Teachers and their students rights

Communities Blog
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lately i've run into many circumstances in which my teachers do things that of which I question the legality of such as:

Disciplining us for not completing our work.

Threatening to enact new polices to limit our freedom if we keep "group violating" school policies.

Issuing detentions for not saying the pledge of allegiance.

Taking our phones and not returning them.

Issuing detentions for refusing to say anything to a teacher.

Swearing at students.

Refusing to allow us to dispute wrongfully issued detentions.

Disiplining us for not having the required school supplies.

Refusing to prove they have the authority to "insert action here"

Ive determined that they cannot force us to say the pledge because of wisconsin state statute 118.06. And will threaten legal action if they do so again. However, for the rest im unsure.

Has anyone else had teachers who think their above the law?

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Most definitely illegal to force students to say the pledge or discipline them for refusing.

The phone issue is dependent on school policy.  It may require them to return the phone at the end of class or turn it over to other school personnel.

Not sure on the other ones.  Talk to your parents and other school authorities about these issues.

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I'm assuming this is a private school? If so you pretty much sign off most of your rights as long as you are there. 

Most of them are pretty much standard school rules, and I don't see much issue with them.

Disciplining us for not completing our work.


Well yea, sorta prepares you for life. If you don't complete something by the time its due it can get you fired at work.

Threatening to enact new polices to limit our freedom if we keep "group violating" school policies.

You mean like trying to make the teachers and staffs life harder, I mean if you are trying to send a message find a different way because obviously you are pissing off the faculty.

Issuing detentions for not saying the pledge of allegiance.

That I do agree is bullshit, but again doesn't mean you should be disrespectful when its being done.

Taking our phones and not returning them.

If you get caught texting the teacher will take it, probably in your syllabus... Also it is pretty annoying to teachers who are trying to do their job and you don't pay attention.

Issuing detentions for refusing to say anything to a teacher.

Little vague there, but are you saying that you get punished for not responding? Yes, common courtesy to respond if they ask you a question. Again in the future if your boss asks you for something and you just shrug he/she off that won't go well.

  Swearing at students.

Not very productive and won't work well in the real world with co workers.

Refusing to allow us to dispute wrongfully issued detentions.

Well that all depends on the situation. But by the looks of it, you are trying to get in trouble.

 Disciplining us for not having the required school supplies.

Well go buy them. There is a reason why its called "required" you usually need them. If you don't then that slows down the class for everyone because you are not prepared.

Refusing to prove they have the authority to "insert action here"

Sigh, the "you don't control me" yes, yes they do. Your parents signed the teachers and staff off as your guardians essentially.


Okay to sum it up it seems like you have a bad case of teenage angst imo. If you don't like the school then talk to your parents. Because I'm guessing that they are the ones paying for it. 

Now I could be wrong and this turns out to be the school ran by Satan himself, but it doesn't seem that way.

School prepares you for the real world, and if you don't work well with others or your uppers then life becomes a lot more difficult. You are not above everyone else, sorta have to deal with it.


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Looks like someone needs to grow up and respect their elders.

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+1

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I'm scratching my head over this post, too. School prepares us all for that great game called 'Life'.

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-1

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Jesus Christ... Detention for not saluting the flag?

"Children! Look at the flag and stiffly extend your right arm. Heil THE MAN!"

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Issuing detentions for not saying the pledge of allegiance.


Yeah this is plain wrong.

Swearing at students.

This is verbal abuse and as such ins a matter for higher investigation, especially in situations with children.

Refusing to allow us to dispute wrongfully issued detentions.

This is not right, but with the caveat that the dispute should not be exercised during class time. This would be taken up with the teacher and a witness/third party for balance and allow class time for class.

Disiplining us for not having the required school supplies.

Not sure about discipline, but if you don't have the tools you forfeit your current work as you cannot do it. Usually teachers will tell you to work with someone else for the class and tell you to get what you are missing for the next class, but repeated failure to do so should result in some recourse. 

Refusing to prove they have the authority to "insert action here"

Like the disputing detention this should be allowed but not during class. For the duration of the class take your lumps and as soon as it is finish get it sorted through proper channels. 

For all the rest this is largely how our school operates. Other than the points I have picked out I would be fine with these rules. This is assuming that this is public school, if not the rules change somewhat as you have entered into a contract. 

 

On the phones point, we have a policy that the phone is taken till the end of the day and a parent comes in and reclaims it. Although teachers are lenient so they will give it back at the end of the class most of the time. Only after repeat offenses will the phone be taken for the day as per the original rule. 

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I've been told that if I won't say the pledge I shouldn't come to the school library anymore.  Librarian is a crazy old bat that refuses to accept that I might not want to stand or say the pledge.  I told her it was illegal and she started giving me this crap about how I owe it to America to stand.  I dont have the time to mess with it so I just don't go to the library anymore, its filled with horrible people though, so I'm not missing much.  The principle of it all pisses me off though, since another teacher at the school has never been mad at me for not reciting the pledge and even said he respected my decision to not say the pledge/place my hand over the heart.  He's ex military (Army ranger, paratrooper and has been shot twice that I know of) so I kinda take what he says over her.  I still stand out of respect but think reciting the pledge "because its what you do" is mindless obedience.

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Not to be disrespectful, how old are you? That's basically every school in the world. You try living in other countries and go to school over there, they slap you and beat you. You are lucky living in this country. try living REAL life, its more harsh than you think.

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Well as far as the American education goes, school really does not prepare you for "life".

Sure you can make something of yourself by earning higher education but in no means does it offer life changing experiences that will make you this magical thing called an "Adult"

Society expects too much of a young person, how do they honestly believe a person that has not even lived a 1/5 of their expected life to do much of anything after high school. Sure higher education is a great experience but not everyone is fit for the school environment.

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Also it is pretty annoying to teachers who are trying to do their job and you don't pay attention.

It's their own problem if they find it annoying. They could just take it easier. If a student gets a passing grade, he should be able to do anything he wants in class as long as it doesn't distract other students.

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Thanks for the perspective. At least in our Aussie school system students spend equal time in the classroom, and out in the real-world workplace.

 

School-based apprenticeship / traineeship schemes have been a success here as well, even the maths curriculum (workplace maths), and the computer subjects are integrated into a real-life workplace situation.

 

In my local area many medium, and large companies support these school-based training schemes whole heartedly.

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I honestly believe that an apprenticeship would have made the high school experience a lot more enjoyable instead of the feeling of having to do a mundane task repetitively every day 5 times a week throughout the years.

I graduated back in 2012 and there has been quite a few revision compared to when I went to high school. 

Perhaps a visit and overview of what the high school currently is would not be a bad idea.

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Their job is to help you succeed, not pass.  No matter how well you are doing in class, you can still do better.

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My 4.5 GPA disagrees. 

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> asian like gpa, above the 4.0max

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satisfyingly relevant

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Well, success has nothing to do with grades.

As long as student passes, how much effort to put into the subject is his own choice. Forcing students to do something they don't consider necessary only makes them hate the teacher and the subject more.