For decades, schools have used detention as a form of punishment and lessons for inappropriate behavior in the school building. However, with many schools moving to all remote instruction due to COVID-19, that has made “detention” something that is a bit of a tricky situation.
Some schools are opting for remote punishment.
Some schools, while remote, opt that they can still hold disciplinary measures like detention, but just do it remotely.
One mom recently opened up about “Zoom Detention” that her child received.
Uju Anya shared on Twitter that her daughter, who’s in the fourth grade, received “Zoom detention” or not paying attention in her class.
Apparently, it was an office referral.
The mom said that the teacher had given “repeated verbal warnings” and then the principal intervenes. The “detention” is to have the student and teacher discuss and reflect with a behavior interventionist.
According to the teacher, her daughter is totally off task.
The teacher shared that the fourth-grader is frequently distracted, ignores the teacher, and plays computer games. Sometimes she just signs off Zoom altogether.
The mom shared that her child is “struggling to keep it together.”
While the mom says the teacher is definitely struggling as well, but that the idea of “Zoom detention is ridiculous,” and does not agree with it at all.
After sharing her story online many people responded.
There were mixed responses as to whether or not the Zoom detention was a good idea or a bad idea.
One person said that “Zoom detention is a stupid idea.”
One Twitter user with a PhD in education said that it is “worthless” in changing the student’s behavior.
However, some said it seems like “intervention” not punishment.
Many said that it seemed the school was having this as a behavior intervention strategy to discuss the issues that her daughter was having, not a punishment.
Others said that it’s not terrible, it’s the name that makes it terrible.
One other person said they shouldn’t frame it as “detention,” as that is what is making it seem like a punishment, rather than something to help.
Do you agree?
