New School rule? Opinions

Orange Juice 935

I've been home for the last four months, leaving for work in one. In September my younger brother started 6th year.

My brother isn't a rule breaker by any means, maybe forgets his home work every once and a while and goes to his locker between classes, even when there's a rule saying you shouldn't. And drinks from time to time (not wasted) with his friends outside of school hours (which i have nothing against).

But today he came home fuming (that's an understatement) he was cursing saying his principal should be shot or hung. I was taken aback, so i asked him what was wrong. So this is it.

A new rule has be placed.

During the old rule you could do homework in the morning (as soon as the gates open), during break (10 minutes), and during lunch (50 minutes). You weren't allowed to go to lockers between classes (which from my memory was rarely enforced), and during class even if you [god forbid during you're Junior Cert or Leaving Cert] had a free class, (which in it's self rarely enforced)

The new rule forbids doing homework, in the morning, during break and during lunch. You also aren't allowed to go to you're locker anytime during class or between classes. Apparently the rule was decided by the teachers as a group.

My brother is pissed off because this morning he was redoing his History Essay, his teacher is his words, 'recommended,' him to redo the essay. So he decided to redo it. While he was redoing it, a teacher told him to put his book away because she thought he was doing homework, he tried to explain but wasn't having it so took his journal wrote a RB [Rude Behavior] note in his journal, the first he ever got in his five years at the school.

His friend who was studding maths also got one because he was doing questions, because apparently you can only study by looking at a book.

From what my brother told me, the rule has created a lot of resentment among his fellow 6th years towards the principal and some teachers.

So what's you're opinion on this rule as it goes to everyone not just 6th years

In my opinion i can understand the going between classes rule, but when you have a free class you can't, the teachers apparently told them to have a spare book on hand and from what i remember, a thick history and Geography book two paperback A4 copies and exam papers were heavy enough adding another probably would've broke my back.

So what's you're opinion,

Thanks

Sorry that it was quite long

Gerrup Outta Dat!

Schools are a rule onto themselves. Jesus ****ing bastard Christ. They expect people to behave like adults but won't treat them like adults.

What the hell is wrong with opening a locker between classes or nipping out to a locker in the middle of a free class. Jesus, if you have a free class you can't do homework? Even if he isn't attempting to do homework that's due that day?

Studying requires rewriting and repetition.

Jesus, I swear some teachers get pleasure in enforcing pathetic rules. It's like they get a power trip or a thrill out of it or something. It's sad and pathetic really.

Don't violate the spirit of the law for the letter of the law.

Lackey

Guessing this is to stop homework being copied in the mornings?

is there a students council? Elected spokesperson/prefect?

Firstly ask this person to chair a meeting with the year asking their opinions and proposals

Next....

Request politely to schedule a meeting with the year head and principal

Explain that the year understands why this rule has been implemented but would it be possible to review it for exam years who may be using their free time to study and write out notes.

Have compromises ready...eg. would it be acceptable to use a specific room so they are not seen by first years etc. to be breaking the rules.

The majority of your brothers year will be adults at 18, have an adult conversation, be willing to work alongside the teachers and management, compromise and come armed with suitable ideas, that will work for students teachers and the school as a whole.

Gerrup Outta Dat!

Lackey wrote: »

Guessing this is to stop homework being copied in the mornings?

is there a students council? Elected spokesperson/prefect?

Firstly ask this person to chair a meeting with the year asking their opinions and proposals

Next....

Request politely to schedule a meeting with the year head and principal

Explain that the year understands why this rule has been implemented but would it be possible to review it for exam years who may be using their free time to study and write out notes.

Have compromises ready...eg. would it be acceptable to use a specific room so they are not seen by first years etc. to be breaking the rules.

The majority of your brothers year will be adults at 18, have an adult conversation, be willing to work alongside the teachers and management, compromise and come armed with suitable ideas, that will work for students teachers and the school as a whole.

Student councils and prefects are powerless with powertripping teachers. They'd only be a token position. It's like having a union rep in a Nazi work camp ran by Hitler.

Orange Juice 935

Lackey wrote: »

Guessing this is to stop homework being copied in the mornings?

is there a students council? Elected spokesperson/prefect?

Firstly ask this person to chair a meeting with the year asking their opinions and proposals

Next....

Request politely to schedule a meeting with the year head and principal

Explain that the year understands why this rule has been implemented but would it be possible to review it for exam years who may be using their free time to study and write out notes.

Have compromises ready...eg. would it be acceptable to use a specific room so they are not seen by first years etc. to be breaking the rules.

The majority of your brothers year will be adults at 18, have an adult conversation, be willing to work alongside the teachers and management, compromise and come armed with suitable ideas, that will work for students teachers and the school as a whole.

As far as i know they are all going to stand up to them every year is going to sit in the hall, on the corridors and do homework,
not the best idea but hay when nearly 700 students refuse to submit, you don't know what could happen

Lackey

Gerrup Outta Dat! wrote: »

Student councils and prefects are powerless with powertripping teachers. They'd only be a token position. It's like having a union rep in a Nazi work camp ran by Hitler.

That's depressing ....wouldn't be my experience

On the locker situation I would have no problem writing a note to say my kid was not allowed to carry heavy bag all day, those bags are way too heavy.

Gerrup Outta Dat!

Lackey wrote: »

That's depressing ....wouldn't be my experience

On the locker situation I would have no problem writing a note to say my kid was not allowed to carry heavy bag all day, those bags are way too heavy.

I'd let my son be bullied by the teachers into carrying big bags. Then sue the bejesus out of the teachers and principal for his "back injury".

Gerry T

Seems counter productive, even if a student is doing homework, their working rather than messing.
But the teacher that stopped an essay being rewrote, or another student from studying should be reprimanded.
Is there a parents association, if so your parents and others (possible petition) is the way to go, let the PTA approach the principal and say his new rule isn't practical.
But students taking action isn't a good idea, especially for 3rd and 6th yrs, it's distracting them from what they should be doing.

Orange Juice 935

Gerry T wrote: »

But students taking action isn't a good idea, especially for 3rd and 6th yrs, it's distracting them from what they should be doing.

I know, our mother has found out and will speak with other parents but other than that there isn't going to be change without action sadly that's what they've decided

I already have my degree so it doesn't affect me in the slightest

spurious

Was there an incident/series of incidents involving nonsense at lockers?
Was it a habit of some people to doss off classes 'to get something from the locker'?
Has there been insurance implications of students wandering to lockers unsupervised?

Deneb Cygnus

This happened in my school a year or two ago. ****ing stupid. The management is my school is ****e though, so I wasn't surprised

Orange Juice 935

spurious wrote: »

Was there an incident/series of incidents involving nonsense at lockers?
Was it a habit of some people to doss off classes 'to get something from the locker'?
Has there been insurance implications of students wandering to lockers unsupervised?

No apart from maybe a class disrupted no

Only the messers, but when the teachers caught on they stopped allowing them out

No not that i'm aware of

spurious

Insurance is usually the reason to curtail unaccompanied students going about the school.

kub

Teachers are one of the few people who have been in classrooms since they were 4 years old and most have not got much real experience outside that environment.
Pre school / Primary / Secondary / 3rd level and back again.

SkepticQuark

Gerrup Outta Dat! wrote: »

Student councils and prefects are powerless with powertripping teachers. They'd only be a token position. It's like having a union rep in a Nazi work camp ran by Hitler.

As someone who sat on a student council for 3/6 years in secondary school, I can attest to that. Student councils unless you have a really nice school get basically no say in day to day running and rules and even if they are consulted the feedback is never used. Our student council was pretty good apparently before I started, they got to draw up the rules with teachers, it went downhill after that and now from what I hear they basically can get nothing done about anything because the deputy principal is just a no man.

Insidious

Maybe the school just want the children to have a break from studies during the day to keep them alert during the classes? Seems likely...

X6.430macman

Rules sound stupid but doesn't surprise me in the slightest, welcome to secondary school

Orange Juice 935

Insidious wrote: »

Maybe the school just want the children to have a break from studies during the day to keep them alert during the classes? Seems likely...

That's apparently what they said, but in my opinion that is total bs just a way to piss off students.

To be honest the Principal is an asshat. Abusing power, punishing some students less than others because he knows them is some way

rainbowtrout

A lot of fuss by the OP for nothing. It's that time of year again where students get outraged by rules.

When students start going to lockers between classes, it ends up with half the school at their lockers, many of them chatting and really taking the piss. It means classes don't start on time and there are a stream of stragglers coming into classrooms. Same when students want to go to their lockers during class, once one starts the rest start. Then there is a constant stream of kids in and out the door and it interrupts the flow of the class.


These same students manage to bring all their gear to football training or anywhere else they have to be, so they are perfectly capable of putting books for 3 classes in their bag, they just can't be bothered.

In my school students can go to their lockers before 9, at break and at lunch. They never have more than three classes in a row, so max three subjects and often only 2 if they have a double as part of the three. So the excuse of heavy bags is largely bull. They only need to carry books for max 3 subjects in most schools, if they operate on this system.

evolving_doors

Same as above. We have the 'no lockers between/during classes' rule, and students just make arrangements and get on with it.

A few reasons why...
1. It's disruptive to the start of a class. A class ends and starts at say ten, students go for a little stroll to put away the old books and then get the new books then stroll back to the other side of the building.
2. If they know they can go during/between classes then invariably they do. Mid lesson when you ask for homework "ahhh I left it in my locker can I go get it?".. then others follow suit.
3. Stuff getting robbed. (First off...Any locker can be broken into). Then say a students had to bring in money for exams or whatever and it goes missing, students don't see this, but quite often if stuff goes missing the parent is in demanding compensation and an enquiry worthy of a Sherlock Holmes novel.
4. Student safety. Some students may be 'on watch' for personal reasons. So you allow certain students out of your class but then when a vulnerable student asks you have to say no! Also it's easier to vanish when your on your own, during breaks at least other students will spot people walking out.


Now!!! In saying all that we allow a little leeway during free classes. But I usually just ask at the start who needs to go. Then let a max of 4 go... always 1 at a time and make a record of who went out at what time.

Or.. do what we used to do when I went to school, ask to go to the jacks and sneak the books up yer jumper and risk getting caught at the lockers.

As regards the 'no homework' rule. No reason that I can see has been given in the OP.... Find out the reason, then we could offer suggestions on here. Otherwise it's just guessing.

As regards having an ineffective students union. A union that doesn't take action is pointless. Maybe ye should suggest disbanding it if it's not being listened to. But then again, if you're singled out as an agitator your life will be made difficult, and you don't need that hassle in 6th year.
What the 6th years should do is have a meeting and see if they are being given too much homework/exams at particular periods. We changed our exams/h'wrk policy upon request of the 6th year student council rep and it's works well.

Don't worry about the behaviour report.

randylonghorn

evolving_doors wrote: »

As regards the 'no homework' rule. No reason that I can see has been given in the OP.... Find out the reason, then we could offer suggestions on here. Otherwise it's just guessing.

Yeah, the locker one I get, that makes no sense to me though. If students are doing something useful with their free time, isn't that a good thing? ... they could be at worse!!

Plus it's impractical to enforce ...