So, I put it to the head teacher: what punishment are you giving these boys for making my son’s life a misery? ‘Oh, none,’ she replied. ‘We’re going to set up a drama group to help the three of them (including Monty) deal with their social responses.’And people wonder why the teaching profession is increasingly despised..?
Social responses? What on earth was she talking about? I felt like she had swallowed a whole political correctness dictionary!
I rushed from the room, went straight home and told Monty that if either of those boys came anywhere near him again he had my permission to punch them — a social response I felt was quite appropriate under the circumstances. But I knew he wouldn't He’s no angel, but punching is not his style.
Then the school suddenly changed tack. ‘This isn't actually a bullying matter,’ the head teacher informed me at the beginning of week three. ‘Bullying is the relentless targeting of one individual, and these two boys behave like this towards every child in the class.’
She then suggested — with Monty present — that it might be best to just ‘put up with it, and stop taking their behaviour so personally’.
Also, a curious belief that criminality 'just happens', a strange blindness in hiring staff, the unshakable belief that their desires should be everyone's desire, their belief that extortion and protectionism is just fine and dandy, shameless opportunism before the blood's even dry, the continued infiltration of the justice system, bah humbug, please save the Earth! and irrefutable evidence that, at heart, their desire to control the language knows no bounds.
Is a lobotomy a prerequisite for teaching these days or is it just the bottom of a very dim and dark well that is being dredged to find them?
ReplyDeleteCan the teachers not see the effect such 'non punishments' have on the victim? Have all their critical faculties been brainwashed away in an Institute of Education approved way?
ReplyDeleteIt is complete madness. Truly an example of 'if you cannot do then teach'.
I would have a degree of difficulty in restraining myself from punching the headteacher in the mouth.
ReplyDeleteWhen these kids grow up and start robbing houses, I hope they break in and nick that teachers telly.
ReplyDeleteLet's see if she puts up with it because the little shits nick everyones tellys
The article doesn't say whether the school is a Church of England one, though being in a 'leafy village' makes it highly likely.
ReplyDeleteIf that is the case, then the Head may well be exercising the sort of Christian forgiveness that, combined with sociological orthodoxy, virtually requires her to consider the bully as a 'vulnerable' victim - the greasy pole of today's promotion structure actively favours those capable of such doublethink.
Since exercising classroom discipline is a high-risk business these days...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2251149/Father-30-punched-female-primary-school-headteacher-suspended-year-old-son-racially-abusing-fellow-pupil.html
...(not to mention the risk of unfounded accusations from the child) most teachers will refer all such problems upwards to the senior management with, in cases like this, sadly predictable results.
So... We can assume that a slap is not on the cards?
ReplyDeleteIt is so much easier to help the perpetrators of bullying because you get to hear the word 'sorry' which is very empowering for a teacher, even if the brat -- er, I mean, the child -- doesn't mean it.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who has taught you hear 'sorry' a lot from the little turds, and it's all empty. It's the word they say like 'pardon me' when they belch loudly in class, because that makes their behaviour okay. Apparently.
It doesn't stop them belching as loud as they can five minutes later, but some teachers appreciate good manners. 'Pardon me' is perfect because it's meaningless. Just like these teachers love to hear 'sorry' after bad behaviour because it might just mean, one day, the problem is solved.
But here's the problem: it isn't always the teacher. Educational establishments have rules of behaviour which cannot or will not be enforced. I worked at a college where mobile phone in class use was banned. That was what the signs on the wall said, but the little turds used them openly because no one would ever stop them. There was no penalty for any action, so carry on, turds!
Keep belching, farting, phoning your mate next to you, being late and maybe even bullying. After all, what's going to happen?
Nothing.
Selsey steve, coming up against that type of 'teacher' would make me want to home school.
ReplyDeleteI was subjected to a bit of bullying at age 14 ish (I won't say: "suffered"). In the end I cracked during a games lesson out on the field and belted one of them in the chops a few times.
ReplyDeleteThe games teacher (a hard nut from Sunderland), called us over at the end of the lesson (having sent two of the harder cases over to break it up before bothering himself). He used that discretion thang the old timers talk about, cuffed my protagonist one, and sent me to pick up the kit from the farthest end of the field.
That was only 1986. Nowadays we'd probably be sent to a shrink and have to give DNA samples.
Ah yes: Educationland, where a kid being beaten senseless isn't bullying, but someone writing an article criticising teachers is.
ReplyDeleteI was the new kid in High School and 2 kids one on varsity basketball and the other his demented friend were following me for the third day yelling insults behind my back. Then finally in a packed hallway at 10 minutes til school started I turned on them launching str8 into both at once. The big one caught a right hook and ran so fast youd have to put tar on his heels to hold him into the fight. The second one I had on the ground beating his face into the terazzo floor ie concrete. Needless to say it was right in front of the vice principles office a rather large man of 400 pounds and 6 foot 6. He simply grabs my belt and lifts me off the kid and tosses me to the side. Meanwhile the so called bullys friend was sent to the hospital for stitches and ice packs.....Me I just got respect and 3 days suspension not for what started the fight but for beating the arse so bad he had to go to the ER! After that the kids would say ''PUNCH of ALI''
ReplyDeleteHarley
Well, with all the redundancies coming up in the military...
ReplyDeleteMaybe Drill Sergeant Nasty will re-skill as a drama teacher :-)
I live in hope
XX Gordon the Fence Post Tortoise said...
ReplyDeleteWell, with all the redundancies coming up in the military... XX
Aye. And THAT is the problem.
At an all male school, our "dinner "ladies"", were an ex Guards C.S.M, an ex R.M PTI staff Sergeant, and an ex RMP Seargeant.
The headmaster was an ec R.N Leutnant, his two deputies were 1) ex RM Corporal, and 2) ex Crusher, and 99% of the teachers were ex Army/R.N, or merchant navy.
Funny. We never had ANY trouble.
"Is a lobotomy a prerequisite for teaching these days..."
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't help the ones who've avoided this that the system is stacked against them. Watch this space.
"I would have a degree of difficulty in restraining myself from punching the headteacher in the mouth."
Well, as MacHeath points out, Go tight ahead! What's the worst they'll do? ;)
"When these kids grow up and start robbing houses, I hope they break in and nick that teachers telly.
Let's see if she puts up with it because the little shits nick everyones tellys"
LOL!
"...the greasy pole of today's promotion structure actively favours those capable of such doublethink."
Sadly true. There are those, however, who see their efforts thwarted. Watch this space.
"It is so much easier to help the perpetrators of bullying because you get to hear the word 'sorry' which is very empowering for a teacher, even if the brat -- er, I mean, the child -- doesn't mean it."
ReplyDeleteI suppose it's good practice for later life.
"That was only 1986. Nowadays we'd probably be sent to a shrink and have to give DNA samples."
At the very least! You can't deal with this sort of thing without tools!
"He simply grabs my belt and lifts me off the kid and tosses me to the side."
Probably be assault over here. You could sue him for that these days.
I googled 'child centred learning', apparently was tested as 'student centred learning' with masters degree students. It was a great success with that level and has been applied to lower tiers of education without the same level of efficacy.
ReplyDeleteWhat we have is people letting nasty little bastards get away with being nasty little bastards. Two options, one is get Monty into a boxing or wrestling club, even MMA where he would do both in a controled enviroment and be able to dish out a certain level of retribution without inflicting any lasting damage, (anyone who has been on the wrong side of a 'stack' will know what I mean, very painful but no real injury). The second inflict some level of discipline on the nasty bastards, not just the 'detention' type of discipline but an actual useful education. ie the reasons why you are learning this, the application of it and without it you will appear as one of the badly dressed, stupid mongs who appear on Jeremy Kyle. Basically you have the option of a shit life or one were it is possible to gain some fulfillment and enjoyment. Your call.
Personally I like the idea of both things happening, Monty doing a certain level of contact sports and dishing out some retribution and two the nasty little bastards getting an education and having a life without appearing on this blog as 'adults/over grown children'.
The mother is as much to blame for sending her son into school four weeks in a row to put up with that. Her kowtowing to the system instead of standing her ground and insisting that something was done - Duty Of Care, anyone ?? - pure cowardice. She's a bloody disgrace.
ReplyDeleteMy son was bullied for 3 days straight on his term at secondary school. I knew nothing until Day 4 when he smacked his bully back so hard that he sent him flying into a coat peg. Cue a trip to hospital.
Of course, I apologised on his behalf, he apologised and once the whole story came out his bully was suspended.
Lessons were learned. ;)
Contrast with the factor 50 whining about teachers persecuted by pupils.
ReplyDeleteSuck it up my friends, every last drop.
"What we have is people letting nasty little bastards get away with being nasty little bastards. "
ReplyDeleteAnd when they grow up, the justice system carries on that project...
"Contrast with the factor 50 whining about teachers persecuted by pupils.
Suck it up my friends, every last drop."
As ye sow, so shall ye reap.