To be angry about school parents panel

[littlesos]

I have just been sent an email asking for parents to join a parents panel at my daughters primary school. The email says that a random 12 parents representing a cross-section of the school will be selected to meet with the head. All fine and good, however the meetings will take place at 2.15pm.
AIBU to be really annoyed about the fact that once again working parents are excluded.
This comes on the back of the fact I can't get to either of my daughters parents evenings as the latest time they do is 5.15 and although I sent back the forms the next day it was already booked up and I had to miss both daughters curriculum/new year group meetings as they were held at 1.00 on Mondays for DD1 and 1.00 on Thursday for DD2.

I also missed the "thank you" afternoon tea for all volunteers (I'm on the PTA) as that was also in school hours, it seems like if you work your contribution is not as valuable.

erm... the type that works at 2:15 on a weekday afternoon...

so any decisions about hometime protocalls, afterschool club, parents evenings, trips etc. will be influenced by the fact that the 'representative' panel is made up only of those parents who do not work on weekday afternoons so their opinion on the above issue will be skewed.

So just because they either don't work or only work part time they clearly can't make appropriate decisions. If your that fussed there is this thing called annual leave, most people get 20+ days a year, I suggest you use it.

I don't follow. You said that "yet it meets at a time that means only one type of parent can attend, so it's pointless really isn't it. "

So those at work at 2.15 CAN'T attend, can they?

My point is that there are a lot of non-daytime working parents who can't attend, and there are a lot of daytime working parents that could attend by taking time off. You are not following your own point, even less mine.

Not really maybenow - you are forgetting that there are a lot of working parents who do have control over their own diaries, there are parents who work PT, there are parents who work flexi time, there are parents who live with other parents who may pass on their views, there are parents who work shift systems.
When I finished in my job where I had little flexibility, I'm actually amazed how much flexibility many, many WOTH parents do have.

Have you relayed your feelings back to the school? Or is this something the parent panel could approach? I'm a teacher in primary and we try to make sure we offer late appointments for parents evenings, and that workshops start at 6pm. It does mean that some days I work 12 hour days. If there are events in the school day we try to allow plenty of notice.

You clearly don't believe me at all but I set up advisory panels for my job all the time and i can promise you that if you only have ONE way to engage and it's at ONE time of week/day then you will absolutely skew the outcomes.

Yes, it's easy to say that those who are there can imagine they are those in different circumstances but on a panel that's not how it works in practice, people cannot help but think of their own circumstances and family when asked whether x or y is a good idea or practical.

And OP, regarding you thinking that asking us to work late 4 nights a year so that you can attend workshops and parents evenings, can I also draw your attention to discos, carol services, performances, summer fairs, christmas fairs, residential trips and extra-curricular clubs?

Of course you will skew the outcomes. Thats not what anyone is saying. You don't appear to be reading the actual comments made.

You seem to think this panel can only be made up of one sort of person. So, please tell us what type you mean.

eh? Why wouldn't I believe you ?
No-one's saying it's perfect, but it's not a piece of scientific research that has to have all the right controls in place that can go ahead, it's a school doing it's best to guage some opinions from the parents that are both willing, interested, and able to put forward some opinions.
I attend them at 2 of my 3 dcs schools, and am able to say what it was like when I was in a job where I couldn't be flexible, I can also remember what it was like when you had a LO at home, I can also pass on opinions from other parents I chat to, when I see them at things like cub and Scout pick up / drop offs, swimming lessons etc., and I can say what my dh feels.
It's not perfeect by any means, but it's a darn site better than the 3rd school where they care not for Parents' Opinions.
I'm hugely appreciative of the time my dcs teachers (particularly the HT) put in to running the school. I certainly wouldn't want them to regularly be there for even more evening things.

It's amazing how people go off like distress rockets with very little information.
We have a PTA and two parent panels with different agendas. The PTA has a range of meetings of different sorts at different times, and they discuss who can do when before setting the times.
The parent panels are run by parents, with one of the SLT sitting in, depending on what is being discussed. They mostly happen in the afternoons. Ordinary teachers aren't involved, so no need to fuss about how many late evenings are going to happen.
Parents' evenings used to be until 6pm, but some parents who worked in London couldn't get back in time, so we run one til six and the next week we have one that runs from 3-5 and then 7-9pm. Or we meet individual parents on a different day.
I have never worked with a teacher who begrudged a couple of evenings or more a term, I doubt I ever will.

Can you not ask what the discussion topics will be, and ask if you can send in written comments, contribute that way?

I couldn't join in Parent's Forum because I was a SAHM with baby-tot & had no childcare for him. It might have been easier if I were (still) working parent because I'd have had regular childcare lined up for him, easier to get him in somewhere.

At our school you could be offered chance of parents' eve at another time that suited you, but probably in work day hours. Phone conversations should be possible, too. Are those not options?

I think when parents have to accept taking time off work for many school things, maybe tied in with another event you'd like time off for (like school play or sports day).