Quote:The family of an Oregon first-grader is outraged that his school forced the boy to sit by himself during lunch as punishment for being late.

The boy’s grandmother, Laura Hoover, took to Facebook to protest his retribution with photos of Hunter sulking into a cardboard wall blocking his view of a cafeteria bustling with his peers.

“His momma’s car sometimes doesn’t like to start right up. Sometimes he’s a couple minutes late to school. Yesterday, he was one minute late,” Hoover wrote. “This is what his momma discovered they do to punish him.”

His mother, Nicole Garloff, came to check on little Hunter at Lincoln Elementary in Grants Pass on Tuesday and ended up taking him home. She found him staring at his stark food tray in tears over the whole ordeal.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national...-1.2131852

Too bad he didn't have a P&J sandwich.

The FAMILY is the problem. Should the school have isolated the kid, no as there has to be a better way; however, it wasn't the kid's fault he was late in the first place. It was the parents fault. So, instead of the parent taking responsibility, he/she complains about the school. Typical.

Sounds like mom needs to get up earlier and warm up the car.

Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

This is what schools are faced with on a daily basis. On one hand we get criticized for how we discipline kids and then when we do, people criticize how we do it.

It's a no win situation.

(03-02-2015 10:30 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

This is what schools are faced with on a daily basis. On one hand we get criticized for how we discipline kids and then when we do, people criticize how we do it.

It's a no win situation.

I can agree with you on this one Fit. I don't think the school should have isolated the kid. Maybe have him eat alone, but not behind a barrier. Even then, it wasn't the kid's fault.

The kid's parents should be embarrassed, but I'm betting they aren't, and will milk this for their 15 minutes, all at the detriment of their son. Not sure how a school can punish a parent though.

(03-02-2015 10:32 AM)VA49er Wrote:  

(03-02-2015 10:30 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

This is what schools are faced with on a daily basis. On one hand we get criticized for how we discipline kids and then when we do, people criticize how we do it.

It's a no win situation.

I can agree with you on this one Fit. I don't think the school should have isolated the kid. Maybe have him eat alone, but not behind a barrier. Even then, it wasn't the kid's fault.

The kid's parents should be embarrassed, but I'm betting they aren't, and will milk this for their 15 minutes, all at the detriment of their son. Not sure how a school can punish a parent though.

We can punish parents in a small way. What we do is make them come to parenting meetings.

(03-02-2015 10:37 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(03-02-2015 10:32 AM)VA49er Wrote:  

(03-02-2015 10:30 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

This is what schools are faced with on a daily basis. On one hand we get criticized for how we discipline kids and then when we do, people criticize how we do it.

It's a no win situation.

I can agree with you on this one Fit. I don't think the school should have isolated the kid. Maybe have him eat alone, but not behind a barrier. Even then, it wasn't the kid's fault.

The kid's parents should be embarrassed, but I'm betting they aren't, and will milk this for their 15 minutes, all at the detriment of their son. Not sure how a school can punish a parent though.

We can punish parents in a small way. What we do is make them come to parenting meetings.

How many actually show up?

(03-02-2015 10:38 AM)VA49er Wrote:  

(03-02-2015 10:37 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(03-02-2015 10:32 AM)VA49er Wrote:  

(03-02-2015 10:30 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

This is what schools are faced with on a daily basis. On one hand we get criticized for how we discipline kids and then when we do, people criticize how we do it.

It's a no win situation.

I can agree with you on this one Fit. I don't think the school should have isolated the kid. Maybe have him eat alone, but not behind a barrier. Even then, it wasn't the kid's fault.

The kid's parents should be embarrassed, but I'm betting they aren't, and will milk this for their 15 minutes, all at the detriment of their son. Not sure how a school can punish a parent though.

We can punish parents in a small way. What we do is make them come to parenting meetings.

How many actually show up?

At my former school, what we did was make it a part of the Contract. The parent had to sign a paper stating that they understood that they may have to come to meeting with their child as part of their graduation.

At my current school, they will extend your sentence unless your parents show up.

He was late.

Being late is a problem people have. There are no excuses for being late.

The kid is learning a valuable lesson. His mother is the one who ought to be shamed though. She is the problem.

(03-02-2015 10:56 AM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  He was late.

Being late is a problem people have. There are no excuses for being late.

The kid is learning a valuable lesson. His mother is the one who ought to be shamed though. She is the problem.

(03-02-2015 10:56 AM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  He was late.

Being late is a problem people have. There are no excuses for being late.

The kid is learning a valuable lesson. His mother is the one who ought to be shamed though. She is the problem.

A first grader has absolutely no way of getting himself to school at a certain time. You address the issue with the parent(s).

(03-02-2015 10:56 AM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  He was late.

Being late is a problem people have. There are no excuses for being late.

The kid is learning a valuable lesson. His mother is the one who ought to be shamed though. She is the problem.

This. This is definitely a "teachable moment" for the parent(s). The proper response is a) to apologize to the child and b) support the punishment. Life isn't always fair.

I also don't buy the child was just "one minute" late or that this was his first offense. Just a hunch...

(03-02-2015 11:11 AM)EverRespect Wrote:  

(03-02-2015 10:56 AM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  He was late.

Being late is a problem people have. There are no excuses for being late.

The kid is learning a valuable lesson. His mother is the one who ought to be shamed though. She is the problem.

A first grader has absolutely no way of getting himself to school at a certain time. You address the issue with the parent(s).

Why can't you do both?

The best advice I've heard (read) taught to kids is coaching advice I'm trying to drill into my son:

If you're on time, you're late.

If you're 10 minutes early, you're on time.

That said ... my kids <--- habitually late.

(03-02-2015 11:13 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  

(03-02-2015 10:56 AM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  He was late.

Being late is a problem people have. There are no excuses for being late.

The kid is learning a valuable lesson. His mother is the one who ought to be shamed though. She is the problem.

This. This is definitely a "teachable moment" for the parent(s). The proper response is a) to apologize to the child and b) support the punishment. Life isn't always fair.

I also don't buy the child was just "one minute" late or that this was his first offense. Just a hunch...

It was not the first time the child was late. The story indicated that the child had a history of tardiness. Grandma claimed the mom had a car that sometimes wouldn't start and that was why the child was sometimes tardy. Grandma was definitely playing the sympathy/it's not my fault/pity us card.

If you know you have unreliable transportation AND you are responsible, you get up extra early, start the car ahead of time and if the car doesn't start you have time built to call someone for a ride and still be on time. Or you just plan on walking to school if the weather is not blistering cold and the distance isnt more than a couple of miles. Plenty of kids I grew up with walked 1.5-2 miles to school everyday. Unless this is a rural district I doubt the distance is more than 2 miles. If it is a city magnet school, the city bus is always an option too. The willingness to do what it takes to be there on time would show that child just how important school is to mom. Guessing school isn't a really big priority to mom.

I don't agree with the type of punishment (sitting behind a blinder at lunch) as it really is not taking advantage of a teachable moment for the child. If this were my student for the next week at every opportunity I would have him line up a little early to be on time for his next class, lunch, recess, whatever, trying to instill in him the need to be on time and taking responsibility for myself.

I would guess the school has already talked to mom (and dad if he's part of the kid's life) about the tardiness and it hasn't yielded change but a meeting should be arranged with them too.

(03-02-2015 10:30 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

This is what schools are faced with on a daily basis. On one hand we get criticized for how we discipline kids and then when we do, people criticize how we do it.

It's a no win situation.

Unless the boy acted on his own accord, and showed up late on his own, the parents should have been ordered to go to a PTC. The kid shouldn't have suffered.

(03-02-2015 11:14 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  

(03-02-2015 11:11 AM)EverRespect Wrote:  

(03-02-2015 10:56 AM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  He was late.

Being late is a problem people have. There are no excuses for being late.

The kid is learning a valuable lesson. His mother is the one who ought to be shamed though. She is the problem.

A first grader has absolutely no way of getting himself to school at a certain time. You address the issue with the parent(s).

Why can't you do both?

Because it's not the military, you don't make one suffer for the mistakes of others. If the boy was a Sophomore or Junior in High School, I'd say you could do both unless he lives within walking distance. But at the age of 6, you shouldn't be walking alone in today's society.

(03-02-2015 10:30 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

This is what schools are faced with on a daily basis. On one hand we get criticized for how we discipline kids and then when we do, people criticize how we do it.

It's a no win situation.

this is a true statement.....so why be an educator for basically zero dollars?

it's not that hard to figure out.....

(03-02-2015 11:14 AM)I45owl Wrote:  The best advice I've heard (read) taught to kids is coaching advice I'm trying to drill into my son:

If you're on time, you're late.

If you're 10 minutes early, you're on time.

That said ... my kids <--- habitually late.

Correct. I require the machinery to be running and production starting at 7AM. That does not mean you clock in @7AM. That means you are on the JOB then.