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AIBU?

DS having school lunch sat on the floor, AIBU?

345 replies

Honeybadgerdontgiveashit · 13/09/2013 17:30

Long story short, building work as DS school has over run massively during summer holidays. Class rooms and hall remain unfinished.
Fair enough, no surprise, but these things happen.

School dinner pupils are eating in the halls, packed lunch pupils are eating packed lunch sat on the classroom floor.
This could go on until christmas.

His teacher was unable to offer an explanation as to why they could not sit at tables and chairs in the classroom. I suspect just so it saves them wiping them afterwards.

AIBU in thinking this is a bit off? He is in year 1, I'm not usually a germ freak, but this doesn't seem right to me. When I asked his teacher if she would eat her lunch sat on the floor everyday she said Yes! Of course I would and looked at me like I was mad!

Please tell me if I am being unreasonable, as I have PMT, and I am really not sure.

Thanks

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JamieandtheMagicTorch · 13/09/2013 17:31

You want to see the boys toilets. You'd forget all your concerns about eating lunch on the floor ...

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Moxiegirl · 13/09/2013 17:31

At that age they sit on the floor for lots of things, it's just like a picnic and would not bother me at all.

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JamieandtheMagicTorch · 13/09/2013 17:32

It does seem a bit odd they can't sit at the table. They'd have to wipe up spills from the floor as well.

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phantomnamechanger · 13/09/2013 17:32

can't see the problem, as long as they wash their hands before they eat - they wont be laying the food out on the carpet.

Don't you do picnics?

several times a term in the summer ours do a BBQ lunch and they all sit out on the field. On the grass, no blankets.

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Honeybadgerdontgiveashit · 13/09/2013 17:35

Of course we do picnics, but not every day for four months.
On a dirty floor.
They are washing hands before lunch but not after.
Its the fact that tables are available that irks me slightly!

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intitgrand · 13/09/2013 17:37

YANBU It is unhygienic and demeaning.Not the same thing as a picnic at all.

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lecce · 13/09/2013 17:41

It's not simply giving the tables a quick wipe, though, is it? They could get seriously messy/sticky and that is going to take a good 10 minutes or so to sort out. When do you want that done? During lunchtime (teachers are not paid at lunchtime) or when children are ready to come back in and start learning again?

Moreover, Primary school tables seem to have a lot of trays etc on them with equipment in- these would probably need to be moved, found a lunchtime home and then brought back out. I can see it all being a complete pita, and I can see why they're not doing it.

I can't imagine any harm coming to anyone from sitting on the floor. Lots of the pupils in my school (secondary) choose to sit on the floor, despite the availability of tables. It is annoying but doesn't seem to compromise their health.

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Honeybadgerdontgiveashit · 13/09/2013 17:43

Demeaning is what I thought! And its hardly an exciting treat for them every day.
Table manners are important in my family, DS has always come to restsurants with us, I think it's a very strange choice.

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somersethouse · 13/09/2013 17:45

It's disgusting and unacceptable. YANBU

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KirjavaTheCat · 13/09/2013 17:45

I'd feel a bit better about it if they actually made it like a picnic, set a big blanket out for the kids to eat on.

For one day it wouldn't bother me, for four months? Nah.

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Honeybadgerdontgiveashit · 13/09/2013 17:46

Its not the pupils fault the builders have failed to deliver, they are being monitored by TA's and other lunch staff, who could easily wipe tables down. It would take 5 minutes maximum.

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KirjavaTheCat · 13/09/2013 17:48

Or get some cheap plastic table cloths and chuck 'em over the desks, if spillages are that troublesome.

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DumSpiroSpero · 13/09/2013 17:48

I think it's pretty unreasonable that they are expecting this to continue until Christmas. A couple of weeks I could understand but 4 months is ridiculous.

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curlew · 13/09/2013 17:49

If they are sitting on the carpet like they do when it's circle
time, I really can't see the problem.

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Bowlersarm · 13/09/2013 17:50

What curlew said. I can't see a problem either.

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Ifcatshadthumbs · 13/09/2013 17:52

It wouldn't bother me particularly but also I don't see why they can't sit at table either. At ds's school all children having packed lunch eat at their desk in the classroom.

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ExcuseTypos · 13/09/2013 17:53

In the school I work in, all pack luch children have their lunch in a classroom as the hall is too small.

All the tables are cleaned before and the dc sit at a table.

I wouldn't like my dc to eat their luch off the floor everyday. I wonder if the staff would?

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MoominMammasHandbag · 13/09/2013 17:53

Surely wiping down the classroom tables would only take the lunch assistants the same time that wiping down the lunch hall tables would, if they had them

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cardibach · 13/09/2013 17:53

Can I ask why some of you think it is demeaning? Not fancying it I can understand (though it wouldn't bother me) but I can't understand why you think it is demeaning Confused

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NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 13/09/2013 17:53

Floors are bloody filthy! I wouldn't eat my lunch on a floor where everyone walks about in outdoor shoes ffs! I would politely request that they let the DC eat at the tables!

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ExcuseTypos · 13/09/2013 17:53

Lunch.

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cardibach · 13/09/2013 17:54

It isn't off the floor, though ExcuseTypos but on it. Can you see the difference?

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NeoMaxiZoomDweebie · 13/09/2013 17:54

cardi I suppose they think it's demeaning because there are tables available but the children aren't deemed suitable to eat at them!

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Tee2072 · 13/09/2013 17:55

I wouldn't be happy about this, not for 4 months.

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somersethouse · 13/09/2013 17:55

Because to eat off the floor is not normal. That is why it is demeaning.
Do you eat off the floor?
FFS

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