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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

School closes for memorial

384 replies

memorial · 16/05/2015 19:13

Small village primary school, about 120 children from nursery to Yr 6.
A young girl is diagnosed with a brain tumour a few years ago, and died last week. She has a younger sibling in the school. Obviously all the teachers are heartbroken.
But a lot of the children and parents dont know her or her family. Her year group are now in Year 7 so have left the primary.
The school is closing early at 12pm for the memorial. There are obviously a fair number of families who wont go as they have no link or ties to this little girl. But equally all the teachers want to go, and there will be a good number of children and families going.
The memorial is at 1:30pm very close to the school.
There are some disgruntled parents that the whole school is closing.
I am purposefully not saying which side of this I am on.
Is the school BU to close early?

OP posts:
Seriouslyffs · 16/05/2015 19:15

Some parents need to get over themselves.

PuppyMonkey · 16/05/2015 19:15

The school is not being unreasonable. Confused

BrockAuLit · 16/05/2015 19:16

Of course not.

This sort of thread depresses me beyond measure. How can so many people lose do much perspective?

catgirl1976 · 16/05/2015 19:16

The disgruntled parents are being utterly selfish and rather vile.

Chottie · 16/05/2015 19:16

No, I do not think the school is BU.

Kampeki · 16/05/2015 19:16

No, of course the school is not BU. it may be of some comfort to the family if lots of the teachers turn out for the funeral, and it is a mark of respect. The other parents should just suck it up. A child has died.

exLtEveDallasNoBollocks · 16/05/2015 19:17

No. I think that is a wonderful thing they are doing and it gladdens my heart to hear that a school would do this in an age of rules/regs/ofsteds and attendance penalties.

TeenAndTween · 16/05/2015 19:17

School is NBU.

GiddyOnZackHunt · 16/05/2015 19:17

I think the school closing is reasonable. I don't imagine they did it on a whim. If all the teachers want to go how do you as a head decide who goes and in a small community it's good to show support.

MrsHarveySpecter · 16/05/2015 19:18

Unbelievable that people could object to the school closing in these circumstances Sad

morechildrenplease · 16/05/2015 19:18

School not BU. Entirely appropriate. Also an important lesson for kids that the world should stop for some things.

noblegiraffe · 16/05/2015 19:18

Of course all the teachers will want to go to the memorial. What is the head supposed to do? Pick the favourites?

When a child dies it is devastating. Shame on the parents for only thinking of themselves and their being inconvenienced.

Original poster
memorial · 16/05/2015 19:18

I am very relieved to hear that, I am very close to the family. I was utterly gobsmacked and very sad to hear some parents moaning about childcare and having to take time off because they are closing.
The little girl was 12 FGS when she died, and has been ill since she was 8 :(
Utterly heartbreaking.
Its 3hrs.
Her mother will never see her again :(

OP posts:
kewtogetin · 16/05/2015 19:19

Jesus, no the school is not being unreasonable.

ltk · 16/05/2015 19:19

Lovely gesture by the school and I hope it brings some small happiness to her family to see how much everyone loved her.

LaLyra · 16/05/2015 19:19

The school is not being unreasonable.

Disgruntled parents need to get over themselves. It's not like the teachers are going off on a jolly and it's, thankfully, not a regular thing to happen. It's one afternoon.

CaptainAnkles · 16/05/2015 19:19

I can't imagine being the kind of person who would complain about this. A child has died, and people are moaning about the inconvenience of the school closing for an afternoon? Horrible.

morechildrenplease · 16/05/2015 19:20

Bet those parents would change their view if it was their child.

SauvignonBlanche · 16/05/2015 19:20

The school have made a good decision.

Maybe83 · 16/05/2015 19:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LaLyra · 16/05/2015 19:21

Some parents forget that a school is not there to act as their childcare.

balletgirlmum · 16/05/2015 19:21

A child in my sons year at school died. His funeral happened to fall in the holidays but if not I would have expected the school to close.

Some parents need to reassess their priorities - I am a working mum with in flexible hours & dh is a teacher so something like that would be very awkward - but I've got my son here at home with me.

Condolences to the family OP

Original poster
memorial · 16/05/2015 19:21

Thank you mumsnet, I couldnt work out if I was being unreasonable to be so upset. I went home and cried. I am usually very outspoken but couldnt bring myself to say anything to them for fear of breaking down.
3 hours of their life against a lifetime.

OP posts:
GiddyOnZackHunt · 16/05/2015 19:21

Flowers for your friend and her family. Perhaps all the moaners should think about what she'd do to have one afternoon with her daughter being healthy and happy.

Tizwailor · 16/05/2015 19:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.