Elementary School Rules

Hi,

What basic right is being taken away? I'm not sure you can change this, but I would explain your reasoning to the principal and ask her if they could clasp their hands in front instead of in back.

Teaching uniformity is not a bad thing, especially if it maintains order - which is really important in the school. It's way easier for kids to stop themselves from getting into trouble if EVERYONE is doing the same thing- rather than just singling out the kids who can't keep their hands to themselves, they are providing a solution so that no one gets in trouble- heading it off at the pass, if you will.

I don't agree that the teacher should have to do this - the teacher is probably walking backwards, issuing direction, opening doors etc. One of the things kids learn in elementary school is how to behave in the way that's asked of you... even if your "boss" is not behaving in the same way. Get's them ready for the 'real world' when they have a job and have to do things they don't want to do that their boss isn't doing.

Don't hate me for saying this but..... you really need to chill out. Keeping order in an elementary school is a GOOD thing. As far as walking your children into the building I think it might be time to let go. Our school doesn't have Head Start, so I'm not sure about the 3 year old, but there is no reason to be walking your kindergartner to class. Time to foster some independence. I'm assuming that the school has some sort of "system" in place for the little ones. Find out what it is. At our school, the older (5th and 6th grade) patrols walk the kindergartners from the bus to the classrooms and back. There are also patrols for walkers, car riders, etc. Kindergartners are NEVER left wandering. To me, it sounds like your school is a wonderful place where lots of learning with happen because they keep behavioral issues at a minimum! Just roll with it, and see how happy your children are :)

We had a school where one teacher used a whistle, his 5th graders were exceptionally well behaved. Some even wore ties and button downs like the teacher.
Children are walked around in straight lines, no talking in the halls, no getting out of line, starting in Pre-K.
YOu must wait in line for you turn at the water fountain and the bathroom.
There are 800+ kids at the school and essentially no major discipline issues.
THe principal even won the "State Principal of the Year" a couple years ago.
I didn't like it at first, then I realized that by the time the kids were in Upper Elem, they were the ones teaching the little ones. Kids were respectful of mothers, and helpers. They respected their school.
The middle schools that these kids went to welcomed our elementary kids because they were easier to manage.
And the High School is one of the best in the county. We are in VA now and my daughter misses the discipline of the NC schools.

My kids have also been to a private Christian school where they do the same thing.

After having 6 children in public education for 35 years in 4 different states, I am telling you that you are very lucky to have your children in a school that cares enough about their students to take a proactive stand from the beginning concerning behavior. I think hands behind your back is the perfect way to teach children to stand. It not only insures that hands are kept to themselves, which is a very hard, yet important behavior to learn, it encourages standing up straight, which is great for breathing, which is great for the brain. As a result you have children who are mentally and physically, as well as behaviorally better off. Kudos to the administration of this school!

Our school does it, it's called falcon hands (the falcon is their school mascot and when they do something exceptional they get fabulous falcon awards). I don't see that any basic right is being taken away from them. It's only when walking in the hallways as a group and such. Our ES has over 700 students in a school designed to hold 500 so there needs to be discipline. How do your kids feel about it? When talking to my son and several friends they all said it was kinda cool and they liked how it looked seeing the other kids that way and all the other kids seemed to have no problem with it. Also as you said, you are pretty much the only parent walking their kid into school to take individual discipline of them. With a large # of kids to maintain order with, it's much harder to correct a disruption when its occured rather than to prevent it in the first place.

I think you are going over board and wwwwwwaaaayyyy overthinking this.

I'm not sure why your kids don't ride the bus. I would stop walking the 5 year old to the classroom.

It is better for them to have control of the kids this way - this way not one child is called out - it's the same for everyone - no favorites and no troublemakers...I think it's a GOOD thing.

I do not get what right is being taken from them. The right to not get hurt by another student who can't keep their hands to themselves?

Please calm down. Let the school do their job.

If you wouldn't mind finding me where touching other kids is a basic right.

You are completely over the top and you don't see parents anymore not because they are uncaring parents it is because they are caring parents. They trust that their children can make it to their classrooms without mommy watching over them. I don't exactly understand why you don't trust your own kids to walk to their classroom but you trust that kids will keep their hands to themselves. More kids touch another kid than get lost going to their classroom.

Hi! To me, this sounds like a good way to solve the "keep your hands to yourself" problem without singling out particular kids, but maybe I'd be more bothered if I saw it in person. Re. walking them to the classroom, our school asks parents not to do that for kindergartners and up. Their view is that the kids should be able to separate from their parents and find their own way to the classrooms; it teaches them independence and self-sufficiency. Obviously this wouldn't work for a three-year-old, but maybe your five-year-old could try finding the classroom himself/herself? Just a thought - I don't mean it as a criticism. Have a great school year.

if they make the students walk down the halls with their hands behind them, then they should also expect, and demand that the teachers do the same thing. how can they be so very concerned about students keeping their hands to themselves but not expect the same thing from the teachers ??the teachers are supposed to be teaching by EXAMPLE, right ? if i see some teacher putting their grimy hands on my child while they expect and demand that my child stand there with her hands behind her back, me and the teacher will be having a nice, long conversation. starting with the words, "keep your hands off my child, especially if you like your hands still attached."sounds like the principal is a germ a phobe. but, it is disturbing that they dont expect the teachers and staff to keep their hands off the students, could it be that one of the teachers or staff has a problem keeping their hands off the students ??start asking questions, because something doesnt sound right.
K. h.