Vent: Was my kid handed an unfair/unjustifiable punishment in Phys. Ed?

Hearts_2015

MyChocolateDiet wrote: »

wizzybeth wrote: »

I was upset one time when my daughter's 4th grade gym teacher made them run outside in the rain. It wasn't a nice warm rain, it was cold and damp. I did call and complain and was reprimanded that being cold and wet doesn't give kids colds. But it sure doesn't make them look forward to gym class does it, lol.

When I was in Jr. High we used to play keep away with some boys. But ONLY on cold wet rainy days. So there would be mud. And sliding. And swerving. And sloshing. We'd go back to class cold wet and covered in mud. The only thing distracting about it was our passing notes with big smiles to invite who was up to doing it again tomorrow and who had heard the weather forecast if it's gonna rain again. Neither my father nor my mother raised an eyebrow at my clothes upon returning home. They just washed them.

sounds like fun!!

MKEgal

shrinkingletters wrote:

Whatever happened to just being embarrassed and wearing the ancient loaner gym clothes
and making them run a few laps? I remember that being like the Dunce Hat of P.E.
I personally feel the coach went overboard. What would've been the subsequent "punishment"
if the child couldn't complete the burpees?

Yeah, all of that.

Was the punishment made clear ahead of time?
Do all kids who have to wear the dunce clothes have to do the same punishment?
Then at least it's fair, and he knew it would happen.

But it's still excessive.
The punishment for forgetting clothes should be that you wear stupid-looking clothes so everyone
knows you forgot your clothes.
Humiliation, not torture.
Make the punishment fit the 'crime'.

Alluminati

The problem with you complaining will make your son think the rules don't apply to him. Which is fine and dandy if he was to only live and interact with you for the rest of his life. But I would imagine at some point you'll interested in releasing him unto society, as most parents often do. Please don't make it difficult for the rest of us schmoes who try to teach our kids not be ducks in life. Let him take his knocks and learn.

astrocosmiczoom

I'm actually of the more unpopular opinion here. I've seriously hurt myself doing burpees (and I'm in the military!) before and I don't think they're a good form of punishment at all. If a teacher had tried to physically punish me with an exercise like that in high school, I would have hauled my happy rear to the principal's office instead. I guess that's just me, though. This guy sounds like a washed-up ex-drill sergeant trying to relive his glory days, ha.

ErinJay18

You're totally overreacting. He broke the rules so he has to suffer the consequences. Don't be that parent

m_johannes

dirtyflirty30 wrote: »

Totally the right plan. This way, your son both learns that actions have consequences and that he's going to have to fight his own battles (if he's going to fight them!).

So very much this. Your son is in high school. Let him grow up and fight his own battles. High school coaches are tough on kids they know can handle it. I'd take it as a compliment that the coach sees your son as having the ability to do 100 burpees.

sydkins432

I once was punished with 30 minutes of wall jumps for talking back trying to show off. I swear I had shin splints for weeks afterwards, but I never did it again! Kids are kids, he will recover and have learned a valuable lesson.

kittyd7015

noclady1995 wrote: »

I'm really angry at my son's athletics coach because of the punishment he doled out to my son last week. As a consequence of not dressing appropriately for athletics, the "coach"/P.E. teacher made my son do 100 burpees. So for FOUR FREAKING DAYS my son could barely lift his arms over his head. He's in Jr. High school. OK...when I was in jr. high, our grades would be docked a certain percentage. This PE teacher was also known to punish kids by making them do knuckle push-ups on the track...the TRACK!! And you all know what kind of pavement tracks are made of!! Some kids' knuckles bled as a result. The parents complained but all the teacher was told was not to do that again. ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME??!! I'm tempted to write him a really angry email, with the principal and superintendent cc'd. Ugh. What would you do??

bad memorys of wen i was at school urhh always forgot kit xxx

dakotababy

lol wow. A nation of wimpy children starts at home with mom.

ninerbuff

noclady1995 wrote: »

And to be clear...my son mentioned he was over it, and he actually begged me not to complain. He was fine with the punishment. I'm the one who isn't fine with it. And don't worry...I don't give in to everything my son does wrong. Just the opposite. I just have a hard time not picturing prisoners of war. Haha. Totally exaggerating. But maybe i just need to calm down.

If he's fine with it, then let it go. He wants to take care of issues on his own and doesn't always need you to "protect" him.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Gabrielm80

I remember a coach of mine punishing with similar types of things. This would of been 20 + years ago I would be on my back with my arms and legs lifted up towards the roof. He called it the dead roach because it looked like a dead roach on their back. After about five minutes it would burn, after 30 minutes it would be like it was on fire. I'm not sure in the current climate at schools if this would be acceptable, because it obviously is making you angry. As long as there is no long term damage I don't see a problem with it. But lines have to be drawn for this man because I don't think he has the ability to do it himself. That doesn't mean you should run in screaming, or even calling him trash in front of your son, but maybe opening a dialog with him. Telling him you understand the need to develop control in the classroom, but if he could pick punishments that maybe didn't affect your sons ability to learn after class. Which being unable to move arms probably slowed down his ability to take notes and do class work. What he did was for the benefit of your son, so explain that you know that, but than explain the results beyond PE and how maybe the punishment should be hard but not so grueling it temporarily puts your son out of commission for 4 days. Running laps, push ups, crunches or burpies all those can be used as tools but just like a trainer won't on day one have someone do 100 he should know better than give that many.

ninerbuff

And a 100 burpees for a kid isn't NEARLY as hard as it is for an adult. Less weight to push up and down (that's why kids can easily swing on monkey bars while adults struggle just to hang on). Some adults here can't complete 30 burpees without gassing out, so 100 would seem excessive, but kids endurance is on a much different level. Why do you think we can't get them to stop running around or playing?

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

mabug01

Kids have to learn to be dependable, which in this case, means being organized enough to remember bringing the gym clothes to school. If he learns this now, then he will be more productive in his life, and you will benefit from his dependability, too. Be proud that he took the punishment. Besides, he probably got all kinds of attention from other kids, who now think he is cool.

jorinya

Whatever happens to drop and give me 20? OP, I know you are concerned about your son but if you do get involved maybe the gym coach might pick on him even more.
What happened your son isn't that bad. I'm not trying to justify what the gym teacher did. No, in fact I think it was uncalled for? Ok let me share this with you:
After returning home in 2012 to Nigeria from Ireland once my daughter was 6weeks old (waited for her first vaccine), I had my driver come into the house with the colour drained from his face, (he's black so you know that its serious when he looks pale). I had to get him to sit down and give him a drink of water. What he said next nearly knocked me to the floor. He got his strength back and then here is what he said,"Ma, I don't know how to tell you this and if boss finds out I don't know what he will do. I went to pick the three boys from the school only to find the two oldest. I asked where their brother is and they said I need to go to his class and see his teacher. I went and he looked like death, he was very pale. His teacher told me that when he was getting his books from his locker in class, the locker.....the locker.... Ma, I think you should sit down. The last cker fell right on top of him. The metal locker fell on top of him and knocked him out. He was calling for you. The teacher told him you were coming soon. I slapped her when I found out this happened at 1.30 and she said it only happen at 3.00 before I came to the school. Ma he's in the car but he needs to go see someone in the hospital, he doesn't look good. When I asked him what happened he said that his teacher told him locker fell on him. Ma, call boss now. Let me take him to hospital".
Took him hospital and there was damage to his shoulder and also proof from a head CT that he was suffering from confusion. He could have died and they never even called me to tell me my son was injured. I went there iith my husband a few days later and blasted the principal and the teacher. I told them if they want to kill any child they should kill their own and leave mine alone. Weeks later after finding a better school I took all three boys our of that school.
Sorry for the long post but you see the thing that the gym teacher did to your son won't effect him for long. My sons teacher failed in her responsibility and since when is it practise to have metal lockers that are not fixed to the wall in the classroom. If she had asked for the lockers to be put outside the classroom like other teachers did, then it wouldn't have happened.
For those weeks until I took them away from the school the teachers picked on my kids even to the point of giving them hard punishment for nothing. Why, because I went in and told them they did wrong. My kids were humiliated every day before their class mates because mummy went in to complain about the teacher.

jorinya

jorinya wrote: »

Took him hospital and there was damage to his shoulder and also proof from a head CT that he was suffering from concussion.

Sorry, changed it to read right. Stupid android!!

Lisa1971

elleloch wrote: »

I don't really feel bad for your son. And I think you're overreacting. I don't know why parents are so quick to jump to the rescue - he didn't follow the rules and was punished accordingly (in a physical education setting I think paying in athletic activity is appropriate). They are burpees. Anyone will get sore doing burpees, ffs. Kid needs to learn to follow the rules and then he won't have to pay the piper in burpees.

Yes, This!

ladykate26

Ok- I'm from the UK and have no idea what a burpee is. In the UK a burp is passing wind out of your mouthy so doing 100 of those for punishment would be pretty cool

LouLouStBijou

Peloton73 wrote: »

You should stand behind the gym teacher. Everytime a parent complains that precious Johnny was punished for not following the rules, it becomes harder to govern the kids at school. Kids know they can give the puppy dog eyes to mom and dad and everything will be alright.

His arms are sore. He'll get over it.

^^^^ What he said.

Unknown

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Monkey_Business

noclady1995 wrote: »

And to be clear...my son mentioned he was over it, and he actually begged me not to complain. He was fine with the punishment. I'm the one who isn't fine with it. And don't worry...I don't give in to everything my son does wrong. Just the opposite. I just have a hard time not picturing prisoners of war. Haha. Totally exaggerating. But maybe i just need to calm down.

I think you need to take your advice and calm down. I think the punishment was ok. You should be amazed that your son had the ability to do 100 burpees. Even comparing this to being this a POW show that you are way over thinking this. Your son is fine, you should support his decision not counter it.

My Dad would have whooped my butt if I had ever told him that I was so out of line at school thaqt I had to be punished and Lord have forgive me if my Mother ever found out!