School suspension - reasonable or not?

[EvaB0710]

I need a balanced opinion on a suspension - can't decide if I am being unreasonable or school is!
Teenage boys prior to school accidentally spill hair gel on a ramp. Try to wipe it with feet but as they do realise it is slippy, which they find hilarious so put some more on top so they can slide on it (but not a lot, it was only a 100ml tube to start with and still more than half full!).
Shortly prior to lessons, other pupils arrive and also slide on it but grab the rail and none fall over. They find this amusing too.
They leave and go to lessons, firmly in the belief that it would dry very quickly.
Fastforward and it didn't dry. At all. Not one bit. A number of other pupils slipped on it and a few hours later a teacher, who was also carrying books and a coffee so couldn't grab the rail, went flying. To the point they apparently needed to go to hospital, I don't doubt they did go to hospital but my suspicious brain wonders if they wanted a few hours out of work etc (maybe unfair of me!). No serious injury, some bruising to knee but apparently needs a few days off to 'recover'.

All only came to light when the teacher slipped, they watched back CCTV and saw the boys. Immediately suspended for afternoon, with a further one day suspension.

If I'm honest, I feel suspension is a step too far. Yes it was an avoidable accident and yes they deliberately put the gel down.
BUT they never intended anyone to get hurt or slip over, just slide/ skid a little.
The school's main issue seems to be that they didn't tell anyone to get it cleaned it and left it in a dangerous state.
They didn't see it as dangerous - they have only witnessed people slide on it, not fall etc AND they thought it would dry quickly/ go away. I mean tbh, who would not think that hair gel which usually sets rock hard would not dry quickly. And their teenage boys. Who incidentally were immediately remorseful and devastated they had caused injury to someone.

Is suspension for 1.5 days proportionate or are school being unreasonable?

Because it was an extremely serious incident and resulted in someone being injured. The boys are old enough to understand that something like hair gel, which they presumably use on a regular basis to be carrying it around on school premises, won’t dry quickly. Having caused the spillage, and then supposedly tried to wipe it away with their feet, they didn’t do why a responsible person woukd do and get paper towels to wipe it away. Instead they chose to not only ‘find it hilarious’ to see other people slipping on the ramp but to add more gel to the spillage. They then left the ramp knowing that it was extremely dangerous, and didn’t bother to report it. If they had done so, a member of staff wouldn’t have been injured and taken to hospital. I can’t believe thst you seriously think suspension isn’t warranted.

Also missed the point. It was never their intention for anyone to get injured in the slightest and were mortified that someone did. They thought it would dry as soon as they left. It's quite frankly bizarre that it didn't. There is not one bit of doubt, had they thought it wouldn't have dried or caused injury they would have cleaned it up prior to going to lessons, or told someone so the area could have cleaned.
What is 'punishment' as you call it going to add in this situation? Absolutely zero when they have insight and remorse.

I'm not missing the point at all. The point is your kid deliberately put something on a ramp to make people slip and slide. Any kid with half a brain will know that there is a chance if someone will slip and slide they can also fall over. But I really dont know why you posted anyway because you clearly disagree with anyone who thinks the suspension is warranted. It WAS a stupid thing to do, and whether they realised it or not, someone could have been badly hurt and incurred life changing injuries. That's the harsh reality of it so I'm really not sure what point you think I am missing.

It was a monumentally stupid and mean thing to do.
He was completely aware others could have been injured, and considered that ok.
1.5 days is actually a very measured response, he got of lightly.

I assume you're the parent of one of these little horrors. If so, you're one of THOSE parents. The boys are lucky to have such a lenient punishment. They deserve at least a week's suspension. It's disgusting that you question the effect the sheer stupidity had on the teacher who fell and hurt themselves. Maybe these boys will learn that their actions have consequences.

I think that is fair enough, as they added more that is intentional. Ramps are presumably there to support disabled DC, who could have been seriously injured if they slipped.

Causing an injury to another pupil or staff member is an immediate suspension at my child's Secondary School.

I think it is a reasonable punishment here.

They knowing left the ramp in a dangerous state and several people were injured as a direct result of what they did.

They had options, they could have reported the spill, they could definitely have not added more gel, they could and should have cleaned it up.

As it was they left it. It didn't dry. They only guessed it might. People got hurt.

I'm sure if your son and his friends were injured by someone else being pretty stupid you'd expect consequences.

Luckily no one ended up very seriously hurt. Someone falling while carrying a hot drink is very dangerous.

Imagine having that outlook, how unpleasant. Assuming nefarious intent on the part of the teacher. Nasty.

I haven’t missed the point. I never said they intended for someone to get hurt. Or don’t you think injuries from preventable accidents count somehow?

Punishment will make them think twice before they do such stupid shit again.

As to they didn’t think - well, we all know what thought did.

To the point they apparently needed to go to hospital, I don't doubt they did go to hospital but my suspicious brain wonders if they wanted a few hours out of work etc (maybe unfair of me!). No serious injury, some bruising to knee but apparently needs a few days off to 'recover'.

Why do people hate teachers so much? So nasty to put recover in quotation marks. Lucky it wasn't a pregnant teacher.

You're missing the point. It doesn't matter what their intent was (or, rather, what they now claim it was). Somone was hurt and it was reasonable to think that this was possible. And, they don't appear to have either insight or remorse given the whingeing.

Absolutely this.

Totally justified in my opinion

I think it should have been a longer suspension. It could have had very very serious consequences. I know it was just teens being a bit stupid and not necessarily malicious but they need to learn that actions have consequences. My friends son was suspended two years ago for something similarish and she went apeshit with him and totally agreed with the school that he needed to be punished.

They should have a week suspension and you need to change your attitude.

So they have insight and remorse?
I'm assuming you haven't shared your unpleasant accusations about the teacher fancying time off and lying about the extent of the injury?

i am a part time wheelchair user as a result of an accident like this. I will be full time at some point.

tell me again how I’m missing the point @EvaB0710 ?

Completely justified to be suspended. I’m shocked that you’re even asking.

Teenage boys often mess around without intending for anyone to get hurt, but they need to learn. I remember one instance of teenage boys letting off a fire extinguisher and putting it back (must have been a CO2 one I guess). Messing around and didn't intend to hurt anyone, but didn't tell anyone they'd used the fire extinguisher and were suspended because of what could have happened.

The punishment reinforces that their actions were serious and could have had serious consequences. It also inconveniences the parents and means they have to take it more seriously.

Personally, I think community service would be more appropriate: litter picking and cleaning up round the school.

zero awareness it could have caused injury

So the ramp is there for disabled kids. One of mine is a bit unsteady, something like this could cause him serious injury.

Yes they were thoughtless but they are not primary school kids. For the record @EvaB0710 how old are the boys? It's a big difference if they are 12 or 17 isn't it as well?

And what a nasty thing to say about the teacher. She was carrying a hot drink. If you spilled a large cup of a hot drink on yourself because a colleague at work had been thoughtless I doubt you would be quite so sanguine.

12, most with varying degrees of SEN

Presuming your son and his friends are of average intelligence, it should have been obvious to them they had made, and were leaving, a potentially dangerous slide in a public area, yet they didn't report it....so that's why they got their detention.

As a parent you should be teaching your son to be more aware that actions have consequences, not acting all indignant when his dangerous actions cause others injury.

But zero awareness that it could cause injury is not a defence: unless they have learning difficulties or are very young for their age, ignorance that their actions could cause harm is not an excuse is it.

Oh that's alright then Shame the teacher didn't snap her neck and die that would have been a real hoot