Bridges, Updating Thereof
Friday, January 13, 2012 at 8:31AM | Mr Lady He isn't serving detention.
I'd emailed the principal before 6 that night, and heard nothing back all the next day until my son came home from school and told me he'd been pulled into an office where they asked for a letter from me, and when he didn't produce one, they told him that he'd be in detention on Thursday.
So. They're talking to me through my kid. So.
At that point, I broke down and called the principal, who was in a meeting, as was every single 6th grade authority figure...but gosh, they'd be happy to leave a note that I called.
The next day, I sent them the letter they'd asked my son for, oh yes I did. (I may have gone a little overboard with it.) (Bygones.) (It's after the jump.) Four hours into the school day, my phone rang. It was the principal, who cleared up a few things for me, most importantly that if he really had been legitimately late, he wouldn't have to serve detention. And he was legitimately late, so he doesn't have to serve it.
And now I need a nap.
</fightthepower>
I am writing regarding the detention referral my son, 2of3, was given on 9 Jan 2011. I attempted to speak to someone from the school in person on 10 Jan 2011, and was told no one was available. 2of3 was sent home by the AP on duty while I awaited a phone call, which I was told would come within “an hour” at noon, but didn’t come until almost 6pm.
During that phone call, Mr Jerk disregarded my concerns about the severity of the punishment my son incurred for being two minutes late to class, having gone to the wrong class eager to take an exam. He informed me that I had no recourse in this matter and than my son “needed to follow through with the consequences of his actions.” Which were, mind you, being excited to take a test.
I informed him that I would think on the matter and send a letter in with my son the next day. Instead, I emailed the principal before 6pm on the night of the 10th, requesting a meeting.
My email was not returned, and when my son came home on the night of the 11th, he informed me that he had been called to the AP’s office to request a letter from me and confirm his D-Hall assignment on the 12th.
At that point, I phoned the school and spoke to the principal’s secretary, who offered to “leave a note” for someone to get back to me. I have yet to hear anything.
It is perfectly clear to me that this issue will not be addressed by the school administration, and as I have taken all the reasonable steps to attempt to rectify this, I am informing you that 2of3 will NOT be attending D-Hall for this “infraction” (after school or at lunch) and that any further communication you wish to have about it will go through me alone, not him. I gave fair opportunity to resolve this, and was actually willing to consider having him serve the detention if necessary until I was talked down to, then dodged, then ignored.
He is an 11 year old child who was trying to do better as school. I am fairly shocked at the lack of common decency and respect shown by the administration to a student, or to me as a parent. Until this point, I have had nothing but the utmost in positive experiences with the school with both of my children, and so am writing this entire matter off as a fluke. However, if this situation continues to be an issue, I will not hesitate to take it up with the school district.
Please make sure my son is removed from the D-Hall roster today and is on the bus home.
Reader Comments (20)
Awe-mazing! The kisses and hugs bit was a fantastic touch! ;)
And that is how it is done.
Well played Mama Bear. And give 2of3, (or Mini-Me as I like to call him) a hug for me. Because you know, my arms aren't long enough to do it myself.
You handled a frustrating situation so well. I imagine this wasn't the 1st draft of this letter.
Good on you!
You showed amazing restraint. My notes to school are drenched in sarcasm.
You gave them hell! They sound lie a bunch of pompous ass hats who lie to dole out unreasonable consequences and not have to deal with parents who call them out on it,
I'm so glad justice was served. This entire drama gave me constipation. Now if you'll excuse me...
we used to refer to Stubble's middle school as the ____________ __________ Juvenile Correctional Facility. It was the most miserable 3 years of our public education experience.
I refuse to believe that 25% of the student body should be serving after school detention at one time...
no, I am not exagerating...
and ours was supposed to be the "best" middle school in town - people were fighting to transfer their children IN...
bravo!!!
Kudos!!
*applauds* They apparently did not know who they were messing with.
Well said. Up until having the cupcake this August, I was a middle school
teacher. I can understand such consequences for a frequent offender, but not for something so silly. I had students come late to me all the time because we had such a screwy rotating block schedule that my kiddos often went to the wrong class. If my planbook wasn't sitting in front of me then even I might go to the wrong class. Glad you fought for 2of3. Bravo.
Good for you. And your kid. And, hopefully, school administrators who could learn from this little episode. To this day my mom regrets not fighting for me with an obnoxious teacher around this age. You won't have that regret. Congrats.
Nice. Perfect level of disdain and respect.
Ah, don't you just love zero tolerance policies?
Schooled!
F--- yeah. You rock. There's consequences and them there are just stupid f-ing rules. This is the latter.
You are the mom I want to be
So I love your reference to one of my favorite books by one of my favorite authors. I have my blog roll titled 'heartbreaking works of staggering genius'
You are not mediocre!
4th grade public school teacher here. At my school we deal with SO many kids who don't make grades or know how to respect authority and when I meet their parents....I know exactly why. I know our building bends over backward to help kids and if we had had a student like your son, he would have been assisted immediately. I can't believe that a school could get away with dissing you like this.
Unfortunately, at least where I am, parents are allowed to extend their authority into the school building on a daily basis and teachers have been attacked--both verbally and otherwise--by parents who can't or won't take responsibility for their own actions or teach their kids to do the same. Perhaps your schools--like ours--have become so beleaguered by the parents of the bad kids that when confronted by someone with a legitimate beef, they turn a deaf ear. Just an idea. I hate it that you were treated this way.
Am I the only one who's baffled why it's totally OK for the school principal to be late in a promise to call you, meet with you, etc without congruence and why it's not OK for a student to be 2 minutes late and given the sledgehammer approach to discipline?
BTW love the Hugs and Kisses part. I so want you to be my mom.