Was the Teacher Justified?

[Luv'sTink]

let me start by saying ALL students have to buy a P.E. (gym) uniform. If you forget your uniform you have to borrow one and have to run as punishment for not bringing it. It has to be taken home every Friday and washed. They are 11, sixth grade.

So yesterday, my sons friend, went to his P.E. class, 14 of the boys forgot their uniforms. The teacher made the WHOLE class run for 30 minutes because she was tired of boys forgetting. The Teacher then proceeds to ask the boys that had NEVER forgotten their uniform's to stand up, she then proceeds to tell the class that they (the ones that forgot) pissed off these boys because they had to run and have never forgotten their uniforms.

Should the whole class have had to run? If you believe it was justified and the whole class should have had to run, why and what are the boys that have not forgotten their uniforms suppose to do about the ones that do? This is really the answer I am looking for. Should they take them out and beat the crap out of them for forgetting, yell at them, call them at home Monday morning and remind them, what?

 

[lulugirl]

I'm not a big fan of group punishment but I wouldn't give what the teacher did a second thought.

 

[JR6ooo4]

its gym, they should be running anyway. If they were made to run in math class because some forgot their books that would be too much.

Mikeeee

 

[kaf7878]

I don't think the teacher was trying to be fair. I think she was trying to make the boys who forget their uniforms understand that they are infringing on the entire class (esp when its 14 students forgetting!). Whatever the PE teacher had planned that day probably could not have taken place with that many missing kids. Therefore the whole class had to suffer one way or the other as a result of irresponsible students.

Maybe in the future the forgetful students will think more carefully realizing that their actions/choices can have consequences even on those who follow the rules.

With 14 students forgetting, I think the PE teacher had to make a powerful statement to get some type of control. And that's not always going to be fair for the entire class. But hey, life isn't always fair and many times we do have to suffer from the mistakes of others. At least they got some exercise!

 

[c4a]

I'm not a big fan of group punishment but I wouldn't give what the teacher did a second thought.

running in p.e.-not that big of a deal. Had coaches that used to use this tactic. Theory is that the ones who did what they were supposed to will give the "bad" kids a hard time. The kids will do the punishing. No need to worry.

 

[Luv'sTink]

its gym, they should be running anyway. If they were made to run in math class because some forgot their books that would be too much.

Mikeeee

In my sons school gym is more than just running. They actually have paper work to do also. I guess they feel like they should have a brain too

 

[Katie]

THIS is fairly common on school sports team. The logic is peer pressure will make the boys conform to the rules and regulations of the school.

My son is on a school basketball team, and if one of the boys get a office referral, detention, or the coach hears of any disrespectful behavior, the WHOLE team runs.

The teachers love it..they tell the coach everything, and the boys who are not usually a problem, will "fix" the problem with peer pressure to make the boys conform.

I have mixed feelings on this...our school is very big right now on NOT bullying other students..however, I feel this system makes the leaders of the team bully the others into conforming. Of course, it a change for the better, but it still is bullying.

My son a a co-capton of the team, so most of the "responsibility" falls on him.
Last week, a player threw food at the lunch...and the coach asked MY son why is was not watching him better. Hello...didn't know he had to babysit a 15 year old boy. But now, my son makes him sit at the lunch table where he sits so he can "watch over" him. Same thing for the locker room,

I guess it teaches them both responsibility.

 

[c4a]

In my sons school gym is more than just running. They actually have paper work to do also. I guess they feel like they should have a brain too

Should be thankful then that the punishment wasn't a 500 word essay on the history of running or on gym uniforms.

 

[Kim&Chris]

While I'm certain the teacher has become extremely frustrated with the boys that forget, I'm not sure the whole class should have been made to run. Sounds like she's trying to teach them a lesson, old school. I wonder if the boys that kept forgetting have FINALLY learned a lesson.

 

[Stitchfans]

While I'm certain the teacher has become extremely frustrated with the boys that forget, I'm not sure the whole class should have been made to run. Sounds like she's trying to teach them a lesson, old school. I wonder if the boys that kept forgetting have FINALLY learned a lesson.

This has always been a big peeve of mine. I hate it when teachers make samples of other children or make the entire class suffer due to a few others. IMO it isn't fair and it really makes me angry.

 

[daisyduck123]

It's PE..I would not care if they had to run. Most PE classes do not have that much physical activity anyway (you'd be surprised how many minutes of a 45 minute PE class is actual "physical activity".)

 

[mytwotinks]

I am not a fan of punishments that encourage kids to bully each other. My dd was in a class with a few kids who talked too much and the teacher was giving them rediculous punishments because of these few kids. One day she had to write a "one page sincere apology for being a terrible class." I get minutes off of recess and blanket punishments like that every once in a while. But.... I don't think it is any 11 year old's responsibility to force another child to behave. For goodness sakes, at that age you are lucky if they are handling themeselves.

What are these kids supposed to do to the others? It's just dumb.

A punishment should be something that can be avoided by behaving correctly. If it is not, what is the point of doing what you are supposed to?

 

[kinntj]

eh, a little running isn't that bad in PE class.

 

[mytwotinks]

eh, a little running isn't that bad in PE class.

If the gym teacher was frustrated with the kids and felt like making them run, he/she could have just done it and said that it was the activity for the day. I don't have a problem with the running. Just the peer pressure.

 

[Anewman]

Fair? Maybe not...

Life Lesson? Absolutely.


In life we all suffer(or prosper) due to the actions of others, be it work or personal life.

And I think kids in PE should run at least half hour per day.

 

[lovesmurfs]

The point is that the kids forget their uniform AT HOME. If they're punished IN CLASS for forgetting, it won't help them remember AT HOME that they need their uniform.

I think it was a completely ludicrous punishment. They need detention (or office referral, or something else), and they need their grades lowered accordingly. Something that will impact them more than "oh, well, gotta do laps."

 

[Anewman]

The point is that the kids forget their uniform AT HOME. If they're punished IN CLASS for forgetting, it won't help them remember AT HOME that they need their uniform.

I think it was a completely ludicrous punishment. They need detention (or office referral, or something else), and they need their grades lowered accordingly. Something that will impact them more than "oh, well, gotta do laps."

If they are at HOME, and their legs hurt... It will help them remember.

Push ups work too.

 

[Alex2kMommy]

I'm not a big fan of group punishment but I wouldn't give what the teacher did a second thought.

I agree.

If I'm remembering right (this was sooo many years ago!), if we forgot PE our uniform we had to wear an extra one provided by the school. It wasn't always clean or the right size, ewwww! And we got spoken to in front of the class. If there weren't enough spares, we had to sit out the class. If we forgot 3 times, we flunked the class.

Maybe that teacher has just nipped the problem in the bud; if not, maybe she should keep a few skunky spares around, just in case. It sure worked on us!

 

[disneymyway]

its gym, they should be running anyway. If they were made to run in math class because some forgot their books that would be too much.

Mikeeee

What he said.

 

[Luv'sTink]

It's PE..I would not care if they had to run. Most PE classes do not have that much physical activity anyway (you'd be surprised how many minutes of a 45 minute PE class is actual "physical activity".)

He just finished junior football and went to the superbowl of his league, so it wasnt the physical activity that he had a problem with.