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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Is my occupation relevant to Ds education?

102 replies

chocolateandcoffee · 13/03/2012 10:15

I got my Ds enrolment forms for primary school yesterday.

One for the questions was Mothers and Fathers occupations

Tbh I don't see the relevance of this question and I think it pangs strongly of my school days when doctors and solicitors children were treated as superior beings.

Don't get me wrong, I am very proud of what I do as is Dh. We have both worked hard to get were we are.

Aibu to Leave this space blank on the form, I am not going to voice my concerns to the school as I believe in picking my battles. Dh says to put down our occupations, I think it's none of there business and has no relevance to my Ds care or education. So who is right?

OP posts:

fedupofnamechanging · 13/03/2012 18:30

Don't leave it blank - put N/A, because your job has no relevance to the information necessary for your child's school to hold.

catsareevil · 13/03/2012 18:40

If you dont want to tell the school what you do then leave the form blank, but unless you work for MI5, what is the problem?

FlossieTeacakeShouldFakeIt · 13/03/2012 18:41

Radical idea, but why don't you give them a call and ask them why they want to know?

8175looselipssinkships · 13/03/2012 19:28

8175looselipssinkships · 13/03/2012 19:30

Well for example my husband is a policeman and we live somewhere where this is not a very popular occupation especially among a lot of the parents at the school we send our eldest to, so we keep his occupation a secret.

To be honest when forms ask this kind of question it pisses me off to a huge degree, but thats because of my personal circumstance.

Flisspaps · 13/03/2012 19:40

What angelpantser said

catsareevil · 13/03/2012 20:06

looselips - do you not feel that it could it be important that the school know that there could be an issue? In case someone did find out?

FilterCoffee · 13/03/2012 20:50

It's irrelevant and I would put "not relevant" on the form. If they're going to be nosy enough to ask, they should at least state the reasons why they're asking, and make it clear that it's only an optional question.

I don't like sneaky and roundabout ways of gaining information - they ought to be straightforward and clear.

If they want to offer free school meals then just include in a school letter "for those receiving benefits please do XYZ to check eligibility for free meals". If they want those with interesting jobs to volunteer they should, again, write in the school newsletter "if you'd like to help please phone Mrs. Teacher". And if they're doing research on you it's only polite for them to inform you of this.

8175looselipssinkships · 13/03/2012 22:21

8175looselipssinkships · 13/03/2012 22:24

catsareevel No, I don't. I know people who have been landed in the shit because they told one person at work. Its good gossip here and if one person tells one person etc etc.

I mean I've namechanged to post my view on it

ConferencePear · 13/03/2012 22:32

The last time I was asked to write my occupation on a form when I thought it was none of their business, I wrote "Fan Dancer". It was never questioned.

troisgarcons · 13/03/2012 22:38

Department of Education has a relatively open site if you have a mind to go mooching round schools and statistics.

Whether it was glitch or published knowingly, at one point it back tracked current pupils parents university qualifications. It was only live for one night disappeared next day. I did query it at work, simply because I have never - on any school form - been asked to put my educational history.

It did however show me, for that fleeting evening, just how much data is cross referenced.

ComposHat · 13/03/2012 23:37

Think of the fun you could have - why not put 'fluffer' 'industrial roofer' or 'pretender to the throne of Albania' ?

ariadne1 · 14/03/2012 17:10

CompsHat- Yay! Pretender to the throne of Albania it is!

ComposHat · 14/03/2012 22:12

Do it! Do it!

omydarlin · 14/03/2012 22:27

We have to ask all sorts of stupid things now at Unis parental education is one of them!

ToothbrushThief · 14/03/2012 22:31

I agree with the poster who raised the data protection act. Before obtaining any information they should make clear the purpose and how it will be used. They should not be storing information which is unecessary.

iceandsliceplease · 14/03/2012 22:33

DD's pre school asked this on her enrolment form. As they didn't ask anything about DD, her likes, her dislikes, what she could do etc, I thought they had a fucking nerve asking about me, so I asked on here what people thought I should put . I was strongly tempted to write 'Queen of the Fucking Universe, actually', but chickened out and left that page blank. They are yet to collar me on it.

amothersplaceisinthewrong · 14/03/2012 22:33

Fill in Male Escort and Lap Dancer and see what happens

Why is it of any relevance - unless they are socially selecting...... in which case put in High Court Judge and Ofsted Inspector.

minouminou · 14/03/2012 22:43

Ha - as our insurance policy against our over-subscribed and dodgy catchment situation (moved after DS got his place, would like DD to go to same school as DS, which is in our former neck of woods, school in new catchment area has tiny intake) we're applying for a place at a private school just in case (will actually cost less than current nursery fees) we have to go on the waiting list for preferred school.

Get this - they don't ask for your occupation....they ask for employer's name and contact details.

They also want to meet DD. Which will be a hoot, with her nits, delightful habit of mooning and a voice (oh god...that voice) that will strip paint.

If it's a state school, tell them to shit off. Unfortunately, we've caved in and are all bent over and praying for lube.......

ComposHat · 14/03/2012 22:45

Fill in Male Escort and Lap Dancer and see what happens

Which reminds me of my favourite jokes.

A teachers asks her class what their parents do for a living.

The class take turns to tell her: 'My mum is a Doctor and she makes people better' 'My dad's a bin man and he collects the rubbish' etc. etc. until she gets to little Johnny:

'My dad's an erotic dancer in a gay bar, he dances on a podium in a leather thong and a biker cap and sometimes towards the end of them month, he goes into the toilet and sucks the men's willies for extra money.'

The teacher is stunned and sends the class out to the playground, all except for little Johnny.

'Johnny, I am bit worried about what you told me about your dad's job, is what you told me true.'

'No miss I made it all up' replied Johnny.

'But for goodness sake' said the teacher, 'why would you make something like that up?'

After a sheepish silence, Johnny finally admitted:

'Well Miss, I was too embarrassed to tell the class he was the manager of Leeds United.'

NowThenWreck · 14/03/2012 23:09

How very dare you Compos.

Pusheed · 14/03/2012 23:27

Jeeze. Is this thread still doing the rounds. I don't give a feck if the school want to know my occupation but obviously there some whose inferiority complex is such that they think the school wants to know so that they can officially look down on you.

Fill it in/don't fill it in/make it up. Simple.

I've seem many threads about nothing but this has to be the mother of such threads .

ComposHat · 14/03/2012 23:30

Sorry Nowthen have I offended you because your husband is an erotic dancer in a gaybar or because you support Leeds?

WetAugust · 14/03/2012 23:45

I just refuse to give information that I don't consider relevant.

I even refuse to tick those stupid 'what is your ethnic origin?' boxes that they ask me every time I need hospital treatment.

I've been with the same employer for 36 years and have refused to supply information in response to their requests for my ethnic origin or sexual preference.

None of their fucking business!

I only complete Marital Status as the need that for pension purposes.

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