to think teachers and schools do a fooking amazing job, and to be stunned and disgusted that they get such unnecessary arse-ache from ridiculous parents?

[bejeezus]

Im despairing of the amount of AIBU threads recently along the lines of- teachers shouldnt be telling my dc to go to bed early/ shouldnt be promoting 100% attendance blah blah blah

I understand there are other routes to adulthood besides main-stream education. But whilst you do use mainstream education you should understand what a difficult job it is for schools and teachers to educate groups of 30 children and maintain discipline, if those children are late/absent/tired and if the parents are constantly undermining the teachers/schools authority.

Schools have a whole diversity of families and children to accomodate including children with English as a 2nd/3rd language,social problems,SENs, disabilities and a whole range of abilities to cater for within each class. The last thing they need on top of this is spending valuable time and resources accomodating whiney-arsed parents who think the rules should not apply to them because they are in some way 'special'; ie. they are educated and rich and capable of home tutoring to facilitate an extended trip and absence from school. Ifthat isthe case, then do your home schooling and free up the schoolplace for a child that is not going to disrupt the class by extended absences/lateness and duvet days.

And, no, having your childrens lead an enriched and cultured lifestyle does not constitute a valid excuse for lateness and tiredness. Get your kids to bed on time so the teachers have the best chance of getting the best education to the most kids

There are very many countries and cultures where only1 child per family is educated (at best) because the family cannot afford more. This is almost always not a daughter

Its appalling. Education is a priviledge. What chance in hell do teachers have of getting kids to appreciate that, if the parents insisted on taken it for granted.

And finally, big-up to the teachers on here. You do a grand job, in the face of lunacy!

[Flisspaps]

YANBU.

[lesley33]

YANBU. Of course where teachers are really out of order parents need to challenge them and try and resolve the issue. But i do despair at how a small minority of parents on here make a massive massive deal out of pretty small incidents.

[Longtalljosie]

I take your general point but attendance prizes are still nuts. My poor little nephew had swine flu a couple of years back, was very poorly then to add insult to injury had to miss the school cinema outing because it was only for pupils with 100% attendance. He was very upset about it - and what could we say to him? How could he, or his parents, have done any more or behaved any differently?

[lesley33]

And just to say, I had parents who rushed up to theschool to complain at every small incident and perceived injustice. And although I was well behaved, this approach really didn't do me any favours at all.

[Mumsyblouse]

Bejeezus, I kind of know where you are coming from, in terms of discipline, I back our school and the teachers 100% even if privately I think 'hmm, not sure why they are doing that'. I also never have had reason to complain at the school about anything yet, although I do write lots of on the feedback forms:) (are they not for that then?)

But that's why I hate that school relationships which formerly ran in terms of mutual trust and respect get undermined by decisions made by government (e.g. attendance). Even the teachers know these are a pile of shite, and pit them against perfectly good parents whilst not tackling the really bad ones (and say this to me privately).

This is why I have not complained to the school about the vast volume of correspondence I have received about attendance. I realise it's not their fault and they are embarassed about it but have to do it.

But do I think this means we shouldn't complain about the system (by say writing to the EO), no, I don't agree with you there at all.

[Starwisher]

Exactly mummy

Dh went to see the head teacher about the letter who agreed we were doing the right thing by keeping a sick child at home

But her "hands were tied"

[valiumredhead]

some teachers and some schools are fantastic but some are fucking awful and shouldn't be allowed anywhere near little children and the longer ds is in education the more I wonder if some of the people he comes into contact with have any idea about kids at all

[valiumredhead]

Saying that though the the answer to most of the AIBU threads about schools and teachers is yes you are!

[Grockle]

Thank you OP

I am very grateful to DS's teachers for enriching his life in a way I couldn't do alone. He has learnt things he'd never have been exposed to if it weren't for them. They are dedicated and work hard and, even though I don't see eye to eye with DS's current teacher, I know he is good at his job.

[Portofino]

I don't get this rewarding for attendance thing at all. Mind you my experience is with Belgian school where you are allowed one day without a doctor's certificate. So unless you are sick, you are in school - though I think they make an exception if you have a family emergency - I have taken dd out for family funerals, though have missed weddings.... Holidays in term time are completely unnacceptable. You would lose your place.

[quirrelquarrel]

No, they don't do a fucking fantastic job. Not just because they're teachers and overstretched. Certain individuals may be great, who knows, but I've only ever been taught by good teachers, or rather Ofsted-competent teachers, or slightly sub par teachers. Never really bad or really good.
Obviously you haven't been in a school for the past ten years.
I won't tell you all the ways in which they are not fantastic because it'll seem petty. But let me say that this education is certainly not a privelege...in some ways it's pretty harmful.

[Heswall]

Teachers aren't the enemy, the system is.

As for Dentists and Paediatricians if you knew the mistakes some of them make your hair would turn white.

[bigbuttons]

All professionals are capable of doing a shit job. You shouldn't be applauded because you are a teacher or a doctor. YOu should be applauded because you are a good teacher of doctor.

[Bitofastate]

I've never understood why people don't just pay for a private education if they want a decent one. Much easier than starting threads on here moaning.

[ariadne1]

'I don't tell my dentist how to sort my child's teeth out.
I don't tell my paediatrician how to cure her illnesses.'

..and so why is the HT telling you how toparent your child

[WasabiTillyMinto]

... Teachers aren't perfect, ht aren't perfect (except dp), but at least they passed one interview and haven't been sacked yet. Parents on the otherhand aren't interviewed for the job and the quality is even more variable.

[Starwisher]

Ariadne

[MrsHeffley]

YABU

I speak as an ex teacher and a parent.

The vast majority of children are not late or tired.Personally I begrudge the complete lack of common sense,being told how to parent and having my kids school life effected by ridiculous rules on snacks,lunch boxes,holidays,bed times etc all because the minority can't parent properly.

How I parent has no impact on parents who let their kids truant,eat shite etc.I'm fed up with the lazy approach of cracking a nut with a sledgehammer-it doesn't work.

My taxes pay for my kids education,it's not a priviledge so I have every right to comment on it and have an interest in it.

Not all teachers are doing a grand job.Many are but I've worked with plenty who aren't.As a country we have a long way to go with raising standards of education.

[roundtable]

Education is harmful...is that a George Orwell novel?

[MrsHeffley]

Also slightly alarmed at the posters who thing all teachers are doing a great job simply because they're errrrr teachers.

You get good and bad in every profession,the blanket assumption that all teachers simply by turning up for work are doing a grand job is quite scary and probably half the reason standards are so low.

[scarletforya]

There is no 'd' in privilege.

[quirrelquarrel]

Hmm yes, quite harmful at times...when you're told to stop asking about grammar in language lessons "because we don't get on to it until GCSE" (and then...surprise, we didn't!), and when standards are so low that your kid can coast most of their way through primary/secondary school getting top marks and being told silly things about how clever they are, and when they try to making everything fun and exciting (ends up being superficial because we can leave no child behind)....etc etc.

[MrsHeffley]

There is when I've had and I'm relaxing.

[wigglesrock]

YANBU, I have been really lucky with dd1s primary school, she is now in P3 and I haven't had any issues with attendance/homework/illness / reading bands/ who is picked for lead parts in plays etc and her Headteacher said something to her yesterday that meant a great deal to her. It was such a small reassurance but I and her were really touched.

[MrsBeakman]

Yes I agree with you. The amount of people who claim they are going to go and complain to the head or write to the governors about some trifling thing that a teacher said to their little angel. Appreciate what teachers do and stop wasting their time!