Can a teacher dictate who my child plays with at recess?

Question

New grade level and she assigns a "buddy" for recess and lunch. Is this legal? acceptable?

Answer 1

i saw it is legal, but if the children do not like each other this could be a problem,

i say that the kids should choose there own "buddy" for these activity's.

Answer 2

Your teacher might "buddy up" someone for some reason and that is OK, but no, your teacher is not there to determine who your child is to be friends with.  If this is meant to be a permanent "requirement" with your child, then I would say you have a legitimate complaint and should take it up immediately with the teacher, if not the administration.  I love teachers to death, but I question some of their motives at times.

Answer 3

It is legal.

Whether is is acceptable depends on your view of a system where children's constitutional rights end at the door.

Answer 4

Usually in elementary school a teacher might assign a buddy for eacn child.  This is the person that you can depend upon to help you and also to guarantee a friend to eat with in case you are stuck with no one and then be made to feel inadequate or different.  It's a good way to encourage friendships.  In many cases, a good teacher will switch up buddies so that each child can get to know every student in the class.  It's a great friendship building tool and can make your child feel comfortable and a part of the group. In some cases, it is also a comfort to parents who are concerned about the harm that comes to children who are alone.  Having a buddy can be a form of protection as well.  Don't think too much of this. I don't believe the teacher is forcing the issue, but rather looking after all the children to ensure no one is left out and everyone gets to know each other.  (I do this in my 8th grade class - our buddy system helps students have a homework partner and a group partner)

Answer 5

Yes they can, i remember when i was a kid they would do that. it was like 13 years ago. I belive it is aganst some state laws

Answer 6

that is not fair maybe if your child didnt like playing with that person.

Answer 7

This is very "legal" and should not be resisted.  This system helps the teacher to keep track of students and it may give the student to communicate with someone they might not otherwise communicate with.

Teachers operate under an "in loco parentis" principle, meaning that they are entrusted by YOU to be the parent while they have your child and would act in the child's best interests just as you would.  And parents are always having chldren play together and even prohibiting kids from playing with others

Answer 8

Is this permanent, or a way of integrating new children into the classroom?  She may just be ensuring that some children don't get left out.  If it is for the first week or so, and it doesn't preclude your child from including others, then let it go.  If she is trying to structure social relationships for the entire year, then it is a little weird.  Not illegal, certainly, but weird.  

I had to laugh, though.  When I was in third grade, I was inseparable from a boy in my class.  My teacher dragged my mother and his to school and told us that this was "unnatural", that girls and boys shouldn't be together, and what was worse, we spent a lot of time just talking!  Fortunately, our mothers both told her to get lost,and our friendship lasted another few years, until I moved away.

Answer 9

Yeah I'm sure it's legal but that doesn't mean it's not stupid.  The worst thing you can do is take a child and force them to be around someone they can't stand.  It will NOT make them like each other, it will make them hate each other even more and bad things can happen.

Answer 10

First of all, does your child and his "buddy" Not get along?

Second, have you asked the teacher why she is using the buddy system for recess?

I think I can understand why she would employ this technique. A lot of kids play alone or are teased at recess. So she may be trying to help all the kids buy having two kids get to know each other.

Is it legal? I don't know. I search the web and found nothing.

Only you can decide if it's acceptable to you! My advice is to talk to you child and ask him/her what he/she thinks about it. It the child is upset by this than set an appointment to meet with the teacher and talk to her/him about this. There may be a good reason for why he/she has done this. But if your child and his/her buddy don't like each other than maybe she can assign new buddies. If you are very upset about this and just want your child to play with whom he wants to than I would tell this to your child's teacher.

I really hope this helps you.