Grandson kicked off school trip for being absent due to tinnitus - Update P4

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Mad Eyed Screamer

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Did I mention I'd been on Eggheads?
Been talking with my daughter today.
The grandson who is 13, has tinnitus. The school know this because he has permission when (for example) a classroom gets a little loud and it affects him and he can leave the classroom and go to a quiet room to continue his work.

His class is having an end of school trip to Blackpool and in April the pupils were told if they are absent one day from April to July they are off the trip - which personally I think is harsh. Kids should be allowed to be ill! However, I do understand that it might be a carrot to dangle in front of repeat offenders.

So last week, one evening his tinnitus was really playing up. He was really suffering and both he and my daughter were up the whole night as she tried to comfort him as much as she could. He finally fell asleep at 6am and no way was my daughter waking him up an hour later to go to school. She called the school and explained the situation.
Today she had a notification that 17 quid had been added to her bank account. Wondering what it was, she checked and it was the refund for the school trip.
Now of course you can't have one rule for one and not the other but surely the school has to look at each case on its own merit. This wasn't a kid feigning a headache or sore throat but a kid that was up the whole night with a condition that in the UK is classified as a disability.

I have knocked up a letter and sent it to my daughter for her to send it to the school and the Governors.
The letter states in full the reason for the absence and is asking why the pupil is effectively being punished for having a disability.
The letter states they have one opportunity to reverse the decision and then the local paper, Granada. BBC North West, local councillors', Tinnitus UK and other disability organisations will be in receipt of the information that a pupil at their school has been excluded from an end of term trip due to his disability. I'm positive they won't welcome the adverse publicity.

DONT FUCK WITH AN EGGHEAD!
 
Mad Eyed Screamer said:
Been talking with my daughter today.
The grandson who is 13, has tinnitus. The school know this because he has permission when (for example) a classroom gets a little loud and it affects him and he can leave the classroom and go to a quiet room to continue his work.

His class is having an end of school trip to Blackpool and in April the pupils were told if they are absent one day from April to July they are off the trip - which personally I think is harsh. Kids should be allowed to be ill! However, I do understand that it might be a carrot to dangle in front of repeat offenders.

So last week, one evening his tinnitus was really playing up. He was really suffering and both he and my daughter were up the whole night as she tried to comfort him as much as she could. He finally fell asleep at 6am and no way was my daughter waking him up an hour later to go to school. She called the school and explained the situation.
Today she had a notification that 17 quid had been added to her bank account. Wondering what it was, she checked and it was the refund for the school.
Now of course you can't have one rule for one and not the other but surely the school has to look at each case on its own merit. This wasn't a kid feigning a headache or sore throat but a kid that was up the whole night with a condition that in the UK is classified as a disability.

I have knocked up a letter and sent it to my daughter for her to send it to the school and the Governors.
The letter states in full the reason for the absence and is asking why the pupil is effectively being punished for having a disability.
The letter states they have one opportunity to reverse the decision and then the local paper, Granada. BBC North West, local councillors', Tinnitus UK and other disability organisations will be in receipt of the information that a pupil at their school has been excluded from an end of term trip due to his disability.
Click to expand...

Sounds a bit harsh from the school, I hope they see sense.

Hope the boy is doing ok mate.
 
Very harsh from the school to discriminate against a pupil on the basis of a health condition when that would be illegal in the workplace. Feels bizarre but maybe kids aren't afforded the same protections? Personally I wouldn't threaten to got to the press as it's a way of surrendering the moral high ground, but contacting Tinnitus UK and the local authority isn't a bad idea.
 
Mad Eyed Screamer said:
Been talking with my daughter today.
The grandson who is 13, has tinnitus. The school know this because he has permission when (for example) a classroom gets a little loud and it affects him and he can leave the classroom and go to a quiet room to continue his work.

His class is having an end of school trip to Blackpool and in April the pupils were told if they are absent one day from April to July they are off the trip - which personally I think is harsh. Kids should be allowed to be ill! However, I do understand that it might be a carrot to dangle in front of repeat offenders.

So last week, one evening his tinnitus was really playing up. He was really suffering and both he and my daughter were up the whole night as she tried to comfort him as much as she could. He finally fell asleep at 6am and no way was my daughter waking him up an hour later to go to school. She called the school and explained the situation.
Today she had a notification that 17 quid had been added to her bank account. Wondering what it was, she checked and it was the refund for the school trip.0
Now of course you can't have one rule for one and not the other but surely the school has to look at each case on its own merit. This wasn't a kid feigning a headache or sore throat but a kid that was up the whole night with a condition that in the UK is classified as a disability.

I have knocked up a letter and sent it to my daughter for her to send it to the school and the Governors.
The letter states in full the reason for the absence and is asking why the pupil is effectively being punished for having a disability.
The letter states they have one opportunity to reverse the decision and then the local paper, Granada. BBC North West, local councillors', Tinnitus UK and other disability organisations will be in receipt of the information that a pupil at their school has been excluded from an end of term trip due to his disability. I'm positive they won't welcome the adverse publicity.

DONT FUCK WITH AN EGGHEAD!
Click to expand...

GP note to cover it?
 
pace89 said:
Very harsh from the school to discriminate against a pupil on the basis of a health condition when that would be illegal in the workplace. Feels bizarre but maybe kids aren't afforded the same protections? Personally I wouldn't threaten to got to the press as it's a way of surrendering the moral high ground, but contacting Tinnitus UK and the local authority isn't a bad idea.
Click to expand...
It's more of the threat than actually doing it. You assume most wouldn't want that and will back down before it gets that far.......
 
Mad Eyed Screamer said:
It's more of the threat than actually doing it. You assume most wouldn't want that and will back down before it gets that far.......
Click to expand...
School may very well hide behind a risk assessment, insurance requirement or that additional support staff would be required to support. Bollocks obviously, but that's the works we now live in.
 
Mazzarelli's Swiss Cheese said:
School may very well hide behind a risk assessment, insurance requirement or that additional support staff would be required to support. Bollocks obviously, but that's the works we now live in.
Click to expand...
Yeah I thought of that but he was removed because he was absent, not because of the tinnitus. If he wasn't absent they would have taken him. They can't move the goalposts.
 
Mad Eyed Screamer said:
Been talking with my daughter today.
The grandson who is 13, has tinnitus. The school know this because he has permission when (for example) a classroom gets a little loud and it affects him and he can leave the classroom and go to a quiet room to continue his work.

His class is having an end of school trip to Blackpool and in April the pupils were told if they are absent one day from April to July they are off the trip - which personally I think is harsh. Kids should be allowed to be ill! However, I do understand that it might be a carrot to dangle in front of repeat offenders.

So last week, one evening his tinnitus was really playing up. He was really suffering and both he and my daughter were up the whole night as she tried to comfort him as much as she could. He finally fell asleep at 6am and no way was my daughter waking him up an hour later to go to school. She called the school and explained the situation.
Today she had a notification that 17 quid had been added to her bank account. Wondering what it was, she checked and it was the refund for the school trip.0
Now of course you can't have one rule for one and not the other but surely the school has to look at each case on its own merit. This wasn't a kid feigning a headache or sore throat but a kid that was up the whole night with a condition that in the UK is classified as a disability.

I have knocked up a letter and sent it to my daughter for her to send it to the school and the Governors.
The letter states in full the reason for the absence and is asking why the pupil is effectively being punished for having a disability.
The letter states they have one opportunity to reverse the decision and then the local paper, Granada. BBC North West, local councillors', Tinnitus UK and other disability organisations will be in receipt of the information that a pupil at their school has been excluded from an end of term trip due to his disability. I'm positive they won't welcome the adverse publicity.

DONT FUCK WITH AN EGGHEAD!
Click to expand...
Did you tell your daughter to make sure the letter is addressed to the Chair of Governors, private and urgent. Some schools put letters to the governors in a folder for the next Governors meeting which could be after the trip.

Make sure it’s not pushed under the carpet so to speak.
 
Eccles Blue said:
Did you tell your daughter to make sure the letter is addressed to the Chair of Governors, private and urgent. Some schools put letters to the governors in a folder for the next Governors meeting which could be after the trip.

Make sure it’s not pushed under the carpet so to speak.
Click to expand...
Thanks - I am hoping it will be an email. If they haven't got an email address then yes I shall give her your advice - thanks again
 
Mad Eyed Screamer said:
Been talking with my daughter today.
The grandson who is 13, has tinnitus. The school know this because he has permission when (for example) a classroom gets a little loud and it affects him and he can leave the classroom and go to a quiet room to continue his work.

His class is having an end of school trip to Blackpool and in April the pupils were told if they are absent one day from April to July they are off the trip - which personally I think is harsh. Kids should be allowed to be ill! However, I do understand that it might be a carrot to dangle in front of repeat offenders.

So last week, one evening his tinnitus was really playing up. He was really suffering and both he and my daughter were up the whole night as she tried to comfort him as much as she could. He finally fell asleep at 6am and no way was my daughter waking him up an hour later to go to school. She called the school and explained the situation.
Today she had a notification that 17 quid had been added to her bank account. Wondering what it was, she checked and it was the refund for the school trip.
Now of course you can't have one rule for one and not the other but surely the school has to look at each case on its own merit. This wasn't a kid feigning a headache or sore throat but a kid that was up the whole night with a condition that in the UK is classified as a disability.

I have knocked up a letter and sent it to my daughter for her to send it to the school and the Governors.
The letter states in full the reason for the absence and is asking why the pupil is effectively being punished for having a disability.
The letter states they have one opportunity to reverse the decision and then the local paper, Granada. BBC North West, local councillors', Tinnitus UK and other disability organisations will be in receipt of the information that a pupil at their school has been excluded from an end of term trip due to his disability. I'm positive they won't welcome the adverse publicity.

DONT FUCK WITH AN EGGHEAD!
Click to expand...
Look online for the school's formal complaints procedure and make one. That way the governors must be made aware and ofsted will see the complaint at the next inspection. Hopefully the school will relent.

If you want to really annoy the school, on the day of the trip phone the child in sick so it hits their attendance figures.
 
Mad Eyed Screamer said:
Been talking with my daughter today.
The grandson who is 13, has tinnitus. The school know this because he has permission when (for example) a classroom gets a little loud and it affects him and he can leave the classroom and go to a quiet room to continue his work.

His class is having an end of school trip to Blackpool and in April the pupils were told if they are absent one day from April to July they are off the trip - which personally I think is harsh. Kids should be allowed to be ill! However, I do understand that it might be a carrot to dangle in front of repeat offenders.

So last week, one evening his tinnitus was really playing up. He was really suffering and both he and my daughter were up the whole night as she tried to comfort him as much as she could. He finally fell asleep at 6am and no way was my daughter waking him up an hour later to go to school. She called the school and explained the situation.
Today she had a notification that 17 quid had been added to her bank account. Wondering what it was, she checked and it was the refund for the school trip.0
Now of course you can't have one rule for one and not the other but surely the school has to look at each case on its own merit. This wasn't a kid feigning a headache or sore throat but a kid that was up the whole night with a condition that in the UK is classified as a disability.

I have knocked up a letter and sent it to my daughter for her to send it to the school and the Governors.
The letter states in full the reason for the absence and is asking why the pupil is effectively being punished for having a disability.
The letter states they have one opportunity to reverse the decision and then the local paper, Granada. BBC North West, local councillors', Tinnitus UK and other disability organisations will be in receipt of the information that a pupil at their school has been excluded from an end of term trip due to his disability. I'm positive they won't welcome the adverse publicity.

DONT FUCK WITH AN EGGHEAD!
Click to expand...

Am a retired teacher with severe tinnitus. Had it for nearly 20 years and manage it pretty well most of the time but it can still bother me.

Having read your post, I am completely on your side. This should not have happened. The initial point of contact would be your grandson's form tutor or Head of Year.

Over and above that, given that there is, as yet, no treatment for tinnitus, psychological management is all that is available.

In particular, there is an excellent book written specifically for tinnitus sufferers that deploys CBT techniques to empower those who are lumbered with it.

A 13 year old wouldn't understand it (unless they're very bright). It's written with adults in mind. But your daughter would. And she could then pass on the coping strategies that are detailed in the book.

It's out of print and expensive to import from the USA. But I have a copy of each chapter in pdf format. So just send me a personal message if you think it might be a useful resource to have.

Additionally, and although even the most well-established online tinnitus forums are awash with disinformation, there's an obscure one that is very good. Here is a link to it.


See, in particular, 'Letter to a Tinnitus Sufferer'.

The book I mentioned is 'The Henry and Wilson Book'. Unfortunately, the link in the thread no longer works.
 
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