Can school force my child to stay in during lunchtime

peachyprice

BeenieCat wrote: »

So the parents are having to spend more regardless, gran shouldn't have to subsidise.

But the gran was paying to feed him at her house, so was already subsidising his upkeep.

minxtress

peachyprice wrote: »

But the gran was paying to feed him at her house, so was already subsidising his upkeep.

My mum says its just the same cooking for two as for one, she couldnt afford to give him his lunch money sorry.

pelirocco

iamana1ias wrote: »

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Human rights (from Wiki):

"Human rights are "basic rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled."[1] Examples of rights and freedoms which have come to be commonly thought of as human rights include civil and political rights, such as the right to life and liberty, freedom of expression, and equality before the law; and economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to participate in culture, the right to food, the right to work, and the right to education.""

Note that that's the right to food, not the right to chips with every meal :rolleyes:

Best laugh I've had all day though, so thanks for that! :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

How many packed lunches have you seen with chips? ..........never mind if you dont know what you are talking about , spouting carp is the next best thing

pelirocco

iamana1ias wrote: »

You're just rambling now.

I don't care what the op's son's gran feeds him. It does not in any way contravene his human rights to be told to eat food from elsewhere.

Whoops thanked you in error , no the poster isnt rambling they have just pointed out you really dont follow the thread do you?

silvercar

The point I was making was that "the basic right to food" is a human right to prevent starvation, it does not extend to individuals having individual choices for individual meals.

Katie-Kat-Kins

I've not read the whole thread. I got fed up with all the bickering.

My advice is:
a) Write to the school expressing your disappointment about the new rule. Highlight that your son did the same thing everyday so it should not have been an issue for security, and as he was going to a family member in the same location, nearby it was safe and easy to check up on if necessary. Also mention that going to his grandma meant that he got a meal that met with his specific dietry needs, and also meant gran got some company, help and checking up on. Explain that you feel a good relationship between generations is important in the social education of youths, and that you like to encourage responsibility in your son by entrusting him with suitable tasks like checking on gran daily.
b) Explain to the school in writing that part of the reason he has never had school lunches before is that he has specific dietry needs, and that as the school will be unlikely to be able to cater for these you will be sending him with a pack up until the issue of leaving school at lunchtime is resolved.
c) Send your son with pack up from now on, and tell him not to try to leave school until the matter is resolved.
d) Write to the PTA and Governors with your concerns. Suggest that it be allowed for pupils to leave the school at lunchtime providing they do the same thing every day, and that parental consent is provided. They should be proceeding directly to a specified address and not going to the shops or loitering.
e) Contact social services, explain that your son has been performing a vital function in the care of his gran by visiting daily at lunchtime and checking on her, helping her out and keeping her company while having some lunch with her. Tell them that the school now wish to prevent your son from leaving school and you are concerned about the affect this could have for your own mother and for other families where children assist with care. State that you hope to be able to manage your mother without further help but thought that they would be interested to know the effect that the school's rules are having and that you would be grateful if they can let you know whether there is anything you can do to persuade the school to let your son out at lunchtime as the daily contact is missed.
f) Write a letter to your local newspaper lamenting the change of rules and complaining that children are not allowed to bring in pack up.

Hopefully this course of action will challenge the new rules in a way which is sensible, and considered and does not put your son in the line of fire. it will also get you a bit of advice and highlight the problem to interested parties.

thorsoak

minxtress wrote: »

I am in a meeting with the Head Teacher at 2.30pm this afternoon so will have some more answers to all my questions to report back.
Another parent who's son was with mine when they were threatened to be impalled has made a formal complaint and is also being seen after myself.

I'll be interested in the response the Head Teacher has as regards the ruling about packed lunch!

bettybeaver

Does anyone else remember for a number of years in the 80's when you wernt allowed to stay at school during lunch time, due to industrial action by the teachers who were refusing to supervise the students in their lunch hour. I spent a number of years going home or a friends house to eat and back again for the afternoon, only those kids who had free school meals were permitted to stay at school.
My how times have changed!!!

minxtress

I have had a meeting with the Head Mistress this afternoon, she was arrogant to the point I nearly lost my temper completely I am ashamed to say.
She vehemently refuses to let any child out of school with or without a letter on the grounds of its one rule for all and will not be swayed on the matter.
She says because my son is at an age where he can make his own decisions regarding fingerprinting and did so without a fuss he has agreed to it, and my argument of well if he's old enough to make that decision he's old enough to choose where he eats his lunch but this isnt so in her eyes.
As for pack up, she says it is impossible to vet what all children are eating if pack ups are brought in and as she wants the whole school to partake in healthy eating she wont be allowing this as an option.
I said I couldnt afford to give my son in excessof £3 every day for his meal and bus fare so what would my options be then? She said buy a cheaper sandwich and have a large meal at lunchtime. My son is 6ft2 and very lean but eats like a horse and I just dont see this being a viable option.
I asked to see the menus and prices which she didnt have to hand but said she would forward onto me so I can see what I am getting for my money.
Today my son has video recorded on his phone the chaos that is lunchtimes and my god!!
He entered the dining corridor at 12.03 and got served at 12.39, he bought a portion of pasta which was sat in water, all captured on video, that was £1.80, a bottle of diet coke was 95p, there looked to be a lot of fast food choices and not many wraps, jacket potatoes or soup options which he would ordinarily have.
I have left it where I am contacting the Governors of the school, and then the Director of Education if I get no joy there as I am far from happy with either the Heads answers or down right negative attitude.
From what I can see the whole exercise is aimed at putting money back into a school which has gone way over budget with a new building.
Any children caught leaving the premises will be excluded in her words!

Katie-Kat-Kins

Send him with pack up.

Her arguement that you can't have one rule for one doesn't hold water. She can have one rule for all, that you are only allowed off site under certain conditions, that was what our school did. Conditions when I was at school were:
1. Parental permission provided each term
2. The arrangment had to be the same throughout term, either you were in at lunch or not so the school knew where you were.
3. Parent had to confirm where you would be going at lunch and that you would be suitably supervised.
4. Any bad behaviour reported would be punishable by detention and/or exclusion.

You could add aditional safe guards, like those in years seven eight and nine have to be collected and dropped off by an adult etc.

Put sensible alternatives to her, explain the problems her rules are causing calmly and try to agree a sensible alternative.