My son's school seems to have no disciplinary policy. He says that when students do something wrong, the teachers just tell them off and nothing else happens. He has told me about some serious incidents and now I am worried for my son's safety. What can I do about this?
Schools vary in their approach and response to acts of misbehaviour. Philosophies vary from a liberal stance bolstered by encouragement and positive reinforcement, to more Draconian regimes in which punishment and mortification are the main concerns.
Each school has an internal system that should be universally and consistently applied. But even if it does, this is not always made explicit to parents, and may not be obvious from the perspective of an outside observer.
Most parents are happy that their children's schools deal with disciplinary matters sensibly, appropriately and in a timely manner. But if you are not one of them, the first thing you should do is approach a school authority to ask some direct questions.
Start with finding out if there is a policy. If it's a written document, ask to see a copy. Look for how positive behaviour by students is rewarded by incentives that appeal to them and actually act as an incentive. Whether it be house points, stickers, bonus points or small treats, try to reassure yourself that these things work in context. You could even talk to your son's friends to get their views.
If there is no written policy, ask about the common understanding between staff and students. Then speak with teachers to see whether the rhetoric is matched by actions on a daily basis. You'd be amazed by how even a short visit to the school can give you a real feel for how well things are going, how responsibly students behave and how teachers interact with their students.
Next, check the consequences students face in school if they misbehave or break the rules. Punishment is not necessarily a bad thing as students need to know that they may well lose privileges or miss out on something they normally look forward to.