Schools & Rules
I'm often asked by people to describe how Japanese schools are different from American schools. There are so many differences between the two that it's easy to almost never use the same answer and still be telling the truth. One thing I commonly refer to is how in American schools, school authorities are generally in charge of students' behavior only when they're on school grounds or participating in school activities, while Japanese school authorities are responsible for disciplining students, even for acts committed not relating to school. For example, if a Japanese teacher sees a student smoking by a convenience store or elsewhere, even during a day off, they are supposed to report it to the school, who will decide on a punishment for the student (usually in-school suspension). In the States, this matter would be left solely up to parents and police officers.
It is also against Japanese school rules for high school students to have part-time jobs. Of course, there are students at my school that have them, but they're secret. If a teacher finds out about them, they're officially supposed to report them to the school for disciplinary action, even if parents gave the students permission. Once there was a 3rd-year student (senior) who got a part-time job waitressing before graduation, but after she was finished taking classes (3rd-year students get released from school about a month early). A teacher happened to patron the restaurant she was working at, and then reported her to the school. There was about a week of meetings and deliberation to decide whether the student would be allowed to graduate or not. And this was a good student, not a troublemaker. I don't even think she'd been in trouble before. Ultimately, they decided to let her graduate, but not until they put the fear of God into her.
Another rule, although not enforced as often, is that students can't go on dates without their parents as chaperones. There's only one time I know of that this rule was enforced at my school while I've been here. It seems a female student from my school went on a karaoke date with a boy from a different school. While they were at karaoke, they ran into a boy from my school, who then got into a fight with the girl's date. Because it was determined that the boy from my school didn't start the fight, he ended up with no punishment. But the girl had to withstand shouting lectures from the principal and vice principal because she had gone on a date unchaperoned.
The idea that teachers have say over certain aspects of children's lives more than their parents is something widely uncontested here. My husband and I brought our sleeping kids with us to a late movie one weekend and were refused admittance because it was past the curfew of school children. Another time we told Jared he could play with his friend until 7 o'clock on a school night, and he argued that he couldn't because his teacher said he should be home by 6. When we tried to convince him it was okay because we said it was, he still refused to break his teacher's rules... Our child has turned Japanese!
It is also against Japanese school rules for high school students to have part-time jobs. Of course, there are students at my school that have them, but they're secret. If a teacher finds out about them, they're officially supposed to report them to the school for disciplinary action, even if parents gave the students permission. Once there was a 3rd-year student (senior) who got a part-time job waitressing before graduation, but after she was finished taking classes (3rd-year students get released from school about a month early). A teacher happened to patron the restaurant she was working at, and then reported her to the school. There was about a week of meetings and deliberation to decide whether the student would be allowed to graduate or not. And this was a good student, not a troublemaker. I don't even think she'd been in trouble before. Ultimately, they decided to let her graduate, but not until they put the fear of God into her.
Another rule, although not enforced as often, is that students can't go on dates without their parents as chaperones. There's only one time I know of that this rule was enforced at my school while I've been here. It seems a female student from my school went on a karaoke date with a boy from a different school. While they were at karaoke, they ran into a boy from my school, who then got into a fight with the girl's date. Because it was determined that the boy from my school didn't start the fight, he ended up with no punishment. But the girl had to withstand shouting lectures from the principal and vice principal because she had gone on a date unchaperoned.
The idea that teachers have say over certain aspects of children's lives more than their parents is something widely uncontested here. My husband and I brought our sleeping kids with us to a late movie one weekend and were refused admittance because it was past the curfew of school children. Another time we told Jared he could play with his friend until 7 o'clock on a school night, and he argued that he couldn't because his teacher said he should be home by 6. When we tried to convince him it was okay because we said it was, he still refused to break his teacher's rules... Our child has turned Japanese!
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That certainly is different and, as a parent, I would certainly not like being overruled by a school. It's our job to raise our kids with our values not "the state".
I can see a benefit though where the parents are neglectful...at least there is someone looking out for the childrens best interest.
It's definiely difficult to get used to, that's for sure.
Some schools do let their students have part-time jobs, but they have to get permision from the school first. At one school I go to, the student is given a permission card to show their prospective employer.
One of my schools may not have an unchaperoned date policy, but they do have an unchaperoned karaoke policy - due to the possibility of alcohol being consumed I guess.
What got to me at the recent school entrance ceremony, was the teachers proceeding down the line of students and indicating the exact spots where the individual kids should stand in their line.
Actually (and I should have written this), at my school part-time jobs are permitted with approval, also. But only special & temporary part-time jobs. Like delivering New Years cards on January first or helping out at a community festival. I was told regular jobs are never given permission.
That bothered me, too, that they had to stand on their precise spot. Only now it's not quite as strict here, because there's a sumo wrestler so large that they allow him to use two rows--1 for each foot.
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