Is this discrimination?

[elliejjtiny]

Wrote a long post but the cat deleted it!

Ds was in a club at school since September. He had major surgery in April so had to leave the club and we knew place wouldn't be held. He is now recovered but no places left. Dh thinks this is discrimination but I don't think it is because he got to do it for 2 terms and lots of schools would only let children do a club for a short time if there were other children on the waiting list.

No

No

No, it’s not discrimination. He did the club for 2 terms, now it’s someone else’s turn.

I don’t think that’s discrimination, just bad luck.

That’s not enough information.

If you didn’t register him again and he lost place because you knew he couldn’t attend it’s very different from him needing surgery for a long term health issue and being kicked out because he couldn’t attend a few sessions.

So I sort of see his point. If other children in the club have been there since September and are still there, but he's lost his place due to medical reasons, that does feel like he's being treated less fairly.

But if it's that popular a club, the school would be better rotating students ... I don't think having a "only a limited number can join but once you're in, you're in, policy is particularly fair either.

We have to register and pay at the end of each half term, for the next one. Places go to the children already in the club first, then any remaining places are advertised to the rest of the school. Before Easter I emailed the teacher and explained he was having an operation and couldn't do the club but could come back after May half term. The teacher emailed back, said she hoped operation would go well etc but the place couldn't be held. Which I thought was fine. There are no places now.

Could you have paid to keep his space open?

Its not discrimination, its life.

trouble with that is if it is a team sport and you need a certain number of players it would be too wonky?

In general with kids clubs you pay to keep the space. However if they are oversubscribed, it's understandable they wouldn't want you signing up for a space you couldn't use.

The club would lose money if they kept a space but also can't just kick another child out. Could you ask for first refusal on any spare places in Sept (assuming some kids leave)?