behaviour in year 7

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magwich2
Posts: 866
Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2008 5:33 pm

behaviour in year 7

Post by magwich2 »

I just wondered what other people think of this - A friend of DD is at the boys grammar school and was really looking forward to it until he found out that another pupil in his form suffers from Tourettes syndrome.
Other pupils are really upset by this boys behaviour which is appalling by all accounts and obviously the kind of language used would normally be banned before the watershed even on channel 4!
Other mothers are incensed that the boy is in the school but afraid of being politically incorrect by even coming close to saying what they really think as well as annoyed that their children are being traumatised.
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Post by Guest55 »

Perhaps the parents should research this syndrome - the child cannot control his language. He has every right to a place at the school - he has earned it as much as the other children have.

Perhaps the school could help by explaining this to the children -
Ed's mum
Posts: 3310
Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2007 11:47 am
Location: Warwickshire.

Post by Ed's mum »

My initial reaction is the same as Guest 55's, however the language must be extremely offensive - regardless of whether the boy can control it or not. Bad language can be extremely shocking.
Marylou
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Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2006 2:21 am

Post by Marylou »

Incredibly difficult problem - I feel for all sides on this one, not least the poor child who has to live with this condition and his family. I suppose, when it comes down to it, you have to balance the needs of the individual concerned with the needs of the rest of the class. Most kids these days probably wouldn't be shocked by a bit of foul language, but someone from a very sheltered background could be quite distressed by it. And Magwich also mentioned the behaviour. At what point does bad behaviour start to be against the interests of the other children, whatever the reason for it?
Marylou
magwich2
Posts: 866
Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2008 5:33 pm

behaviour in year 7

Post by magwich2 »

I really do not think any child has the "right" to behave in a way that is virtually guaranteed to upset and disrupt an entire class of other children. They too have the right to an education and to get the very best results they can.
I do not think I quite "get" this syndrome anyway - swearing is essentiallya social construct - if this child had lived in anglo saxon times when so called swear words were in common usage, what would he have done to get attention then?
Ed's mum
Posts: 3310
Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2007 11:47 am
Location: Warwickshire.

Post by Ed's mum »

I don't think for a second that the child is choosing to attention seek. The child has an equal right to a good education.
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Post by Guest55 »

Magwich - please research this syndrome - the child does not choose to behave like this - and, yes, I have taught children with Tourettes

Perhaps the teachers have not been given strategies to support the class -
Snowdrops
Posts: 4667
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:20 pm

Post by Snowdrops »

I don't think this child has the 'Right' to this behaviuor either and I'm sure if he had the choice he wouldn't wish to have that 'Right' either.

My point being it's not a 'Right' it's a handicap and I bet it's one he neither wished for nor wanted (or indeed his parents and friends etc either come to that).

The fact is, he is afflicted by it and he's going through enough without people being so narrow minded as to want him removed so as not to offend their chidren's ears!!!

My dd goes to a small village school and is somewhat sheltered in the context of other children going to schools where there are hundreds of children with street wise behaviour (I'm thinking more inner city schools here).

If she were to attend a school where a pupil had this sort of disability I expect she would be shocked by it and she'd come home and tell me about it, but she'd also know (because I'd make damn sure she knew) that the person involved wasn't trying to be offensive just that they couldn't help it.

I hope no-one ever has to suffer the small minded bigotry which can come from others when someone has a handicap - just be glad it isn't you and yours!

Please don't take this posting as offensive, I don't mean it to be, I just think a little more understanding would go a long, long way for all to live in harmony - why should some be more entitled than others?
Sally-Anne
Posts: 9235
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:10 pm
Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by Sally-Anne »

There is a very interesting leaflet that you can download from this link.

http://www.tourettes-action.org.uk/spec ... ion-needs/

It explains all the various manifestations and symptoms of Tourettes very clearly and advises on management of the disorder within schools.

The school need to be proactive in helping the children to understand why the boy behaves as he does, and that he cannot control his disorder.

The swearing can be upsetting, but the other parents should ponder on the fact that it won't be too many years before their own children are using the same words. The difference is that they will be doing it intentionally, whereas the Tourettes boy is not!
proud mum x2
Posts: 609
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2007 7:35 pm

Post by proud mum x2 »

Guest 55 aspergers? I wasn't aware that this condition caused it's sufferers to swear?


proud mum x2
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