Should or can a teacher enforce in the seventh grade a pencil use rule only?

Question

My sons teacher did trow his homework without grading it in the trash can,because he did it with an erasable pen and her class room rule is pencil only!
I think this teacher is going to far!
She is violating international human rights law Articel 19, 2!

My sons teacher did throw his homework without grading it in the trash can, because he did it with an erasable pen and her class room rule is pencil only!
I think this teacher is going to far!
She is violating international human rights law Article 19, 2!
Add on:
Read the question first! Homework is not done in class, has nothing to do with classroom rules!
For all of you teachers, that answered to my question so far, you would be fired, if you where teaching like this in Germany and other Countries than the US!
Teachers here just have to much power! My son is very intimidated by teachers over here! He went to school for 3 years in Germany and there kids are treated like kids and not like a herd of animals or like someone who is not free to develop by himself!
You also need to know that two weeks before it happened the principal allowed my son to continue using erasable pens because in Germany you start in the 1. grade to use ink pens.

Answer 1

ur right. im in 8th grade and in we are not supposed to use pencil on homework assignments only on notes! thats terrible. u should go in and speak to the principle. this teacher needs a wake up call!

Answer 2

I had plenty of teachers like that, and believe I've had the same thing done with my homework. I'm still here, a good student, I graduated high school with high honors, got my bachelor's in 3 years with high honors and now I'm in law school. In fact I'm currently studying Constitutional Law and do not believe that the right to use a pen on a homework assignment was one of those "inalienable" rights mentioned in the constitution--try taking this one to a lawyer and you just might get laughed at. Yes it sucks that your son's homework got thrown in the trash but he was aware (or should have been) of her pencil-only rule. Teachers have good reason for having that rule--kids making so many scribbles on the page that it's hardly readable. So you may say that it was an erasable pen but did her rule say "pencils and erasable pens only"--no, it said "pencils only"--she probably had no idea it was an erasable pen and honestly it shouldn't have mattered. Your son is at an age where it is crucial to learn to follow the rules, and in this case he did not. But he learned the consequences of following the rules and I doubt that he will do it again, don't set a bad example by giving him the message that it's OK to break the rules when you think they are unfair. Lots of rules may seem unfair on the surface, but have a good purpose.

Answer 3

This is the cause of today's self-centered, self-entitled and under-educated kids; having over protective and pompous parents, quoting human rights articles over the use of a pen over a pencil. Think of a classroom as a "company". The teacher is the "manager/director" of her classroom and she is trying to do the best job she can with 20-30 kids. If she makes rules she probably has good reason for them. When your son started in her class, he was told of the rules and I'm sure you knew about them too. So when you started getting angry about it and probably in front of your son too, what was the message you were sending to HIM? You diminished the teacher's autonomy, showed disrespect, shown your child that a parent has the power to "intimidate" a teacher. Well, guess what, every time this child won't like something in school, and he knows the parent will go to bat for him he is not learning what he should be learning that in REAL LIFE THERE ARE RULES, and you may not always like them but they are there for a very good reason. A parent's job is to support the teachers because they are your partners in your child's education. You took away your child's opportunity to learn a very good lesson and having diminished the teacher's authority, you have set him up to view his teachers as lower in authority as the parents and less worthy of respect....And furthermore, when you start trotting out Human Rights articles over such a trivial matter, my God, you are diminishing and insulting the true purpose of those articles and the people they should protect. You are saying that a pencil/pen issue is equal to abuse, torture....Grow up!!!

Answer 4

If he knew the work needed to be done in pencil, why did he use a pen? Was he trying to prove a point or be disrespectful of the teacher? Or was a pencil unavailable? If the teacher had told him before it happened that homework not done in pencil would be thrown out and not graded then it was reasonable. Otherwise it may be going too far. As far as mandating pencil, in New York State graphs on statewide exams must be done in pencil. The teacher is preparing students to listen to their bosses and follow rules, a skill that too many kids do not possess.

Answer 5

Yes it is not only allowed, it is imperative. If your kid can't even follow a simple rule like pencil only, there is a problem. I HATE when my students pull the eraseable pen argument because there is no such thing, try and erase one of those, it looks ugly. Your child is learning not only academics, but the real world. And, in the real world you pull that garbage you get in trouble at work.

I am sure the teacher meant no harm, just to teach him a lesson.

She did not violate any human rights laws. He was given specific requirements for the assignment and he did not meet them. Thus he failed. I throw out ALL papers and tests that are done in pen in my 6th grade class. The kids are welcome to take them home. But, I WILL NOT GRADE THEM. Students need to learn to pay attention to detail or they will be destroyed in the real world. I teach in the ghetto, so these kids need any chance they can get at escaping and unfortunately that is tough love to get them to be good high school and college students as well as efficient workers. They already have enough holding them back. I won't allow them to be lazy and unproffesional.

Answer 6

It does seem harsh....but if you want to win (get a good grade) in her class, then you have to play by her rules. I think pencil only in math and science lab work is absolutely a fair requirement beyond high school. If a teacher is teaching ELA and does not let students use the computer (word) but wants quality work (grammar, spelling and penmanship should be flawless) then erasable pen should be allowed.

Answer 7

So if a student writes his work in goat urine, I would be obligated to accept it under International law? I think you're crazy.

Teachers often don't allow the use of pen on assignments for two very simple and reasonable reasons.
1) Students make mistakes, as they are not perfect (or they wouldn't be in school). Erasing mistakes makes assignments much easier to read.
2) Teachers need to be able to easily distinguish between what a student has written and what she has written. As a teacher, I shouldn't have to hunt for a pen color different from the student's pen color when using a pencil is just as easy for the student to do.

If the teacher had the rule in place before your son chose to use pen on his assignment, then he was fully aware of the consequences. It's parents like you who blindly support their children's deliberate mistakes that make teaching such a difficult job. It'd be so much easier if we were able to educate without having to explain our very reasonable expectations and methods to people who are truly ignorant to the profession.

Answer 8

I dont think asking that pencils only be used to too much to ask. If she let your son slide, then she would have to let other kids slide on this rule as well. By the way...teachers here do not have ENOUGH power but if you think that it is so bad here and so much better in Germany, then go back to Germany!

Answer 9

The teacher was perfectly in her rights. Part of the educational process is not only learning the subject matter, but also learning social skills and appropriate behavior. If the teacher's rule is no pen, and it was explained to the students previously, she did nothing wrong. It ended up being a good life lesson for your son that you need to follow rules/laws, or there will be consequences.

Answer 10

A teacher has a right to make rules such as pencil only. Whether you like the rule doesn't matter. Furnish your child with pencils and support the teacher. Your son needs to learn to follow rules; it will help him as he grows up. You are the one that's going too far in citing a human rights law. That's ignorant.

Answer 11

Sorry to assert this, yet seventh grade became one in all my least well known years. I in basic terms finished it and am going into 8th grade, yet, for me, seventh grade became whilst all the girls folk become backstabbing idiots who gossip all day long. it fairly is the way it became for me, yet I additionally had marvelous acquaintances that had each and every others backs. So, my suggestion to you, is to have good acquaintances which you would be able to have faith, and function relaxing with. And, no rely what, dont enable all of us inform you who you're or who you're able to be, an if somebody says something advise. do not enable it influence you, in basic terms pass on.