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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

possible teachers strike and zero tolerance on holidays

99 replies

plum100 · 01/10/2013 12:48

Hi Everyone,

I don't usually post on this board but this issue is starting to irk me quite a bit.

We have just been told the school will not authorise any term time holidays now and that we will be fined if we take our children out.

Now we have a letter warning us of a possible strike maybe on two occasions and its really annoyed me.

AIBU to be annoyed of the attitude that its not OK for me to take my child out of school and provide them with a restful learning experience ,but it's ok for them to close the school when they decide that they are being made to work till they are 68 and haven't had a pay rise for 2 years and they don't like it.

Its a bit 'one rule for one and another for others ' isn't it? If my childs education is so important that they have to fine me so I don't take them out - then how can they just shut!

Maybe I should fine them for forced unauthorised absence of my child! so bloody annoyed!!!!

OP posts:

Boosterseat · 01/10/2013 12:49

lifeissweet · 01/10/2013 12:50

The government want to fine you for taking children out if school.

The Government also want to make serious changes to teacher's pay and conditions without discussing anything with teachers themselves.

See the common denominator here? You are annoyed with the wrong people.

Tiptops · 01/10/2013 12:50

Yabu.

Teachers are striking to protect your child's future education, not for pay.

mimitwo · 01/10/2013 12:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 01/10/2013 12:51

Well the whole point of a strike is to be as disruptive as possible and you cannot compare it to unauthorised absenses.

Education is important and maybe they feel that ultimately without strike action then education for your child will be compromised.

YABU!

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 01/10/2013 12:51

Well the whole point of a strike is to be as disruptive as possible and you cannot compare it to unauthorised absenses.

Education is important and maybe they feel that ultimately without strike action then education for your child will be compromised.

YABU!

WeAreSix · 01/10/2013 12:52

Oh goody, another teacher bashing thread. I really should learn to not read them.

YABU.

lecce · 01/10/2013 12:52

This has been said so many times. It is not teachers who have decided to crack down on term-time holidays, it is Gove. He is also the person who has driven teachers out of school for the day. So you and teachers are mad at the same person, see?

As an aside, though, as I have said, it is irrelevant, your dc miss nothing due to a strike as the school is shut so no one is being taught. When you take them out in term-time, everything carries on without them and they may well fall behind. That said, I don't agree with the policy - at least, not for Primary aged children.

Retropear · 01/10/2013 12:54

But the amount of teachers on MN saying such an unfair rule is right and they can't go on holiday in term time is huge.

Yanbu

SirChenjin · 01/10/2013 12:55

God Plum, you're brave

FWIW I think that the whole policy of unathorised absences needs to be looked at.

dreamingofsun · 01/10/2013 12:56

what i don't understand is why schools are so anty term time holidays, yet let the kids spend the last week or so watching video's and other leisure type activities rather than learning.

as a minimum, parents should be allowed to take their kids away during the end of summer term chilling/no learning period - potentially they could learn more by going abroad than watching video's of old films they have seen loads of times at home already

DadOnIce · 01/10/2013 12:59

The fining for unauthorised absences thing is classic "whataboutery". It bears little or no relation to the question of strikes.

Davsmum · 01/10/2013 13:00

I agree SirChenjin

The whole thing does need to be looked at - I know a family where the Dad is in the forces and his leave can fall during term time. Why shoul dhis children be denied a holiday to spend time with him?

Agree with everyone else though - Its the Govt - not the teachers.

Original poster

plum100 · 01/10/2013 13:01

Six - I am not trying to bash teachers. Not at all.

I was just asking for a few opinions to get a bit of perspective on a topic that annoys me but one that I don't know the full story of. I am not trying to start an argument or bashing thread.

If they teachers need to strike - ok- im just miffed that I will be fined when I decide my child should miss a day of school - not them.

OP posts:

mimitwo · 01/10/2013 13:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

littlemisswise · 01/10/2013 13:03

I disagree with how DS2's sixth form are handling the strike today. The only year in is Yr12 and they are doing exams which have been brought forward because if the strikes. I do not understand why. They have been told to go to the library after and do independent study until 4:10pm if their teachers aren't in.

Well, I have told DS2 if his teachers aren't in to ring me and he can come home. There is not enough room in the library, there is a limited amount of laptops.

2 weeks ago I took DS2 out of school at 2:20pm and he missed football, so he could say goodbye to his dad who was leaving the country for 4 months. The school bleated and moaned and complained about how he should be at school at all times, the importance of lessons and put him down as having an unauthorised absence. Funny how it's changed for today!

lifeissweet · 01/10/2013 13:07

Well then, Plum, I think you've had your clarification. The Government is who you are annoyed at. They decided to fine people for taking children out of school. They have also given the teachers no choice but to take strike action - which no one wants to do or takes lightly - by refusing to discuss their education policies with us - the no term time absences policy, for instance.

Does that help? Please write to your MP. We want you to. That's partly what the strike is for. If you better understand what is going on with Education policy, you may get angry and kick up a fuss about it- then it's not just 'self-interested' teachers fighting the battles, but the electorate. That makes a difference.

Get annoyed, but direct it in the right direction!

mimitwo · 01/10/2013 13:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Retropear · 01/10/2013 13:08

But none of that is on the NUT list of reasons we're striking poster I saw.

littlemisswise · 01/10/2013 13:12

No he's not mimi, but he didn't miss anything when he said goodbye to his Forces father either but it still went down as unauthorised.

They have been back a month. The biology teacher told them yesterday they are already behind. She has already said she isn't teaching them enough to pass the exam, just the bare bones, they have to go away and do the rest themselves. It's a bit like my DH saying to a pilot I've fixed this plane so it takes off, but it won't stay in the air. Off you pop and research how to do it yourself ,

Dawndonnaagain · 01/10/2013 13:13

But Plum it's been explained, the teachers are striking but it isn't them that put the rule in about absence. Gove is taking the mick out of the education system, dismantling it and kicking it whilst it's down. That's what the strike is about.
this is what is happening to your children and grandchildren's future

backwardpossom · 01/10/2013 13:13

[i]If they teachers need to strike - ok- im just miffed that I will be fined when I decide my child should miss a day of school - not them.[/]

Well technically teachers on strike [i]are[/i] being fined, to the tune of 1/195th of their annual pay...

backwardpossom · 01/10/2013 13:13

FFS formatting fail, sorry.

lifeissweet · 01/10/2013 13:15

No. Because the Unions act to serve their members - we can't strike over education policy, but can about our own terms and conditions. The thing for me is that they are part and parcel of the same problem. Gove has utter and complete contempt for teachers. Just as he refuses to listen to educationalists and teachers when they disagree with his curriculum, or his madcap schemes, he also won't discuss his de-professionalisation of teaching.

Littlefish · 01/10/2013 13:15

Your original post shows a complete lack of understanding of the situation. I agree with lifeissweet.

Davsmum - As far as I know, families in the forces who have no choice about holiday dates due to being out on manoeuvres are exempt from the legislation on authorised holidays.

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