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AIBU?

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Original poster

Teachers I need solidarity before I leave the profession

339 replies

Soniastrumpet1984 · 24/01/2025 17:38

I love teaching. I have done it for 22 years.
I am sick of parents moaning. Today has put the tin hat on it.
Here's my situation (this is not exact but an approximation as close to similar as I can get it without putting actual details.)
Let's say I've been teaching French bakery recipes to my cooking club. A local French bakery has offered to host 5 students( in its tiny kitchen) on Saturday morning at 7.30am before they open so they can watch the pastry chef making the items. This is a total favour and just a nice thing they do not have to do. They did this as on my way to work, I was chatting whilst waiting to get my coffee. I as a teacher have agreed to give up my Saturday morning to take them. Every child in cookery club was offered the experience, by email with their parent copied in. It was NOT first come first served, they were clearly told if there's more than 5, we will draw out of a hat. There were more than 5 interested , so I wrote them all on pieces of paper and trotted next door to a different teacher, who came and drew 5 names out. Now I have Two parental complaints demanding to see photos of the slips and why didn't I video the draw and provide evidence. I know it's Friday and I'm tired but fuck I want to leave.

OP posts:
flumposie · 24/01/2025 18:03

Outrageous. I am a teacher too. I don't think I could bring myself to respond to this.

Original poster
Soniastrumpet1984 · 24/01/2025 18:02

EdTeach · 24/01/2025 18:00

I think leaving teaching was the best decision I ever made. That decision almost certainly saved my life.

What did you go on to do and how did you actually leave? Did you go at a term end ? How had you coordinated your other job start date?

OP posts:
EdTeach · 24/01/2025 18:00

I think leaving teaching was the best decision I ever made. That decision almost certainly saved my life.

Pomsy · 24/01/2025 17:57

I wasn’t a teacher, I was a TA. I have nothing but admiration for you and other teachers.
I don’t think people can fully appreciate the amount of effort teachers go to unless they have witnessed it.
I resigned because even as a TA I was under immense pressure. Particularly trying to support children with behavioural issues. I’ve been hit, kicked, bitten, spat at and was once hit so hard in the face my glasses broke. Some of those children had SEN but not all.The senior leadership team did nothing to support me, and parents just don’t care, many of them refusing to accept just how poor their child’s behaviour is.

Original poster
Soniastrumpet1984 · 24/01/2025 17:56

Butchyrestingface · 24/01/2025 17:43

My late mum was a teacher. One year, a local company donated Christmas turkeys to the entire school (small school, SEN). The following year, school office was besieged with messages from outraged parents demanding to know where their fucking turkey was.

This is awful

OP posts:
Soontobe60 · 24/01/2025 17:48

I feel your pain!
”Dear parent, thank you for your email. I have noted your concerns. Regards, Miss Sonia.”

Original poster
Soniastrumpet1984 · 24/01/2025 17:48

Hufflemuff · 24/01/2025 17:43

I feel for you! Out of interest whats been the turning point for you?

My mum friends and I were discussing it - 2 of them are teachers and we think a key turning point was the ability to email teachers becoming a thing. People are more comfortable being livid about something behind a screen I guess!

But also the flip side of this in secondary schools, where you get a notification on every behaviour point and missed bit of homework- so we are dragged into school dramas at home, that previously would have just been left between child and teacher.

Yep this turning point is right. No one used to care about totally normal things that teachers might tell you off about. We give demerits for the normal stuff , no pen 3 times in a row, etc etc all low stakes stuff. We will have parents emailing in how nothing is ever their child's fault. They should be given another chance (course the child hasn't told them that they have in fact been spoken to many times)

OP posts:
Theuniversalshere1 · 24/01/2025 17:46

Wineinthegarden · 24/01/2025 17:41

Parents should be banned from emailing teachers directly. They are just ridiculous with their demands nowadays.

I'm surprised they are allowed to. They weren't when I taught back in 2012 and still left as it was bad enough then!

AdoraBell · 24/01/2025 17:46

Ask them to send you the video proof of them writing their emails.

cheddercherry · 24/01/2025 17:44

Mentally my reply would be:

”dear parents, despite clear explanation of the procedure, it has come to our attention that some parents were dissatisfied with the process of selecting students for the extra curricular trip and as such we will no longer be running them and giving up our free time (unpaid) to do something lovely for your children to enhance their learning experience

merry Christmas and a fuck you too”

Hufflemuff · 24/01/2025 17:43

I feel for you! Out of interest whats been the turning point for you?

My mum friends and I were discussing it - 2 of them are teachers and we think a key turning point was the ability to email teachers becoming a thing. People are more comfortable being livid about something behind a screen I guess!

But also the flip side of this in secondary schools, where you get a notification on every behaviour point and missed bit of homework- so we are dragged into school dramas at home, that previously would have just been left between child and teacher.

Butchyrestingface · 24/01/2025 17:43

My late mum was a teacher. One year, a local company donated Christmas turkeys to the entire school (small school, SEN). The following year, school office was besieged with messages from outraged parents demanding to know where their fucking turkey was.

Wineinthegarden · 24/01/2025 17:41

Parents should be banned from emailing teachers directly. They are just ridiculous with their demands nowadays.

Parkerpenny · 24/01/2025 17:39

Entitled pillocks!

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