Anger As Boy Punished With 'Dunce' Jacket

A father from Nottingham has hit out at a school for making his eight-year-old son wear a high-visibility jacket as punishment.

Sanaa al Ameen says his son Abdullah had been made to wear the reflective jacket for three weeks whilst at Forest Fields Primary School on Bradgate Road, Nottingham.

Dr al Ameen, a retired lecturer at the University of Nottingham, said the method was wrong: "It's the humiliation, it is like the dunce's cap.

"What they used to do was put 'D' for donkey, or some thing, whatever it is. Everybody would say 'look at this silly boy'. What's the difference between that and the yellow jacket?"

Abdullah is the youngest of five children. He says wearing the jacket made him not want to go to school.

"It made me feel upset because they made me wear it all day and it was annoying," he said. "They (the other children) started laughing and saying 'ha ha look at that bad boy'".

Sue Hoyland, head teacher at the school, told Sky News it was a trial "initiative" which had been "successful".

She said Abdullah only wore the jacket for two days and the idea was brought in before half term.

"It's not about stigmatising children it's about tracking improved behaviour with them and allowing them to enjoy their achievements and their successes," she said.

"It's used only for a short time, it's monitored regularly by the head teacher who takes every opportunity to praise and encourage the children who have made improvements."

Dr al Ameen said if the school did not stop using the jackets as punishment he would consider taking legal action.

"If they decide to keep that I will seek legal action. I will certainly not see my child humiliated like that. Or any of the other children," he said.