AIBU to think that a headteacher shouldn't go on holiday during term time

[iwenttohollywoodtoo]

I found out today that the headteacher at DD's school is on holiday abroad and won't be in school until tomorrow.

Technically she has only missed two days so AIBU to think this is out of order, especially given that the school has a policy of not authorising holidays for pupils.

Like many other parents would do, I booked a flight a day earlier when we went away at Xmas (at significant extra £), to make sure DD didn't miss school .

I am to be honest. AIBU?

'Surely if parents are supposed to abide by the rules and not take their children out of school, then teachers should abide by the same rules.'

Why? Parents have a legal compulsion to educate their children according to the law. If they have such a problem with doing this due to wanting to take holidays, they have the option of home schooling their children.

School employees are just that employees, they have various legal rights as council employees that pupils do not because they are adults, not minors and in work and not compulsory education.

The teachers are employees. Their relationship with the school is not the same as the children. That's why they don't wear uniform or have their unhealthy lunches policed.

HollyBeeryBush I sure hope you're not a teacher and if you are, that none of my children are taught by you. Both my parents were teachers and they were a lot more dedicated than that!! And no, they wouldn't have taken a holiday during school time. How many weeks do teachers get?

Dont worry OP, there is an unwritten rule on MN:

'thou shalt not criticise teachers/HTs/DHTs especially if thou ist but a lowly parent'

Penalty for breaching this rule is to be shown thine arse.

My arse and I are on good acquaintanceship (I name change regularly)

Yes, they have a legal right to educate their child - and that can quite easily be done at home, or through learning about another culture. Schools choose not to take that into account though when they refuse leave requests. They can't have it all ways.

BTW - I have 3 friends who are teachers, and none are allowed to take holidays in the term time.

Um, because, Sir, the school has to legally offer education a certain number of days. If they allow kids out for term-time holidays willy-nilly, they can get in major trouble with governing bodies.

Don't like your school's policy on term-time holidays? Find a different school and/or home educate.

Pupils are there under legal compulsion. Staff are adults there on employment contracts which grant them various rights as employees.

'Surely if parents are supposed to abide by the rules and not take their children out of school, then teachers should abide by the same rules'

Did the head take her children out of school? The OP failed to mention that.
or are we back to the crap about children aren't allowed a mars bar in their lunchbox, so teachers shouldn't have one either?

I'm certain they would under various cirstumstances, Sir, as they have contracts, which they may or may not chose to make public.

I do think the Head Teacher should lead by example. If pupils are not permitted to take term time vacations, the HT should evidence their commitment to upholding the ethos of the organisation they lead. It is about vision and leadership and I think a good HT should display these qualities. However, as in most professions, good leaders are the minority.

As others have said, unless you have spoken to the head herself or a member of senior management or governors you simply cannot know for sure why she is not there.
In large schools this kind of info will not be passed on.
It is rare for any teacher, especially a head to be absent during term time.
I would expect there to be a very good reason for it.
Unless she has a reputation as being a bit crap/flakey then I would cut her some slack.

Do we know the source of the gossip yet?

Thanks worrysigh, I am feeling slightly ganged up on. My own fault for posting on AIBU. I am genuinely not one of 'those' parents and don't regularly indulge in playground gossip. I think my DD's teachers are wonderful and hard working and I feel outraged on their behalf that they are working so hard whilst their head is off on a jolly.

If it was a jolly.
Some of us have thought of other possibilities that the OP might consider.

Um yes Expat - I know, but as I said, it's perfectly possible to learn outwith a school. Fortunately the employment contracts at our local schools state that teachers should take their holidays in - would you believe it - the holidays.

And if your head teacher dies in the next three months, will you feel a little bit upset about having judged her without all the facts?

Who told you the Head is on a jolly?

There will be other circumstances, too, by which they could take leave, but again, we don't know the full story.

It's not a matter of upholding the ethos, it's government pressure to keep down absences. The same structures do not apply to private schools.

When dc's head was away for a term due to serious illness I heard the following, all of which had been told to the person telling "on good authority":

1. The head was marched out in handcuffs on inset day
2. He had absconded with £1000s of the school money
3. He'd appointed his wife as a teacher despite her being unqualified
4. Although he was officially off ill, he was actually working as an Ofsted inspector and had been seen at another local school
5. He'd applied for the headship of another local school (actually that one's still going round over 2 years later, same school too )
6. He'd assaulted a child
7. He'd assaulted a member of staff
8. He had been hiring the hall out taking all money for himself

Some of the people who told me these, I'd credited with more common sense, before they told me, than they obviously actually had.

Strictures.

I hope it doesn't turn out that the "jolly" involves a family funeral.,.

My HT teaches - and does cover.

So that puts that myth to bed.

And no, come September, I cant remember the names of 180 strong cohort once they've wafted out of the gates. One or two with personalities, but no more than I can remember the names of every child I went through school with.