Detention for lack of an eraser ‘is bizarre’
SCHOOL ‘HAS CLEAR RULES’
THE parent of a child given detention for forgetting to bring a rubber to school has called the punishment ridiculous and bizarre.
Brockington College, in Enderby, sent an email about a “negative behaviour incident” on Monday.
The parent, who wishes to stay anonymous, said he then received another email to say the detention would be held the next day.
“I had to try to arrange for somebody to pick up my child,” he said.
“I fully support discipline of this kind when needed but how can the school expect parents to arrange additional transport with less than 24 hours notice?”
The man said a member of staff said the detention was down to “continual failed equipment”.
The email from the child’s tutor said: “We are directed to do equipment checks to ensure students have the correct equipment every day.
“I am very clear with the tutor group that this equipment should be taken to every lesson, even if they think they will not use it.
“The equipment list, which we are instructed to check students have, is the same one as on the college website.
“On Friday, ****** did not have a rubber. In a previous equipment check she did not have a calculator.”
The school official said both omissions triggered a notice and if the equipment was not there the next day a detention would be imposed, usually on the following day.
The parent said: “Really? Does this warrant an after-school detention?
“My child must have impeccable behaviour if this is the level of strictness that the school works to. The whole thing is bizarre.
“After all of the schooling our children have missed over the past 18 months I would rather the teachers put their efforts into improving the children’s education than disciplining children for not having a rubber in their pencil case.”
Jon Barton, vice-principal, of Brockington College said: “We don’t usually comment on individual cases, but we are always happy to take time to talk to parents and discuss any concerns they might have.”