Middle school whole class punishments

[Anonymous]

Is it NB?
About 8 years ago there was a whole thing at NB with misbehavior on cafeteria. They took away a bunch of the chairs and what happened was all the bad kids continued to take the chairs and the good kids had to eat their lunch sitting on the floor (gross). It was totally pointless and the disruptive kids got worse—the whole thing blew up with the principal losing her temper and a bunch of kids recording her berating all the kids. She ended up learning her lesson and resetting the tone for the rest of her tenure but for me it just sort of proved that this sort of collective punishment rarely ends up well because it usually just ends up punishing the kids who weren’t doing anything wrong …. You lose the support of the community and then you are sunk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it NB?
About 8 years ago there was a whole thing at NB with misbehavior on cafeteria. They took away a bunch of the chairs and what happened was all the bad kids continued to take the chairs and the good kids had to eat their lunch sitting on the floor (gross). It was totally pointless and the disruptive kids got worse—the whole thing blew up with the principal losing her temper and a bunch of kids recording her berating all the kids. She ended up learning her lesson and resetting the tone for the rest of her tenure but for me it just sort of proved that this sort of collective punishment rarely ends up well because it usually just ends up punishing the kids who weren’t doing anything wrong …. You lose the support of the community and then you are sunk.

That particular principal retired over the summer, and her reset was for her temper. They did not stop the collective punishment in the cafeteria over the 6 years my kids attended NB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yep, they punish entire grade in the cafeteria by making them sit in assigned seats because of a few disruptive kids who are "talking to loud...at lunchtime"

It’s a safety issue. One administrator and one security guard try to monitor 300+ tweens and teens. When several kids are screaming for no reason, you can’t hear the one calling for help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yep, they punish entire grade in the cafeteria by making them sit in assigned seats because of a few disruptive kids who are "talking to loud...at lunchtime"

It’s a safety issue. One administrator and one security guard try to monitor 300+ tweens and teens. When several kids are screaming for no reason, you can’t hear the one calling for help.

I’ve volunteered at my DD’s school and have seen this in action.

Adults in a school are severely outnumbered. When even a mere 10-15% of a group is being loud and disorderly, the situation descends into chaos quickly and the adults can’t adequately address it.

So yes, I understand why whole-group consequences happen. Is it unfortunate? Yes. Is it necessary? Seems to be, especially in the moment so adults can calm the situation down and address the ringleaders later.

And I remember whole-group consequences from my childhood, too. I had to write sentences (x100, x200) when my class got too loud. I had to write apology letters to substitutes. I was the quiet, respectful kid, so I was never the cause. I’m no worse off for it now, and I learned that the community around me does impact me, whether for better or worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yep, they punish entire grade in the cafeteria by making them sit in assigned seats because of a few disruptive kids who are "talking to loud...at lunchtime"

It’s a safety issue. One administrator and one security guard try to monitor 300+ tweens and teens. When several kids are screaming for no reason, you can’t hear the one calling for help.

I’ve volunteered at my DD’s school and have seen this in action.

Adults in a school are severely outnumbered. When even a mere 10-15% of a group is being loud and disorderly, the situation descends into chaos quickly and the adults can’t adequately address it.

So yes, I understand why whole-group consequences happen. Is it unfortunate? Yes. Is it necessary? Seems to be, especially in the moment so adults can calm the situation down and address the ringleaders later.

And I remember whole-group consequences from my childhood, too. I had to write sentences (x100, x200) when my class got too loud. I had to write apology letters to substitutes. I was the quiet, respectful kid, so I was never the cause. I’m no worse off for it now, and I learned that the community around me does impact me, whether for better or worse.

This exactly!

[Anonymous]

Anyone else think this condones bullying? The entire class is punished so that the offenders are treated poorly by their peers for causing this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone else think this condones bullying? The entire class is punished so that the offenders are treated poorly by their peers for causing this.

Genuine question: So who is being bullied? The class for enduring the offenders’ punishment with them or the offenders for being judged for their behavior?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At one middle school they had one class (not the entire grade) of students write an apology letter to a substitute teacher. Not ALL the students were misbehaving. Yet all the students in the class had to write the letter. Admin knows some students' behavior but what did they do? Students supposedly go to office. Then what? Get sent back to the class? What are the counselors doing?? They don't come to the class. SO F cking SICK of it.

Something similar happened to my 5th grader. The whole class had to write an apology and my child said they didn't have anything to write because they didn't do anything! I've noticed this kind of thing begins in 3rd grade. If a lot of people are talking in class they all lose something.

That was so wrong! Nobody should have to apologize for something they did not do.

[Anonymous]

It is a rite of passage in MS. DC will be fine.
Remind them that actions have consequences and the actions of others can impact them.

Honestly, hard to believe people complain about this.

[Anonymous]

omg PLEASE keep doing this. My kid has been begging me daily to homeschool, and loves her teachers and even the schoolwork! She says she wants the same work even! Every day I hear about the absolutely egregious things kids say to each other and to her.

Literally sociopaths. They need consequences for their own developmental benefit too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I remember our kids getting whole class punishments when we were in DMV schools. Our kid was frustrated and we (the parents) thought it was stupid. Kid was demoralized. Then we moved out of the area and it never happened again. Kid has thrived.

Because this is a thing that happens in every school in Maryland, DC and Virginia but no where else!

Amazing.