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As a teacher at a primary school, I am fed up with the amount of litter that appears around the school grounds. I don’t even know how it gets there considering the pupils are not allowed to bring food in.
My question is this…If I ask children to go and litter pick say, during a lunch break (not as a punishment, I want volunteers!)am I allowed to ask them to do this?Sounds a daft question as I did this on numerous occasions at school but my friend pointed out that in this health and safety age, they may have to avoid using their hands and use one of those ‘long plastic claw things’.
That parents may complain it is unsafe etc. Where do I stand on this legally. Anyone know? hell, how about a high vis jacket too…Despite the comical nature of this question, It is a serious one! ‘Are children at school allowed to pick up litter?’
Cheers
CrizzyOh don’t get me started on litter because my ‘other’ job is village litter picker. I could write a paper on it, because litter changes over the years. It used to be those phone cards that people used to top up their mobiles, and they were a devil to pick up. The kids waiting for the bus to take them to the secondary school are the worst, eatng chocolate and sweets on the way to school and just chucking the wrappers on the pavement and in peoples’ gardens. When my own kids were at school they used to come home with rubbish in their pockets, because their friends, instead of throwing it on the ground used to give it to my kids to bring home [this was before I was an official litter picker; it’s just that I brought my kids up to not throw stuff on the floor]. I think I was a Womble in a previous life. Strangely enough, I am the messiest, untidiest person in the world in my own home, but would never dream of being so outside. I don’t think you would be able to get kids to litter pick, because their parents would go ballistic and there probably is a health issue as well. One thing that does bother me is the number of drinks cans that people drop. I can understand empty ones, but a lot of them are half full. I don’t get that; why drink half a can??
Criz, if it’s outside the school grounds then you could be asking for trouble even though your aim is to do something good for the environment and to educate the kids not to litter.
I’m actually an Enforcement Officer at my local Council and we actually fine people for dropping the litter! £50 they get charged and they deserve it too!
Anyway enough of that, they’d probably need litter pickers or needleproof gloves. The reason I say this is that unfortunately you find all kinds of litter these days because of the way society is and the last thing you want is a lawsuit on your hands after some kid has pricked themselves on a rogue needle someone has dumped.
My suggestion would be to contact your local Council and ask for the Waste & Recycling Team. There should be a Projects Officer that could provide you with all the equipment and give the school some good press in the process for using their initiative.
Let me know if you need anything else
Despite the comical nature of this question, It is a serious one! ‘Are children at school allowed to pick up litter?’
Cheers
CrizzyCrizzy,you being a School teacher should know the answer to that question? If you want to put your head on the line and do a risk assessment,ensuring the appropriate tools and clothing are supplied then children in Primary school can pick up litter within the Schools premises under Supervision!Of course you would be opening yourself up for any injury claims sustained!I"m sure you know its not worth the hassle,get your caretaker to sort it!
TAPK
I want the children themselves to take responsibility for the litter. The caretakers could be doing more useful things than picking up after them tbh.I don’t know the ‘law’ aspect but it is something, sadly, we have to consider.
You need to bribe, i mean reward them. get them all a bin bag each and tell them whoever picks up the most rubbish wins a pack of 20 or a can of cider or something like that.
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Edited – Just realised that editing this is pointless as it has been quoted
I think my commet was provoked partly by the "kids aren’t allowed to bring food in" bit. I am absolutely against that kind of interference.
How about getting someone in to give a talk about litter and where it goes and how much people have to pay to clean up our streets etc. Things like that, when pointed out to children at a young age might sink into their consciousness; I mean, there must be a reason why I think that I’ll be struck down by a thunderbolt if I throw a crisp packet onto the pavement; probably a talk at school when I was 7 that I’ve completely forgotten about. Just as taking my dad’s bet money to the bookies at the same age turned me into a life long gambler.
Who cares if they are allowed or not. Kids don’t go to school to pick up other people’s litter. This is symptomatic of the whole problem with the educatiomn system. You think the kids are there to be ordered around. Try teaching them something.
And how is this not behavioral education? I believe it is.
Therefore Crizzy is teaching them something. Stop looking for holes in things!
I always believe in prevention rather than cure – Vote Tory then just threaten the little fuckers that anyone caught dropping litter will be beaten to within an inch of their lives with ‘Sammy the Slipper’.
Bill Bryson is head Womble in this country. If you google Bill Bryson Litter there’s stuff about education packs that can be sent out to schools [sorry don’t know how to do links for things…]
TAPK
I want the children themselves to take responsibility for the litter. The caretakers could be doing more useful things than picking up after them tbh.I don’t know the ‘law’ aspect but it is something, sadly, we have to consider.
Fair enough Crizzy,if the kids didn"t drop litter in the first place,they wouldn"t need to pick it up.My point about getting the caretaker to clean up is the fact that it is part of their Job description,so nobody will have the finger of blame pointing at them when a child injures themselves!You should know the aggravation Health and safety cause these days when you take the kids swimming,or even worse, out on a day trip!The day trip will soon become a thing of the past thanks to the idiots that rule!
Who cares if they are allowed or not. Kids don’t go to school to pick up other people’s litter. This is symptomatic of the whole problem with the educatiomn system. You think the kids are there to be ordered around. Try teaching them something.
Try teaching a class of 37 kids,one of which has ADHD and regularly disrupts lessons! Mainstream Schooling caters for all kids with physical,mental and emotional difficulties,proving every chid requires individual tuition at times.OFSTED dont see that,they just see each child as a number,a statistic.No wonder Schools go into special measures when the numbers dont add up to suit their needs!
Showing my age now, but when I was at school if you were seen dropping litter you reported to the head’s study and got what was coming to you…..
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That parents may complain it is unsafe etc. Where do I stand on this legally. Anyone know? hell, how about a high vis jacket too…
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