Mackenzie is in eight grade. 3 girls didn't bring P.E. shorts on Monday (we just got back from vaca so I was not digging through 13 loads of dirty clothes) so the sub had them sit out of the class. Well the girls decided that they were hungry and went to the locker room to get some raisans. A teacher walked into the locker and busted them and they didn't of permission to be in there.
What a waste of time to take her into school early they should worry about the big stuff. Mack said that Mr. Golden had them sit down and the girls just talked for an hour before school started. Make them sit in silence or do some work if you think they did something so bad. just a big waste for time.


VENT VENT

Just my opinion, but I support the teachers in this kind of thing. They can't have kids wandering off from where they're supposed to be. Otherwise, something unsafe could happen and then parents will have them by the neck for that.

Heck, my son got a detention for failing to put on his belt (remembered his jacket, shirt, and tie...but was running late and forgot his belt).

I sure that I sound so militant...but I think we (on whole, no one in particular) are raising a bunch of mamby-pampy spoiled children.

cj/

If something had happened to your daughter who would you blame? Would you blame your daughter for NOT follwing directions or the teacher for not checking on her. When my son had his only detention my response was the same "Your old enough (he was a freshman) to know the rules, to follow them and to pay for your wrongs."

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Thats it, they are not paying for there wrongs when he teacher lets them just sit and TALK for the hour. Thats what makes me mad. If the offense was so bad then prove it to them not make it playtime. I work at elementary schools they make the kids work there hands off for that hour. When the kids have ISS they do not speak and work all day.

No BELT? That is just crazy to me.

It's a private school; they have a dress code. He knows what it is. I agree that the guy could have just ignored it, but I'm not upset about it, nor was he.

cj/

Why are parents so quick to blame the teachers?
I bet the point was made, and she won't easily forget her clothes again.

This is the "big stuff" in a world of school shootings, rapes, vandalism, etc. In order to keep the children safe, the teachers must know where they are at all times. Period.

I have to agree with the others on this one. The teachers need to know where students are at all times. Nowadays, nothing can be taken as a small thing. So they went to get raisins. Another kid could have been going to get a gun. Who knows? This may seem small to you but had something else happened to her or she disappeared, you would have really had something to be upset about. Chalk it down as lesson learned and hopefully she won't do it again. Let her take her punishment and don't be upset with the school for enforcing their rules.

I don't want to start another rumble here, but I just have to ask -- Why is it parents continually get upset and take up for their kids when they've done something wrong. Why is it always somebody else's fault and kids can't just take responsibility for their actions?

Mackeeg said that what bothered her is that the girls sat and visited during detention hour before school. I don't think that she is nonsupportive of them getting punished but the fact that the punishment was *enjoyable*.

Right? Not trying to put words in your mouth, mackeeg.

If that is the point that you are trying to make, I totally agree with you and think that maybe you would want to talk with the Principal about it ... just to let him/her know what happened.

Doesn't the school have a detention room or in-school suspension room? That is what happens at our school and the kids are not allowed to visit. It is not fun at all, from what I understand.

This is what I'm referring to. "Waste of time.....they should worry about the big stuff." It is what the kids hear. They hear mom or dad taking up for them complaining about the teacher and Mr. so and so, wasting their time, they should worry about the big stuff.....

Yes, I see what you are saying.

If they were in trouble, it *IS* the 'big stuff'.

OP thinks it should have been treated as big stuff though and it was not. Maybe I am mis-reading!

Hopefully, mackeeg has not voiced her dissatisfaction in front of the daughter. That to me is so important not to do. Even if you disagree with the way the school is handling something, I will always at least pretend that I agree with the way that things are handled and then go talk to the Principal in private!!!

I agree that the detention time should have been spent constructively, no talking, book reading or something along those lines. It wasn't supposed to be the social hour.
The point I see here that no one has mentioned......what if something had come up missing in the locker room? Fingers would have been pointed at the girls in the locker room without permission getting raisins.

Cuthie, yes you are understanding me right. Why give a referral when the teacher just lets them talk.

They have rooms for ISS only.

It is a waste of time when they just sit and talk and not have any kind of punishment.

My kid knows that she was wrong. Take responsibility for what? they didn't do anything to her just let her talk to her friends that were caught also. That is not showing her responsibility. To me thats why it is a waste of time.

I'm just saying what you said -- you said it was waste of time and they should worry about the 'big' stuff. You had to take her in to school an hour early, so that meant your daughter had to get up an hour early and report to school. So, in fact, that for most kids would be punishment in itself! Since she didn't really have ISS, maybe the school didn't want this to go on her record and thought that her coming in an hour early and sit in a classroom was punishment enough. Enough to make a statement of not to do that again, but not enough for it to go on her record as ISS.

But isn't the goal of a punishment to teach her NOT to do it again? If that is the goal, then the punishment was a success. I bet she won't go to the locker to get raisins again.

I don't care if they let them talk or not, simply the fact that they had to miss an hour of sleep may be enough to punish them. I know that would get to me Lesson learned. Not a waste of time.

If you don't think that she was properly punished, or that she didn't learn her lesson, then you could punish her yourself.

Thats how I read it also, don't you just love these conterversional posts and how people read into them.

I know it didn't seem like a big deal, but students have to learn to follow rules and be accountable. I am a teacher, and it bothers me when parents stick up for their children even when the child is wrong. I would be in deep trouble if someone slipped out of my sight and something terrible happened.

I'm sorry your daughter got a referral form, but hopefully it's her last.

As for the *punishment*, every school handles things differently. In fact, within the school, things are handled differently. Depending on the teacher in charge that particular day, one teacher might not find any harm in letting them talk quietly, and another teacher might give them another referral for making a peep. As long and you and your daughter know she was wrong, let it pass and go on.

At least she didn't do what I did!!!

I was in eight grade and a straight A, know-it-all girly-girl. Well, I didn't dress out for the day so my Male Gym teacher embarrassed me with a comment on my body! He said "what's a matter Miss. So-n-So do you have your period"?!?!?! I almost DIED! When he turned around (because I was so brave) I flipped him the bird. Of course he caught me b/c I wasn't used to being sneaky!! He sent me to the Dean of Girls (this was in 1991-92) she was shocked to see me there and asked what I did...I told her what happened and she laughed so hard I thought she was going to mini-stroke out on me! She ripped it up and I went to class. She did call and tell my mom and dad though!!

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