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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think closing schools for polling in this day and age is unacceptable

122 replies

sharonthewaspandthewineywall · 22/05/2014 18:26

There are loads of polling stations by me, yet they close the school. Again. However if I wanted to take my kids to the seaside for the day i'd be lectured about their education being more important. Also people can do an online vote.

OP posts:
Joules68 · 22/05/2014 18:27

I agree!

We have local halls/scout huts/cadet hut/library ... But no. They close an entire school

BogeyNights · 22/05/2014 18:28

I agree too. And... why don't they hold elections during the school holiday? Or is there a really obvious reason for not doing that either?

WooWooOwl · 22/05/2014 18:29

The point about you wanting to take them to the seaside is irrelevant, children don't miss out on anything when no one else is at school either, but they do if the majority are in school and their parents choose a school day for their day at the beach.

YANBU about schools being closed though, there should be no need for it. There is a school closed near me, and about 200 meters away there is an empty hall that could have been used.

Custardo · 22/05/2014 18:29

online vote?

i do a postal vote - just in cast i want to go on holiday at the last minute or something.

i agree re: schools

but then i think schools are closed more than they are open at the best of times

Original poster
sharonthewaspandthewineywall · 22/05/2014 18:30

It it online or postal? Excuse me im a bit stupid!!

OP posts:
PennySillin · 22/05/2014 18:30

I agree, so many other venues close by, village hall, church hall but they shut a whole school. (we can't do online voting here.)

MrsWombat · 22/05/2014 18:31

I thought most schools used it as one of their teacher training days, that they' dhabi to do anyway. I know the ones near us do.

Joules68 · 22/05/2014 18:31

I don't think the whole election thing should be made to work around schools and kids bogey

ReallyTired · 22/05/2014 18:31

I think its fair enough to close a school for an election day, but the children should be given an extra day of education so that they get their quota of 190 days of education.

I agree that schools should only be used as polling stations as a last restort. Or the teachers could be given an inset day on the same day as polling day.

"I agree too. And... why don't they hold elections during the school holiday? Or is there a really obvious reason for not doing that either?"

erm.. half the voters would be on holiday.

AndiPandi · 22/05/2014 18:32

Totally agree. Was saying the very same thing earlier today. There are plenty of 'community' buildings locally, including town hall, libraries etc so I really don't understand the need to shut the school.

katese11 · 22/05/2014 18:32

YANBU!! Thursday is a precious toddler free work day so it was a bit annoying to have to drag my 5yo round with me all day while paying someone else to look after the toddler! especially as I lost my other work day (Tuesday) this week to his sports day. And half term next week! !

BogeyNights · 22/05/2014 18:33

Fair enough Joules, you're probably right. Although they def should re think the idea of shutting schools though as the OP said.

BogeyNights · 22/05/2014 18:34

Erm... we don't go on holiday every time the kids are off school.

17leftfeet · 22/05/2014 18:35

They use our school as a polling station and its still open

They use the hall and use the fire exit as the entrance

SockPinchingMonster · 22/05/2014 18:35

Our school has managed to arrange it that they stay open even though they are a polling station. They managed to use one of the classrooms on the edge of the building and put a bit of a barrier around the entrance to stop adults wandering

SockPinchingMonster · 22/05/2014 18:36

Oops posted too soon, should say to stop adults wandering onto the playground. Seems to have worked well - kids still at school, minimal disruption.

BerniesBurneze · 22/05/2014 18:37

Yabu, schools obviously work well, are in lots of areas etc. The more people they can get to a polling station the better. There aren't many businesses wanting to shut down for a day. Do they not coincide it with an inset day?

ikeaismylocal · 22/05/2014 18:37

I'm in a different country and voting day is this Sunday, surely weekend voting makes more sense, people have much more time at the weekends and the schools are shut anyway!

Moln · 22/05/2014 18:38

Our school used to be used, then they used the community centre (because there was a Saturday vote) and obviously someone who organises it all realised it was a sensible option so no more school closing on polling day.

AnnaLegovah · 22/05/2014 18:39

There are few places which have the right amount of space for voting, which is why school halls etc are perfect. Schools dont have be polling stations, they can refuse and I believe they get paid too.

Theres no such thing as online voting in the UK. Too high a risk of hacking. They have enough problems with postal voting in some areas.

DH organises elections which is how I know.

And a school closing for a day for an essential element of any modern democracy is hardly same as taking your kid out of school to go to the beach. Not really comparable. Hmm

pippitysqueakity · 22/05/2014 18:40

Polling day here AND inset. Score!

MrsMikeDelfino · 22/05/2014 18:41

Our school was a polling station today as well, but it was still open. They used a classroom on the edge of the building.

ScrambledEggAndToast · 22/05/2014 18:44

Where I voted, it was next door to a community centre. Why they used the school and not the community centre is beyond me.

OwlCapone · 22/05/2014 18:46

What has "this day and age" got to do with it?

CaptWingoBings · 22/05/2014 18:48

anna they can't refuse! They are buildings owned by the council so have no choice. Faith schools can refuse though.