Smack my hand!

On Monday Abby was 5 minutes late to school. The combination of the pills, the coughing and the choice of BBC Radio Bristol as wake up station took it's toll and I didn't wake up till 8am. We arrived at the school gates at 08.35. School starts at 8.30. Abby was in a panic because they 'lock' the gates at 8.30. I just waved it off. I watched her walk to the gate and stand there for at least 5 minutes, then a woman walked over and let her in and stood waving and gesticulating at her in a angry manner. She was being yelled at.
Abby has never been late for school before, in all the years she's been there.
I got home and rang them. I told them I was sorry, I told them it was the new pills I was taking and she'd never been late before. The receptionist laughed and reassured me. Not to worry. She'd make sure it was all ok and she'd mark Abby in. No problem. Very sweet and understanding.
Then today I get a letter from the deputy head. Mr Manning. Yes he looks like captain Mainwaring from Dad's Army.
It said Abby was denied access to school Monday as she was late. The reasons for this were outlined in a recent letter sent home. She will be recorded as unauthorised absence and if this continues I will incur a fine.
It was typed on headed notepaper and had a first class stamp. I'm livid. What a waste of school resources.
Then I get a separate letter with the new lateness policy. It arrived at the same time.
It says around 50 children are late for school each day. This doesn't ensure a crisp business like start. In future all late children will be sent home, and excluded from school for the day and recorded as absent.
However, if children have a good excuse, each case will be taken on an individual basis and dealt with sensitively.
So my kid is late once, with an excuse...Ok we all know I'm a fucking crap mother, no need to rub it in.
I phone up explain and still I get this awful letter?
But even more so. What about the poor little buggers who have to catch bloody Bristol buses to school?
They say it's to prepare kids for future work. I agree some of them take the piss and are continually late. But we have ALL overslept for work at some point. We have all had a bus be late, or something major happen as we're about to leave the house. And our work places accept it. Because we don't do it all the time. We are all Human Beings.
Something is wrong here. They're allowed to run riot during maths classes and throw books at Abby's head and stop her learning. But be 5 minutes for school and the gates are locked. Weird.