A mum has been left outraged after her son's school put him in detention for the most "pathetic" reason, causing him to miss out on his lesson. She explained how her son's teacher called him out for not having the right equipment for class - but doesn't feel it was a good enough reason to make him stay an hour after school.
Speaking on Mumsnet, the woman wrote: "The school contacted me to say my son had detention because he didn't have the right equipment. "When I enquired what it was he didn't have, they replied a green pen. He'd forgotten it.
"I understand a detention being given for a more serious matter - but [this is a] pathetic reason for detention."
While most users agreed he shouldn't have been given a detention over such a minor thing, others believe the school was only teaching him a lesson in responsibility.
One user said: "That is the most pathetic excuse ever and I don't think I could support the school for that."
Another user added: "Totally normal. Pupils are told the equipment they need and it's up to them to make sure they have it."
A third user said: "In my opinion, and I used to work in education, there are a lot of schools now that give detention for really petty things.
"Yes, he should have had the pen, but giving him detention for forgetting it is a disproportionate response.
"I think these schools have people coming up with these rules who really dislike children and young people."
One more user added: "Green pen is generally necessary for self/peer marking, it isn't a random missing colour out of a pack of felt tips.
"He will have been well aware that it was a required piece of equipment and that the school were doing checks.
"I agree that it's petty and I think many schools are tending towards unworkable zero-tolerance policies which are counter-productive - but this isn't the hill I would personally choose to die on."
It comes after a mum shamed her six-year-old school after they cast her as "someone's wife" in her nativity play.
The woman called out the school for being 'so backward' in the 21st century and is debating taking it up with the headteacher.
Venting to Mumsnet, she wrote: "My daughter has been cast as 'someone's wife' in the nativity play - the 'Innkeeper's wife' to be precise. This is not OK!
"Normally I am pretty relaxed about all things school, and I certainly feel sorry for the teachers' workloads, but come on people.
"No woman should be identified by her relationship to a man? Surely. I'm itching to call them out on this. Itching.
"This is how casual everyday feminism gets perpetuated by people not calling people out on this stuff.
"It just bothers me that in the core learning place for our kids, this stuff just goes on with no one batting an eyelid."
While some users agreed with the woman's point, others claimed she was "overreacting" because her daughter is playing a part in a story set over 2,000 years ago.
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