Sneezing in class

[willspal]

My son (14) is suffering badly at the mo with heyfever but today he was given a detention for sneezing !!!!!!!!!!!!!! yes I know he does sneeze a lot when he has the heyfever as I do but do you think this is going a bit far. He can hardly help it. He has just started taking some new medicine from the Docs but its not yet started to work. She said he was disturbing the others whilst they were working.

Any comments.

[malibu-sioux]

Yeah but nothing that won't be banned,,,,how damn ridiculous that he is not allowed to sneeze,my son has hayfever and when he starts sneezing its hard to stop, this teacher should be at school but NOT as the teacher,,,,,schools make me sick these days!!!!

[meltoadhall]

I think you may have to get some kind of official note from the doc.If he was having an asthma attack the attitude would be different. I would talk to the school.

I can really sympathise, as I can sneeze up to 20 - 25 times in one go when the pollen is really bad and thats with taking tablets.

Not fun when I'm driving !!!!!

[Pippa68]

How utterly ridiculous! I would definately have a word with the headteacher.

I am sure they wouldn't take too kindly to you keeping your son off school whilst he battles with hayfever ~ that would be better than him getting unfair & totally pointless detentions! I am a fellow sufferer & like meltoadhall the medicines don't always work for me.

I am gobsmacked at this, seriously.

[lynlockwood]

I'm not defending this teacher's actions because it sounds very strange but I am a teacher myself and it is the kind of job where you do find yourselves doing the most irrational things in the heat of the moment, particualrly if there are problems in the classroom. I've heard of kids having detentions for smiling, coughing, farting etc and it is usually linked to something much more serious/stressful goiong on at the same time. Poor kid, though!

[noxlumos]

If he hasn't done the detention yet, DON'T let him do it.

This is precisely the sort of thing that caused me to despair of schools and withdraw all of my kids to home educate them. It was the best thing I ever did.

See the head and get this irrational fool dealt with. Bullying your son when he's already suffering from such a distressing condition is not acceptable, and behaviour such as this IS bullying, as he can't help sneezing.

Terrible.

[Bohne]

I'd have a serious word with the teacher.

If sneezing really was the only reason for the detention, that' definitely out of order.

[lou 26]

Dont let him do the detention and send a letter to the teacher stating why, with a copy to the headteacher. This is absolutely disgusting! Arent teachers supposed to set an example to the pupils instead of acting so childishly themselves? I would take this to the highest level, dont allow them get away with it.

[kazzianne]

I think his teacher should be ashamed of herself!! What on earth is the world coming to?? As a sufferer of hayfever myself my partner has learned to laugh at my sneezing fits which are totally uncontrollable and like meltoadhall says can go on for up to 25 sneezes at a time,but for the poor boy to be told off is disgusting.I would go and see the Head and make a complaint.

[willspal]

Thankyou for all replies and confirming its not me going slightly mad.

I have put together a strongly (but polite) worded letter informing her that my son shall not be attending the detention and if she has a problem with that to contact me at her earlist convience.

I have also photocopied his recent perscription from the Docs to let her see he is taking a nasal spray and tablets but as yet they have not started to work (if they ever actually do as we have tried everything over the years)

We shall see what next week brings. Grrrrrrr

WP

[Coobeastie]

Has the school actually confirmed that he has been given detention for sneezing.

Seems a bit of an extreme reaction,could he have been doing something else and just told you that he'd been given it for sneezing?

[Melbur]

I support you, a detention shouldn't given for real attack of hayfever sneezing, Good Luck with the outcome, you've done the right thing

[Gef]

I have every sympathy with someone who gets sneezing fits. I get then myself. However, I am a teacher and I know that some kids (I don't know your son) will take any opportunity to disrupt a class. Personally I would phone the school and make a polite enquiry about the detention. It could be that the teacher has made a moutain out of a molehill or it could be that your son has been at it. Hope you get to the bottom of this. Good luck.