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

Mr Dennis - science teacher at our local comprehensive in the 1990s and he was also there when my mum was in the 60s/70s. Absolutely brilliant kind and all round good teacher but couldn’t stand chatting or bad behaviour. Used to throw things from his desk like missiles. He had more dents in his filing cabinet where he’d banged it to get everyone’s attention. He once made me stand in the bin because he said I was ‘rubbish’.

Best Teacher I ever had. Far better than the pappy, lot my son seems to have now. It’s a shame really that a bit of the ‘fear’ for teachers has been taken away from kids, so many of them think they can do whatever they want and never learn to live with any consequences. If your daughter is struggling with this I think she’s got bigger issues that you need to manage, or, is it just you?

This is not acceptable and should be investigated properly. As a teacher, I would fully expect a backlash from this because it is totally against any teaching standards. It may only be a pen but it doesn’t matter, it is not allowed.
To all those laughing, if you allow teachers to throw equipment at students, you are then giving way to heavier objects, sharp objects… if the pen had hit the student in the face… it’s not nonsense to complain, it’s perfectly reasonable. Had the school responded appropriately the OP may well have accepted that.
It is not difficult to switch a staff timetable for one lesson a week. The reason the school hasn’t done this, I’m guessing, is because if they do this, it is them admitting there is an issue. The teacher may well be fighting against this. I’m not saying it’s what should happen, but that it is doable. Especially now Year 11 students are mostly on study leave. There will be a way to do this.
In regards to it being the teachers first day back in post after an extensive absence - this may suggest why she acted in that way (it is quite a shock to the system and she may have been finding things difficult or triggering) … still doesn’t excuse it. If she’s back, she’s fit to work. She’s qualified enough to know, absolutely no contact with students. No tapping on shoulder, no hug if they are upset, nothing. There should be no exceptions to this. It’s not necessary to throw something at a student UNLESS it is PE, or previously agreed and understood (throw the ball to a person to answer a question etc). Even if students ask me to ‘throw them a rubber’ I always hesitate because you cannot 100% guarantee that it wouldn’t hit them in the face/someone else (is it clear I am no PE teacher but a crap throw!?)

It is not difficult to switch a staff timetable for one lesson a week

Not true.

Especially now Year 11 students are mostly on study leave.

Also not true.

Doesn't matter, its assault. Tell the school they are leaving you with no option but to contact the police. If it wS my child, that would have been my first port of call, not the school.

Who back chatted and made a smart comment?

Sorry but I stand by those points. In the county where I am, all Year 11 students are now on study leave. In neighbouring counties, most are already, with the others happening at the end of next week, if the May half term is later than this next week.

As somebody who assisted with timetabling, it absolutely is. Either a straight switch with another department member, or if a one-man department, one of the cover supervisors or even, in this instance, an SLT member, depending on how serious the school are taking this. An entire timetable doesn’t need to be switched, simply one lesson. Even another teaching staff if they can swap a PPA in return. Year 11s leaving gives staff gain time, which admittedly shouldn’t be used for this, but in exceptional circumstances the Head could insist.

Ermmm, I'm not sure who you think has been arguing all day and 21 pages in, because it's not been me, I've been out all day mate!

obviously not your child who was dozing if her head was resting on her hand

Good for you.

In the county I live in and the one I work in, we are not on study leave.

And music tends to be a sparsely staffed subject, and needs specialist teaching. So not at all an easy swap.

@moanafan
I do agree it is an easy fix. Our year 11's are staying in this year though for the next two weeks. First time ever as they normally leave on Friday.

There are many options though such as sitting in the back of another class or with year manager or form tutor, or even in a student base for that hour doing some work. Not ideal but better than missing the whole day.

Your daughter, according to your posts.

'My daughter answered she didn't no the answer, as she hasn't been taught this due to having a cover teacher for the last 6 months. The music teacher had been in her home country for all that time and had just returned back to her post."

I currently teach a boy in year 7 with selective mutism. Some days he can't answer the register, so gives me a thumbs up when I look at him. Some days he answers the questions I'm asking the class, when I catch his eye. If he can't manage that, he also can't manage to be sarcastic and rude, and of the 30 kids in the class, with various needs, he's actually one of only a few who never behave like that - talking out of turn, calling out, answering back etc are all too difficult given his issues.

It's one thing to genuinely need to have something explained again, or even retaught. And it's possible that gaps have occurred due to the permanent teacher being absent. But it's also possible that the curriculum has been covered by a different subject specialist, due to unavoidable absence, and your child didn't need to speak like that and then kick up a huge for stationery touching her.

You never answered my question last night, are you a teacher?

Everyone things they know how schools run because they went to school don’t they!

I was pushed to the ground, while pregnant, and I had to teach the child again 2 hours later, and they took my TA out to cover for another teacher because we were short elsewhere and couldn’t get supply. I love that people think a kid would be excluded for throwing a pen though.

I saw you agreed about the timetabling too, our year 11s are all still in, no schools nearby have let them leave either, they are following their full timetable until they complete their last exam.

She didn't say all that! All She said was - I don't know.
I posted on here context of her not knowing. So the reason for the teacher not being there are my words, not what she said.

I can’t believe you’ve taken this to the stage of a LADO concert over a highlighter pen. LADO’s are usually for really serious situations/events.

’Don’t know’ is a standard response when the student usually means ‘can’t be arsed to think’.

You have totally over reacted over this.

Poor pathetic little kid. She had her blazer on for goodness sake and as stated,wasn't hurt or marked at all. She needs to grow up and perhaps start paying attention in class

Taking "statements". Keeping your DD off

wow

Are you sure it was music and not drama?

Oh yes. The OP should definitely do that.

and then come back and tell us how she got on

🤣🤣

If you throw a pen or pencil in my class it's an automatic detention! Why? I saw someone receive a nasty eye injury from a pencil being thrown innocently in a classroom. This teacher is incredibly foolish to think you can lob highlighters around classrooms. If we were doing activities like this we used a soft toy or stress ball. Something designed to cause minimum harm if thrown badly.

Absolutely out of order that teacher is still teaching and your daughter and other pupil have been treated so poorly in a classroom . Escalate it to someone much higher without a doubt .

You think she should lose her job?

Hey there! Suggest you read the posts, if you can be bothered? I didn't contact LADO, the person charged with doing the school investigation did!
So you've actually just proved my point at the seriousness!

Pathetic? Your calling a child Pathetic? You shouldn't be anywhere near children with an attitude like that. Are you a teacher?

Call the police?! For a highlighter being thrown like a frisbee? Oh my days! 🤣

I think the bat is set slightly higher than calling a child pathetic, to not be allowed near them.