Online Community Criticizes Prominent Trang School's Strict Tardiness Policy with Progressive Point Deductions
A prominent Trang school faces online backlash over its progressive point-deduction system for tardiness that equates late arrivals with serious misconduct, potentially resulting in student transfers if 51-100 points accumulate. The school
Online users are questioning a well-known school in Trang province over its new strict attendance policy that uses a progressive point deduction system for late arrivals, potentially leading to school transfer as punishment. On May 7, 2025, the "Bad Student" Facebook page shared images of the school's tardiness rules, which deduct 5 points for every 10-minute delay beginning at the 7:50 AM flag salute, accumulating up to a maximum of 60 points by 9:50 AM. Arriving after 9:50 AM results in only a 20-point deduction, as it is classified as unexcused absence. The post sparked substantial debate both supporting and opposing the policy.
According to the Facebook post comparing the rules to the 2025 student and parent handbook, tardiness penalties are equivalent to serious misconduct offenses: arriving 8:01-8:10 AM (10 points) equals wearing PE uniforms inappropriately or skipping formation; 8:20-8:30 AM (20 points) equals skipping class, wearing makeup, or forging teacher signatures; 8:41-8:50 AM (30 points) equals hair dyeing, eyebrow trimming, or leaving campus. Point deductions of 30-50 are categorized with actions that damage school reputation, such as posting inappropriate images. Arriving 9:21-9:30 AM (50 points) is equated with threatening or coercing others, while 9:41-9:50 AM (60 points) represents the highest penalty for tardiness.
Students accumulating 51-100 points face potential ethics training, religious counseling, or school transfer based on student discipline committee discretion. However, a teacher at the school countered the "Bad Student" page's claims, arguing the presentation was unfairly damaging to the school. The teacher clarified that arrivals after 9:50 AM require parental escort, reducing the penalty to 20 points. The teacher also noted that teacher tardiness requires biometric scanning like students, with school administration requiring all staff to arrive before 7:30 AM, with frequent latecomers facing salary implications. The teacher emphasized: "Discipline is fundamental to life in any organization or society. Without discipline, society cannot develop and the nation cannot prosper."
