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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:
indigo18 · 22/05/2014 18:48

Entire school closed here, for the sake of two ladies, a couple of tables and a booth. Ridiculous. And as for needing 'space', there is rarely another person voting at the same time. When I voted today, I was the only one they had in two hours. A hall could be used instead, or a church, library etc.

indigo18 · 22/05/2014 18:50

It's not a case of them refusing, just that it is not necessary for them to be used in the first place.

AnnaLegovah · 22/05/2014 18:50

Ah thats right capt - depends on the school status. I also thought academies can refuse since they're not affiliated to councils.

doradoo · 22/05/2014 18:54

Most of the rest of Europe votes on a Sunday - which solves the problem!

Perhaps the UK should look to change the day - certainly for the Euro elections there is no NEED for them to be on a Thursday. We won't be voting in Germany until this Sunday - still in a school building though!

CrohnicallyHungry · 22/05/2014 19:06

We were closed, due to safeguarding- the site could not be made secure and still allow voters to go in and out. However, we used it as an INSET day and held staff training in part of the school that wasn't being used as a polling station- so rest assured the children will still get their 190 days of education.

BackforGood · 22/05/2014 19:06

YANBU - as others have said, most areas have community buildings - church halls, village halls, libraries, Scout huts, community centres, empty room in a pub, all of which could be brought into use with much less disruption to everyone. Even an empty shop or a portacabin in a town centre would seem more sensible. Does seem ridiculous to close whole schools.

Sixgeese · 22/05/2014 19:08

My DC's school was a polling station, this year instead of shutting the school all the classes went out on school trips. Different year groups to different locations. It seemed to work well but we had to use a different entrance to normal so the children and the voters didn't mix.

dawndonnaagain · 22/05/2014 19:14

My cousin was complaining about this. Are you my cousin op?

turdfairynomore · 22/05/2014 19:19

I have no idea why schools are used but as a primary school teacher I'm very grateful for the day to write my reports! Each one is started on a blank proforma. No cutting and pasting in literacy/numeracy/ict/pdmu/general comment is allowed. Font size no larger than 10. Two sides of A4. Each one takes about an hour. So for a class of 30 that's a LOT of time. I enjoy doing it. I love my kids and know them inside out but it's lovely to have the time to get a good few done all at once! (Queens jubilee was handy timing too!! Got an extra day for that too!)

TheRealAmandaClarke · 22/05/2014 19:22

DSs school closed for polling today and inset day tomorrow.
It's a pita.

ICanSeeTheSun · 22/05/2014 19:26

Don't the school use it as a teacher training, so the children are not missing school for elections.

Carltondance · 22/05/2014 19:28

As has already been said, school halls are often the best size for polling stations plus are in the centre of residential areas. Afaik school employees are not allowed to come into contact with voters in case they unduly influence them, therefore lots of schools can't use the day as an inset if there is no way of sealing the polling station off from the rest of the building (when I've worked at schools which are polling stations all staff were banned from entering the premises on that day).

Also the reason why elections are on a Thursday is historic as it was the day before pay day on a Friday so people were more likely to sober and go and vote. Why they don't change it to a weekend nowadays I don't know!

nahidontthinkso · 22/05/2014 19:30

I'm sick of it. They go back tomorrow for one day then they are off all next week. Why not move elections to half term?

DS used to go to a school where they stayed open because the council were actually sensible and set up polling stations in portakabins that they strategically placed around the borough.

ProtegeMoi · 22/05/2014 19:33

I can't understand why schools would be closed? The polling station was at the primary school here but it remained open as normal all day. They used the head teachers office for the voting.

Tiredemma · 22/05/2014 19:35

DS2's school refused to close this year and demanded that the council hold the elections in the community centre which is opposite the school.

Original poster
sharonthewaspandthewineywall · 22/05/2014 19:35

Dawndonna I've not spoke to any of my cousins today! Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
sharonthewaspandthewineywall · 22/05/2014 19:35

Dawndonna I've not spoke to any of my cousins today! Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
sharonthewaspandthewineywall · 22/05/2014 19:36

Dawndonna I've not spoke to any of my cousins today! Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
sharonthewaspandthewineywall · 22/05/2014 19:37

Dawndonna I've not spoke to any of my cousins today! Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
sharonthewaspandthewineywall · 22/05/2014 19:37

Ffs sorry

OP posts:
littleducks · 22/05/2014 19:37

Our school uses it as teacher training which works for me. All other training days are tagged on to the beginning or end of holidays so is nice to have a stand alone day when not all kids are off. I like to take the kids to places thatare packedin theschool holidays. Although it seems a bit odd this year as Monday will be a bank holiday and then half term, since Easter there were lots of four day weeks.

dawndonnaagain · 22/05/2014 19:38
Grin
Mumzy · 22/05/2014 19:38

What gets me is we have 6 primary schools very close to each other and 5 of these are used as polling stations. Could they not just use 3 schools and rotate them next polling day. It now seems we have a polling day every year now and it's a pita

AnnaLegovah · 22/05/2014 19:39

There's a very simple reason why elections are held on school holidays - not every part of the country has the same holidays and elections have to be on the same day. Its not rocket science. Unfortunately some people just seem to want a reason to whinge. Hmm

Weekend elections might be a good idea (although if I asked DH there could be a perfectly good reason they aren't already) but any major change like that would have to go through parliament first.

PaulinesPen · 22/05/2014 19:39

Yanbu. I've often wondered why they dont use community centres, church halls or even the library instead.