Today on only her second day back at school my eldest Daughter who is in year 10 got detention today from her science teacher for burping . She has only ever had one detention in her whole school life and she was very upset . I don't know what to do apparently she burped outside the class before she went in and her teacher came out asked who it was who burped she obviously said it was her her teacher then told her she would get detention as its unladylike . I feel like I need to phone the school its ridiculous
Hi There,
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I think that is a bit over the top, if the teacher felt it needed anything then a telling off should have been enough.
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I would call or email the school and ask them about it.
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GTTS
I would personally email the school, First to question how, for what is basically a chemical reaction, it is against the school discipline code to burp. Given that your daughter was not deliberately clowning around, what she should do to avoid future detentions for what are natural bodily functions. Finally, considering your daughter's excellent discipline record why detention for this was considered appropriate.
I found emailing or writing was sometimes a better option than speaking directly about some issues where I might get wound up and shift attention from what I wanted to sort out. Also rather than putting school staff on the defensive it gives them time to investigate what happened and give a considered response. You can then decide how you want to take this further from a position of understanding the school's stance on this matter.
I found there were some circumstances where this approach allows for a quick resolution and an apology from the school, as well as allowing the school to use its internal processes where a teacher has been wrong, rather than a bull in a china shop approach which is more likely to cause the school to close ranks.
My biggest annoyance is the fact the teacher says she is punishing her for being unladylike
I agree with OddFather, unless you have a good working relationship with the head and can keep your cool, then a phone call might be the way forward.
All the best
Spoke to her tutor about it teacher is saying she gave the detention because my daughter didant say excuse me but I still find it silly so I am emailng her the head of year and deputy head teacher to resolve the issue
Hello Rtp,
What sort of burp was it?
Was it a discrete natural bodily function burp?
Or was it an unnecessarily forced, loud, vulgar burp?
She said it was a tiny burp that just slipped out and she was embrassed and didn't think anything of it till the teacher came out
If it were me I would escalate it...it's just ridiculous and the teacher wasn't even in the same area as your daughter, so how does she know whether your daughter said excuse me or not! If your daughter was embarrassed, she would have said it quietly anyway. Out of hearing of the teacher, who was in another room.
I agree with Mojo, this should be escalated, if for no other reason than the reasonableness of the punishment for what has happened.
If the school maintain it is reasonable then you and your family have my full respect considering this is only her second detention.
I have heard of similar situations and often it has been due to a couple of reasons,
1) School becomes an academy with zero tolerance on behaviour. Other than guns, weapons or drugs I have a big issue with zero tolerance policies. Simply because of situations like this where the good kids get caught up in trying to deal with unruly children.
2) The school is religious or an all girl school with strong ideas of how young ladies should behave.
If either of the above apply I would not expect much in escalating it, but would do so they know that I was unhappy with what happened.
I will be resolving it tommorow its a normal school her only other detention a few years ago was for having her tie to short and not tucking her shirt in so I could except that but a burp no
I have sorted it out with her head of year she has got the detention lifted apparently at the time my daughter burped lots of people were messing around in the corridor and the teacher she threatened to give detentions to those who were making noise unfortunately my daughter burped so the teacher made an example of her and regrets that decision and has apologised . my daughter is happy with that so I am she did get warned however about her manners in the future as the teacher sticks to the fact she didant say excuse me but her head of year knows she is a good student so feels that if that was the case it was slip up