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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think school is unreasonable? Torch related....

50 replies

DameHermione · 14/05/2012 19:30

olympic torch is passing through.

School have 'selected' a few pupils to go and watch/wave flags etc. The rest of the 1000 odd pupils aren't allowed to go.

AIBU to agree with dd that its not fair?

Its walking distance from school (secondary). So wouldn't need to bus or herd then
I'm considering a phonecall.

OP posts:

ColinFirthsGirth · 14/05/2012 20:01

My childrens entire school are going to see the torch coming through our town.

FrancesHouseman · 14/05/2012 20:02

Our whole school rocked out of lessons to line the nearby streets to watch the funeral procession of S'Matt Busby. We were even allowed to take our blazers off as a sign of respect (WTF?)

So I say YES to letting the whole school watch the torchings.

CaptainHetty · 14/05/2012 20:02

My boys' school couldn't take everyone, so they've sent out forms and have agreed to authorise absence on that day if we want to take them ourselves. I think it's a bit unreasonable to expect them to take an entire school - but can see why the kids find it unfair.

Original poster

DameHermione · 14/05/2012 20:19

I know its unreasonable to herd 1500 teenagers to watch someone jog with a flame.

I also know its unreasonsble to let them free to wander off and expect them all to get back to school afterwards.

Just serms a shame to miss it.

OP posts:

mynewpassion · 14/05/2012 20:22

I hoped you explained that to your daughter. Yes, its a shame but the school is putting the students' safety first so they are not being unreasonable in their actions

ASByatt · 14/05/2012 20:23

DameH so in that case, what is your solution then, and what is that you are considering saying in a phonecall to school????

ASByatt · 14/05/2012 20:24

'what is it', sorry

BreakOutTheKaraoke · 14/05/2012 20:27

Comes by near here at 4.15 pm. The school has sent a letter home today offering to keep all pu[ils after school, take them to see it (5 minute walk away) and parents pick them up at 4.45.

Triggles · 14/05/2012 20:27

Our primary school is closing early for this so that any can go that would like to (obviously with their parents, not on their own )

misslinnet · 14/05/2012 20:29

It's a shame for your DD that she wasn't selected to go, but it's unreasonable to expect the school to take all 1000 odd pupils along.

LeeCoakley · 14/05/2012 20:36

Ours is passing through the town to the south of us on a Saturday morning, diverting miles around our town and then passing through the town to the north on the Saturday afternoon. We are going to try and see it at least once. I haven't even thought about towns that would see it on a weekday. What a shame to miss it. I definitely think it should be a day when, with permission from parents, children could take the morning or afternoon off. Not schools' responsibility to take them though, that would be a logistics disaster.

Original poster

DameHermione · 14/05/2012 20:37

The solution is easy.

DD1 can't go. She has an exam.

DD2 doesn't do school on wednesdays mostly so could stick her head out of the front door and watch it anyway. Not thay i confone her not going on wednesdays but she won't.

But i am feeling tired and argumentative.

OP posts:

Alambil · 14/05/2012 20:40

comes through our town on a Sunday, but I'd keep DS off school for the afternoon if he wasn't "allowed" to go as a field trip

NovackNGood · 14/05/2012 20:45

I'm surprised some schools are actually letting anyone go as there will not be gold medals for all the games you know. :)

Surely they should be supporting a once in a lifetime event although perhaps the practicality of ensuring the kids all returned again after for the rest of the day is their main concern.

mynewpassion · 14/05/2012 20:48

Your DD2 doesn't go to schools on Wednesdays? How old is she?

If she is primary school age, I am more [shocked] about that than the school taking 1000+ students to the torch route.

mynewpassion · 14/05/2012 20:48

[shocked] should have been

Original poster

DameHermione · 14/05/2012 21:03

DD and school saga is very long and tedious.

But the principle of them missing such a kind of great and important event gets my hackles up.

OP posts:

flyingspaghettimonster · 14/05/2012 23:30

1000 kids all blowing at the same time... One runnerd carrying a smoking stick, drenched in spit... A once in a lifetime experience indeed.

BackforGood · 14/05/2012 23:41

I think it's difficult to judge without knowing the logistics of it really. What time of day it is passing makes a difference (letting them arrive late or leave early is logitically easier than letting them out then getting them back in). Also how far they have to go - if it were passing the school gates, again it would be easy for staff to man the gates and everyone to pile out into the playground. If it were 2 or 3 streets away, again, it would depend on things like traffic. Also, if we're honest, on the reliability of the children - how many are likely to want to escape for the day and how efficient the school's registration system is for marking them all back in again.

missingmumxox · 15/05/2012 01:04

I was at my work olympic planning this week, it isn't just the flame flashing by, the event sponsers, are ahead of the flame by about 10 mins, give out freebees providing entertainment, maybe a local marching band and/or jugglers, it is a short event in itself, the torch is followed by police, fire, ambulance etc.
it come through my town on the last day of term, at 2 1/2 hours after school finishes, so I am taking a A/l day to take my children, it is a once in a life time moment.
next day it goes by my work, and I will be letting any staff who wish to, get out to see it.
I am utterly fed up with people being negative about the olympics, suck it up, we have it, we are doing it, we are paying for it, so you might as well enjoy it, think of it as the wedding you couldn't afford but you did it anyway,

rant over, I can't wait, I don't have tickets to anything, but I love the olympics, so I will enjoy the moment and the best bit is...if it does go tits up we are British and we will make the best of it and enjoy it all the more.

Original poster

DameHermione · 15/05/2012 16:33

Ha! I wasn't the only one to chunter.

Yrs 7 8 9 and 10 can go. I must say i have no idea how they will organise it but Hurrah!

OP posts:

bigTillyMint · 15/05/2012 16:39

Well done

5Foot5 · 15/05/2012 16:49

YANBU

The torch is passing DDs school and they are all being allowed out to cheer it past. There are well over 1000 pupils at her school and they don't seem to have an issue with it.

If it is a secondary then it it not like they are little kids who will need shepherding along two by two in a crocodile

5Foot5 · 15/05/2012 16:51

Oh and I forgot to say - after they have cheered past the torch they are apparently spending the rest of the day doing Olympic-themed activities instead of normal lessons.

Though DD has a GCSE in the afternoon so she may have to miss osme of that.

elinorbellowed · 15/05/2012 17:57

It's passing through the town I live in and then the town that DS goes to school in and I work in on the same day. All of the school I work in are going (600 pupils) and all of DS's school are going. I have had to pay for a special t-shirt for him so that "the streets are lined with gold" (grotesque IMO) As the road between them will be closed I have no idea how I am going to do the school run.
Trying not to be grumpy for DS sake, it is a once in a lifetime thang....

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