My son's teacher is still punishing the whole class!

Australia
June 29, 2007 6:22pm CST
As some of you know, I have been having trouble with my son's teacher because she keeps on punishing the whole class because some kids have done something wrong. My son has missed out on seeing aboriginals dancers and some computer lessons now because some of the kids did something wrong. I want to give you all a bit of an update. The teacher is still doing it and now my son does not even want to go to school. I have spoken to the principal and I have spoken to the teacher but I have got nowhere with them. The other day, I caught up with some of the other kids mothers to see how they feel about it. A lot of them were not happy about it either, some of them were not bothered about it though. The ones that were not happy about it, I told them to start voicing their opinions about it, I told them that if more of us say something, then there will be more of a chance that something will get done about it. Some of them said they will, so I hope they do. Yesterday I also contacted the education department to get some advice on what I should do. I was only after advice, but they are taking it a step further and they are going to contact the school themselves. I was not expecting them to actually contact the school. When I got off the phone, I almost felt bad about it, but then I thought, well I have tried to talk to the teacher and the principal about this and got nowhere, so now I guess this is really the next step. I hope things will start to settle down now and the teacher will start treating the students more fairly and only punish the ones that have done something wrong.
2 people like this
11 responses
@Feona1962 (7526)
• United States
30 Jun 07
There is no reason to punish the whole class because of a couple of unruly children..The teacher is going about this the wrong way..The good children are going to start acting up because they are being treated unfair...A meeting of all involved needs to had and this needs to end....I am sorry your son is missing out because of the few bad ones....now he doesn't want to go to school and this is a shame....keep complaining for the sake of your son.......good luck..
• Australia
1 Jul 07
I will keep complaining if nothing gets changed. They are going to get so sick of me after a while if it keeps going. Then if my husband has to keep going in, then they will really regret it because if he goes in, he will be there for at least two hours at a time, lol! Your right about the good kids will start playing up, if it was me that was being punished for doing nothing wrong, then I would start playing up too. Thanks!
• Australia
1 Jul 07
I will see what the education department say and then if nothing changes then it's his turn and he will enjoy it, lol! Thanks!
@Feona1962 (7526)
• United States
1 Jul 07
I surely hope this gets resolved, just remember the squeaky wheel gets the grease...send in your husband...
1 person likes this
@kayrod2 (1304)
• Australia
30 Jun 07
I am so glad the education department is going to do something. I think you have gone about things the right way. I have been following this in your discussions, and feel that your son, and others in the class are being treated unfairly. I wonder if the parents who didnt care have the kids that are mucking up? I hope this gets sorted out real soon. Its no good that your son doesnt want to go to school. Best wishes to you, i am sure things will work out
1 person likes this
• Australia
1 Jul 07
I had a feeling after speaking to one of the mothers that her child does play up in the class and she wasn't going to say anything. I have a feeling that she will have to change some things now that the education department is getting involved. If it doesn't improve, then the school is going to hear a lot more from me. Thanks!
1 person likes this
• Australia
1 Jul 07
I will do anything for my kids. Just like all parents, I want my kids to be treated fair and be happy. I will definitely see this through, the school might get sick of me, but I will do what I have to do. If it comes down to it, then I will get as many parents together and we will all come in and have a word. I hope it doesn't come to that though. Thanks!
@kayrod2 (1304)
• Australia
1 Jul 07
Hopefully it will get all sorted out with the education dept. help. I know you will see this through, and i am glad you have the strenght to. Our kids need to enjoy going to school to get a good education. cheers
1 person likes this
• India
9 Jul 07
i want to say just only one thing that punishment is not the ultimate solution neither for one student nor for whole class room. So it totally wrong.
1 person likes this
• Australia
10 Jul 07
I think the child or children that have done something wrong should be punished but only the ones that have done something wrong. Thanks!
@crazynurse (7482)
• United States
10 Jul 07
Grrrr. That idea of punishing 'all' for the actions of 'some' is one of those darn theories that I never did understand nor agree with. There are many who feel that the peer pressure from those wrongly punished will aid in having the offenders to correct their ill habits, but I personally find it so very wrong...especially if loss of education is involved. It is one thing to use this tactic for a group of kids where one has thrown a rock into a car window and none will confess...but to use it when kids miss out on educational opportunities..that is wrong in my book! I'm glad you pressed forward and that something good may come from your persistance!
1 person likes this
• Australia
10 Jul 07
Yes, I agree with you, if the kids have done something dangerous and no-one will own up, then punish the whole class. This teacher will punish the whole class just because someone talked when they shouldn't have. I have spoken to the education department and she is meant to be changing and only punishing the kids that do something wrong. I hope she does, I will have to wait and see when the school goes back. If my child did something wrong, I wouldn't want the kids that were behaving to be punished and it is the same when other kids do something wrong, I don't want my son to be punished. Thanks!
@pinks0da (328)
• Philippines
30 Jun 07
You just did the right thing. You followed "protocol" as they say. Since you started with the concern people first and got nowhere, it was just right that you escalate the concern to those people who care more. It is not right to punish the whole class just because some kids are not doing what they are supposed to do. That could de-motivate the students, obviously it already did discourage your son. Teachers should be taught how to do punishments appropriately. They have to understand that it is not their duty to scare their students...Why don't they call the parents attention regarding their issues with the children or they can call a meeting with the parents and voice out their sentiments as teachers towards the kids' behavior so that parents can help them also. It's just not a good idea putting it out into the whole class when some are making lapses. I really believe that teachers plays a great rule in making he children want to go to school.
1 person likes this
• Australia
1 Jul 07
If it was my son playing up, I wouldn't want the rest of the kids being punished and I am sure that other parents would probably feel the same. The thing that gets me is that the kids that are playing up are usually the same ones most of the time. When I had a meeting with the principal, my son came with me and the principal asked who were the main ones playing up, my son told him and they were the kids the principal expected, but these kids are not going to stop if the teacher is going to punish the whole class because it means that they will all miss out on something and not just the ones that did something wrong. I did follow protocol, but it is just a shame that I had to go so far. Thanks!
@wachit14 (3595)
• United States
30 Jun 07
I can understand the teacher's frustration about the children who are continually misbehaving. The problem with her philosophy that they will feel guilty because all the kids are being punished due to their behavior isn't working. Those kids don't care that the whole class is missing out and it's not solving the problem. She needs to go ahead and single them out for punishment and allow the other children to participate in activities. Maybe if they are alienated, they will begin to understand consequences.
• Australia
1 Jul 07
Actually what she is trying to do more and she told me this is she is trying to get the good kids to control the naughty ones. My kids do not go to school to control kids though, they go there to learn. Like you said though, what she is doing its definitely not working. I think if they are alienated then a lot of them may start behaving because they are not going to want to miss out. Thanks!
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
30 Jun 07
well, as unfair as it sounds to be, this world can never be perfectly fair in my opinion... i also got so mad in my working place because the management shuts the relaxation room that all of us use to go there during our break to relax or use the internet because some irresponsible co-workers leave a mess there and don't want to clear it... just because of some people's actions, all the other innocent people get the consequences by not being able to use the room for 2 weeks... it is so annoying to me as it had happened so many times... but the management says that if we are not happy about it, then we have to help in keeping the room nice and tidy... as simple as that... i hope your son's problem with the teacher will be solved soon... take care and good luck...
1 person likes this
• Australia
1 Jul 07
If it was only happening every now and then, it wouldn't bother me so much, but this has been happening nearly everyday this term. She only came to the school this term. The way I look at it though, if she is punishing the whole class, then the ones that are playing up are not going to stop because they are making the whole class miss out. If she would only punish the ones that are doing something wrong, then they may actually start behaving, especially if they see that the good kids get to do something else instead of being punished. Hopefully everything will be sorted out soon though. Thanks!
• United States
29 Jun 07
It is my opinion that some teachers should never have been certified. To punish all for one ..is not right..There are ways to discipline unruly children. She should have the unruly and undisciplined stay after school and have a writing assignment or have them wash chalk boards and clean floors.. If they have so much energy to disturb a class they need to redirect that energy ..I am sure if they have to start cleaning as a punishment they will straighten up. I don't know too many children who like chores;)+
• Australia
30 Jun 07
Hey, this sounds like a great idea. You could imagine how many of them would stop misbehaving if they had to clean. I guess she wouldn't do this though because she likes to punish the whole class instead of just the ones that are doing something wrong. Thanks!
@wendy82 (437)
• United States
29 Jun 07
You did the right thing since the teacher and the principal was not doing anything about it. That is not right that the teacher was punishing the whole class due to the one student. They should only punish the one students. That is wrong due to the incident your son does not want to go to school. Education is more important then most things in life. But I think the whole class parents should voice their opinions. Good luck superchook!
1 person likes this
• Australia
30 Jun 07
Well I am hoping that others will start to speak up about it as well. Some of them have said they will, so I just hope they do. With the education department getting involved it might help change things too. Thanks!
@kampo90 (289)
• Antarctica
30 Jun 07
yeah teachers tend to have this one for all, all for one mentalaty which eally pises me off why should i suffer when the teachers the dumba$$ and cant keep quite in the classrom so she writes a flash test whit every body where the highest grade you can get is D- i just hate people how abuse power $%^* the sytsem X(
1 person likes this
• Australia
1 Jul 07
It sounds like your teacher maybe be unfair too. Try talking to the principal about it. I really don't understand why some teachers are unfair. I don't think it will make them feel better. I hope things improve for the both of us. Thanks!
@castleghost (1304)
• United States
30 Jun 07
SuperChook, I think that contacting the education department is exactly what you needed to do. They will send someone over to view how this teacher is handling her students. They will explain ways that she should handle each situation. Some teachers don't like to listen to parents. What you did will hopefully get the teacher some help that she really needed.
1 person likes this
• Australia
30 Jun 07
When I spoke to the teacher she said that she is set in her ways, so I take it she doesn't want to change. I hope the education department will be able to show her that it is better to change some things rather than having a lot of upset students and parents. I don't think she likes to talk to parents either as she seemed to act as though she was better than me. Thanks!