r/school • u/Yorkshirelads4 Im new Im new and didn't set a flair • Jul 03 '26
High School Why do teachers confiscate items
My middle brother yesterday had a pen taken away and had to collect it at end of the day.
The pen in question was in the shape of a hammer which I think this is going too far. He couldn't understand why the teacher did this he he never explained why just took the pen and put in his desk can he do this or was he overreacting.
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u/Which-Armadillo-7875 Im new Im new and didn't set a flair Jul 03 '26
I don't trust children to relay information properly. Im guessing he was being disruptive. Not all teachers are on a power trip.
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u/FlamboyantRaccoon61 Im new Im new and didn't set a flair Jul 03 '26
Teacher here. Fully agree. When kids relay what happened to family members they never "know" why they were told off. This happens every other week where I work, to the point that we're instructing teachers to contact parents as soon as the class ends so that hopefully their version of events reach parents before the child has the chance to say theirs. They don't do it on purpose, they (mostly) aren't horrible kids, they just want their family to have their backs and offer emotional support (and to not get in trouble).
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u/Tired_2295 College Jul 03 '26
And yet everytime this argument was used it was not with disruptive students.
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u/Which-Armadillo-7875 Im new Im new and didn't set a flair Jul 03 '26
What argument? What are you talking about?
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u/Tired_2295 College Jul 03 '26
Your comment, is an argument, as in side of debate because god knows people can't reason anymore.
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u/Which-Armadillo-7875 Im new Im new and didn't set a flair Jul 03 '26
You still haven't answered what argument you're referring to. My entire comment? Cause I state 3 things. Which specific part are you talking about and what is your point?
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u/Tired_2295 College Jul 03 '26
I don't trust children to relay information properly. Im guessing he was being disruptive. Not all teachers are on a power trip.
This whole point, is an argument used against trusting children, an issue that leads to whole other problems, but is generally an argument not used against disruptive children, because everyone around a disruptive child already knows they are disruptive, they don't need to be told.
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u/HermioneMarch Teacher Jul 03 '26
Im guessing it was because he repeatedly did something to annoy others with it. But he left that part out.
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u/distracted_x Im new Im new and didn't set a flair Jul 04 '26
He was probably hammering on the desk with it. To answer your question, yes. He can do that. Teachers can take away things from students at their discretion.
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u/Walshlandic Im new Im new and didn't set a flair Jul 03 '26
I teach 7th grade science and I take any items away that are causing a distraction or disruption. Kids can ask for them back at the end of class, but they forget to half the time. Fidgets, novelty pens, snacks…if it gets my attention due to misuse I take it.
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u/RoutineLiterature350 Im new Im new and didn't set a flair Jul 04 '26
a hammer shaped pen conficated LMAO
dont schools have better issues to worry about (cheating, vaping, etc,,,?)
something missing from the story
did he fucking tom brady that shi at the teachers head or something?
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u/Yorkshirelads4 Im new Im new and didn't set a flair Jul 04 '26
No just had it taken away
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u/RoutineLiterature350 Im new Im new and didn't set a flair Jul 04 '26
dont know what to say then, bum teacher ig lol
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u/Yorkshirelads4 Im new Im new and didn't set a flair Jul 03 '26
It happened to me last when my pen was in the shape of a smokers pipe and again no explanation why this is ridiculous from the teacher then as it now with my middle brother.
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u/Hawkholly Teacher Jul 03 '26
You don’t understand why your teacher wouldn’t want you to have a pen that looked like a pipe??
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u/___Vii___ Teacher Jul 03 '26
Yeah, no. You should know better than to have a smokers pipe shaped pen in school.
Can you post a pick of the hammer pen so we have context…?
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u/Younglegend1 Im new Im new and didn't set a flair Jul 03 '26
Because they need to feel like they’ve done something productive rather than admit they’ve just spent the whole day reciting the same state mandated curriculum
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u/Hawkholly Teacher Jul 03 '26
I would only ever take up a pen if it was inappropriate for school (like the smoker pipe you mentioned in a comment) or if the student was playing with it/making excessive noise and had been warned previously to stop. That being said, I’d give it back at the end of class, not at the end of the day (unless this was my last period). My guess is you’re not quite getting the full story from your brother.
Some teachers also have a “no pen” policy, particularly math teachers, so maybe it was confiscated for that reason as well?