Punished seven months without recess for not presenting a job: how do you impose punishments in schools?

A nine-year-old boy in a school in the Valencian Community has been without stepping on the schoolyard for seven months for not delivering a music work. His parents found out through third parties because the child was afraid and had said nothing, in addition to starting to see normal not having recess so much time punished.

Parents have raised a complaint to the Ministry of Education of the Valencian Community because they believe that their child is being victim of abuse. And we ask ourselves: Who regulates disciplinary measures and the punishments that children are placed in schools?

Seven months without recess

When the bell rings announcing the beginning of recess, there is no child who does not have to restrain himself in order not to be terrified towards the patio. Children need to play, move, chat with their classmates ... especially after a few hours of concentration in class.

Depriving a nine-year-old child of the only leisure time he has throughout his school day for seven long months suggests a serious offense on the part of the student. However, this child has been punished all that time. just for not presenting a music work.

Parents have filed a complaint with the Department of Education and threaten to go to the Juvenile Prosecutor's Office if the problem is not resolved. As they have told the newspaper El Levante:

"It is a humiliating, degrading and vexatious measure. It seems to be a criminal. This is child abuse. The situation is getting complicated and we are having a very bad time. If my son has done a bad thing that I have to know, I I would like to be told to correct it at home, but in this case it is because I do not give up some duties I do not know how to do. You cannot tolerate it.

They found out by third parties

The parents learned about the situation their son was living through third parties. The 9-year-old had not told them anything because of fear and because, according to the family, he was beginning to see his punishment as normal.

Apparently, the parents, after talking with several of their son's classmates and verifying that it was true, called the teacher, who replied that it was an "educational technique to correct their posture" and refused to lift the punishment. The parents have filed a complaint with the Ministry, in addition to threatening the teacher to report it to the Juvenile Prosecutor. Also, according to the family, there are more children affected by this teacher They are afraid to report the possibility that the situation will not be resolved and there will be reprisals for their children.

Who regulates punishments?

This situation makes us wonder who regulates the punishments imposed on our children in schools. Is this teacher entitled to impose this punishment, obviously excessive? Can anything be done?

Each school regulates its own Coexistence Plan, which includes the rights and obligations of the students and the sanctions that must be applied in the educational centers based on the rules of each Autonomous Community.

Maximum five days

In the case of the Valencian Community, which is where the school we are talking about (has not transcended the name of the center), Decree Decree 39/2008 includes "intervention measures" (lifelong punishments) as "deprivation of recess time by a maximum period of five school days " in the event that a student carries out behaviors contrary to the rules of coexistence of the educational center.

You can check here what these behaviors are (including acts of indiscipline, theft or deterioration of the resources of the center, preventing your classmates from exercising their right to education, etc.), but in no case could it be considered not to have done a class work as a behavior contrary to the rules of coexistence of the center nor does it seem justified to prolong "the penalty" until seven months.

In addition, the Organic Law of Education says: "The corrections must have an educational and recuperative nature and guarantee respect for the rights of the rest of the students. They must also take into account the student's age and personal, family or social circumstances" , something that is not fulfilled in this case either.

Something has failed

In addition to the attitude of the teacher, what we wonder when knowing this case is how it has been possible to reach this extreme. The previous document also includes the procedure when it comes to resolving conflicts in the school environment, being the director of the center in charge of applying the Coexistence Plan in collaboration with the School Board through the Coexistence Commission and the Teachers' Cloister. It is clear that all these control mechanisms have failed at the time of defend the child and give an adequate response to family concerns.

We have contacted the Ministry of Education of the Valencian Community to collect information on this case without receiving a response.

Via Levante Daily

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