General Chat

Slightly linked to the spelling thread, I wonder if schools anywhere still inflict 'lines' as a punishment. A useful sanction in my eyes. At my first school you had to write things like 'I must be quiet in class' up to 500 times. At my second, the lines taught you something 'Separate has two 'E,' and two 'A,s' . When you have written that down over several pages, you never forget it. Happy days

'There but for the grace of god.....'. think we all did that Christine. Happy days

In my sons school (14yrs) - they do give out lines, but older boys run a well used racket of paying the younger boys to do them for them and both parties seem quite happy about it. The teachers never check them even if the style of writing changes mid page!! jenx

The lack of discipline in schools is caused by this 'I'll sue you' culture we've become.....also this infringement of my human rights......is absolute hornswaggle!!! The school my little sprite goes to is very lax on punishment....they don't get kept in at break time nor do they get detention, nor do they receive lines....they get 5mins deducted per 'offence' from golden time until it's gone and shock horror they have to do class work instead of playing in golden time....that's what they should be doing anyway!!!! There was an incident at the school one day when a toilet got broken by rocks being thrown in the door.....basically my son was left there and the teacher was quite prepared to let him take the blame...after a severe rollocking from us she decided to maybe investigate what happened and it turned out my son had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time and the teacher just assumed it was him....the child who had done it was pressured into opening up and spilling the beans....but because he had been 'pressured' into opening up to his great distress there was no punishment brought against him.......WHAT???????? But if we hadn't challenged it then what were they gona dish out for our son's punishment??? I was furious to say the least....the child was the local dr's kid...mmmmm??? coincidence???? but the head teacher was my son's cousin....!!!! Though he was gona be made a scapegoat...what happened to innocent until proved guilty....and why was the other kid not punished??? When I was in school there would have been either a phone call home or a letter at least and the parents would have been expected to foot the bill for the damage done........they repaired the loo outa the school trip fund...the money had been raised by the kids....so they were all losing out on sumat from the trip coz some of the money went to pay for the broken loo...hardly fair eh??? But this is the sorta state we're living in and it sucks.....no-one can challenge a child for breaking a window or throwing stones etc without fear of repercussions on them.....bring back some power to the teachers and you'll have a generation of children who will learn to respect people's things and the people themselves. RDA.x.

Jennifer, Nothing changes. Brings back some memories. There were twins at my school who were 'well off'. i f you did 100 lines for them, they would give you threepence halfpenny to buy a bottle of pop. No lack of volunteers in those days. RDA Can see why you were upset. Very much afraid we have to live in the world as it is, not how we would like it to be. Happy days

At my high school in the mid-70's we still had to do 'lines', but not of the educational kind! And we still had detentions - but all that involved was sitting around in a classroom, drinking coffee and chatting, so that wasn't much of a punishment! I don't seem to recall much else in the way of punishments, though I'm sure there must have been plenty! There were more than a few explusions though - no suspensions in those days! Bev x

I agree with Rag Dolly Anna completely - the problems with kids and schools today is a lack of discipline and a complete lack of respect. When I was at school I knew that if I did something wrong that my Mother would hear about it and I had a healthy fear of her - enough to prevent me doing anything really stupid. But today even the Parents (not all, but many) don't seem to instill any respect in their children and don't discipline them at home - how on earth can we expect teachers to cope? I find that many children these days have that 'untouchable' attitude and they're right, we can't even give them a clip round the ear anymore. We've become a very soft and silly society where people are afraid to speak their minds and others threaten to sue at the drop of a hat! Kaye x

Jennifer answered my main question. Her school giving out 'lines' - is that a one off these days. If so what punishments are awarded? Happy days

My son is in the 6th form sitting his A levels. His school use detention, but I find their reward system for good behaviour better still. My son usually gets something small at the end of the year i.e. a book voucher I have to say this though...if anyone put their hands on my children in temper, a teacher or otherwise...I would not be responsible for my actions. Sue xx

Harry, My daughter goes to a different school and a couple of years ago to our shame she was very naughty. Her punishment from school was that she couldnt go with her year on a week away trip AND she had to go into school for that whole week in her uniform to help the admin. staff - the only child there she stuck out like a sore thumb - parents would come up to her and ask why she was in school when their child was not and so she had to confess to them. i know humiliation isnt pleasant but it taught her a lesson and (touch wood) she is now a little angel. Lol!! Jenx

Thanks Sue and Jennifer. One Carrot and one stick? Best wishes Happy days

Jennifer.... I think that the punishment your daughter received, although it may have been harsh to her, but think it'd be a great deterant for others...bet she wasn't so keen to do whatever she'd done again?? I certainly don't condone physical punishment in schools such as the belt or the cane etc. but I don't see any harm in children being taught a lesson by giving them lines, detention, kept in at breaktime or even to help repair any damage done...i.e. graffitti they'd have to help scrub off.....damaging other people's property they'd have to replace it through their parents being told etc..... The list could go on but my point is we're fast letting the lunatics run the asylum and that is a scary prospect........if children seem to have a better run of the schools then what's the point in having teachers....the teachers are meant to be there to teach them....... but it's not the teacher's fault......they cannot be held responsible for the way children turn out.....that is left solely at the door of the parents. RDA.x.