Question It is said that doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is stupid and or insane - but is it? My teenage son occasionally truants from school and when does he is punished by suspension - which suits him as he does not like school. However, missing school sets him further back with his studies, which makes him like school less, so he truants more frequently, then he is given more suspension and the cycle continues. When I discuss the matter with the school Principal and Vice Principal their attitude is that these are the rules and cannot be changed to suit a particular student as, among other things, that would be unfair to the other students. I said that treating all the students the same is not necessarily fair; that students should be treated according to their needs. I asked the school to use a different form of punishment (detention, extra homework, not allowed on school trips, etc. for a while - but to no avail (there is no point getting on to the School Board as both Prinicpal and Vice Principal are on the Board - and outside intervention, has been unable to help). I am very concerned about my son and I am unable to resolve the situation. Is the school's approach correct?

Accepted:
October 27, 2011

Comments

I am afraid your argument is a bit too subtle for the school, and one can see why. They are working on the principle perhaps that eventually something will click in the young man's mind and he will benefit from the "punishment". There is in fact some evidence that young offenders who constantly get into trouble often just stop offending, and it could be the punishment that does it. I understand that right now he does not see it as punishment, but hopefully the school is working on the assumption that one day he will, and perhaps they are right. Frankly, why should they care, if they can exclude an awkward student they will.

If you could make his exclusion less pleasant this would back them up and make him less ready to go for that option.