ‘game’ is not going to be played again. Then I would encourage your daughter to go back to the class. If it happens again threaten them with press etc they don’t like that!

Let's think rationally about this for a moment.......

The press ??!!! This has got Daily Mail sad face written all over it

@Bunnie007 Great plan, then OP and daughter can have one of those sad sap pictures done where they both pout miserably at the camera! Us teachers all have a good old chuckle at those!

You lost me at selective mutism.

i think this is a wind-up thread.

You lost me at selective mutism.

i think this is a wind-up thread.

The press

Yeah they would laugh at you both teachers and press.

Children are passing through mental detectors so they can’t bring knives into schools and you think the press is interested in a high lighter pen

Funniest comment on this thread yet 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

I don't see why your daughter having good grades and attendance or being good at sports or winning awards has anything to do with the alleged incident.
I also don't believe the whole school is talking about it.
The school have one music teacher so what are they supposed to do if they sack/more her due to one complaint. I can't quite understand why if your DD wants to do the lesson you are keeping her off. Are you going to do that until Y 11?
You and your DD have massively overreacted all this talk of being emotionally traumatised and embarrassed is ridiculous.
No the teacher shouldn't have thrown anything at her but it wasn't anything that was going to hurt her and I really think you and she need to move on. Or if it's such an issue that you're never going to let your DD be taught by this woman again and your DD wants to do the lesson change schools

Bloody hell you teachers shouldn’t be laughing! How do you have time for that? What an easy life you have. If often wished I’d been a teacher….. not! You need a bloody medal 🥇.

Mind you I think music teacher did have a cunning plan, OPs daughter had been absent for weeks now.

I don't think missing a full day at school every week is a good idea. I'm not sure what is so terrible about doing an extra maths or English lesson but how would that work, is she being offered 1 to 1 for a lesson every week? Bargain. If that doesn't work why can't she sit in the library, she can avoid the lesson with this teacher.

If it was me I'd want an acknowledgement that throwing things is not appropriate and won't happen again then everyone moves on.

As would most of our parents. What a drama over nothing.

So the teacher was very misguided to throw anything. I think this point has most likely been made to her by now.

The issue is what you expect to happen and what the school are doing. You have made it clear that you don't want daughter to join this lesson, the school have said this isn't possible and given you other options that you have refused.

Teachers are still human and make mistakes and throwing anything was completely misguided. When I was in year 5 my teacher constantly threw things, much heavier than a pen. One time he threw c chalkboard rubber, a heavy wooden one meant for a rowdy boy next to me but whacked me on the arm. I got over it, it left no lasting damage emotionally or mentally. I don't think the teacher was right but I don't think they were intentionally trying to harm or humiliate your child.

Is there any form of resolution that would enable your child to take part in the subject again? If not then you have to take another subject or look for another school.

There's kids being starved, bombed at and dying in some parts of the world, and you're this wrapped up in your child being hit lightly on the arm by a highlighter.

I agree it was wrong to throw a highlighter at a child. However, this reaction is very passionate and invested over a minor wrongdoing.

I think most people would have complained (quite rightly so) and then left it at that. Definitely wouldn't have stopped my child going into lessons. It just doesn't add up to me either that your child doesn't feel safe - is she worried it's going to be a stapler next time??

In reality nothing else will happen, and you're conducting a witch hunt to get this teacher sacked. It's not going to happen is it, I'd just accept the wrongdoing and move on with my life.

Op what do you want to happen?

Respectfully I think you’ve allowed this to get out of hand. I do get it as I have an ND child who would not be happy etc if a teacher she didn’t know / didn’t have a good relationship did this. And some kind of intervention would probably be necessary (her year team are ace!)

I think you need to look for some kind of restorative practice if you don’t want your DD to move out of music. This will actually help her on the future to build bridges / relationships etc with people who have disappointed her etc.