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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Polling Day - School Closure

150 replies

user1495955132 · 28/05/2017 09:08

Just trying to canvas opinion as they're very mixed amongst my circle of friends & family. DD's (year 3/primary) school is being used as a polling station and for the first time since we've been attending the school it's being kept open for the day. They will only be using the dinner hall and the two sets of internal doors which lead into the school will be kept locked. All children bring or are supplied with a packed lunch, and all classrooms lead straight into the playground, so no reason for them to be in the corridors or anywhere near the dinner hall. All necessary safeguarding measures in place. However, it just doesn't sit right with me. Not sure whether it's in light of recent events and all the political unrest at the moment, but if anything was going to happen at the school, surely polling day, and giving the general public (and random nutters) access to the school, would create the perfect opportunity. I'm a SAHM so it doesn't make any difference to me, and I appreciate that for working parents taking days off for school closures is a pita, but dates like polling day are worked out well in advance so I don't see why the school can't work these around inset days. It's a smallish village school (approx 360 children) but we are close to an international airport and recently had an incident with a gunman on the loose 2 roads away from the school - cue police helicopters, school lockdown etc. Turned out to be the local nutter with an air rifle who was off his face on drugs, but still ..... We have all been informed that keeping children home for the day would not be looked upon favourably, and as one helpful teacher pointed out, if somebody got it into their heads, it would be easy to stand behind the fence and spray the playground with bullets on any day of the week, so why should polling day pose any more of a risk than any other Hmm. So, my AIBU is, should I stick with my gut instinct that it's just not worth the risk? There's at least another 3 mums that I know of in DDs class that feel the same, one of the school governors is not happy about it and a friends mum who works for Ofsted also thinks it's an unnecessary risk, so I'm kind of thinking it's not just me being an overprotective parent, iyswim.

OP posts:
Iloveyouthismuch · 28/05/2017 11:07

Our village school is open plan. There would be literally no area that could be used for polling that is "lockable" from the rest of the school.

I'm not really sure what specifically worries you OP but I can't imagine a scenario in which your worry is all that rational.

Post Dunblane and in today's political climate I don't think it is unreasonable to be concerned about a school being open to any random person whilst children are there. Safeguarding children from potential harm should be any local authorities primary concern.

Everyoneafter3 · 28/05/2017 11:08

This is a snap election op. Usually you can predict when it will occur due to the length of the term of government.

I mustn't give a shit about my dc as I would be very happy not to have to use a day's leave if I could avoid it.

Everyoneafter3 · 28/05/2017 11:09

Voters will be using a locked hall. We are talking a slow stream with the busiest periods before and after work.

Original poster
user1495955132 · 28/05/2017 11:13

Thank you Bigdeskbob. I don't see how I'm being stupid, bonkers or any of the other insults I've received - I haven't done anything yet!! I'm merely asking for different opinions on the matter so that I can make an informed decision! Within my close circle opinions have varied from it being "absolutely fine" to "it's an absurd idea", so it's good to receive a wider range of perspectives and also to hear from people who have had this situation at their schools and it's all worked out well. To the poster who said they would be (inwardly) cross with me if I kept my child off school for this reason - why? What bearing would it have on you?

OP posts:
SnickersWasAHorse · 28/05/2017 11:15

Post Dunblane
One event. Dreadful and tragic it goes without say but one event 20 years ago.

Everyoneafter3 · 28/05/2017 11:16

It wasn't me but if you kept your dc off and told your dc it was because you were afraid that a terrorist etc might come into school I'd be bloody furious.

NapQueen · 28/05/2017 11:16

My kids school is usually open, however this year they have decided to close as they think there is potential for political unrest.

SnickersWasAHorse · 28/05/2017 11:18

a decision made 6 weeks ago was imo enough time for school to say they're closing for a training day.

I bet there would be many more pissed off parents having to arrange childcare for the day with 6 weeks notice.

SnickersWasAHorse · 28/05/2017 11:20

Children are at far more danger of random people at pick up and drop off.
If I were someone of a mind to do something unspeakable then I would do it then on a random school day when you can mill about unnoticed.

Everyoneafter3 · 28/05/2017 11:22

Informed decision to do what exactly? Pass on ridiculous paranoia to your dc? Guarantee an unauthorised absence mark?

msgrinch · 28/05/2017 11:27

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Original poster
user1495955132 · 28/05/2017 11:27

At what point have I said I was going to fill my child with hysteria about terrorists?! If I decide to keep her off that day, all she'll know is that the school is being used for other things and she gets an extra day off - yippee!

OP posts:
delilahbucket · 28/05/2017 11:30

Ds's school is always a polling station. They have a separate building on site that is used. It is segregated from the rest of the school, however if the children are playing on the field at lunch they would pass it. This is the first time the school will be closed for the day. I don't know if it is something to do with the field being in use.

TeaStory · 28/05/2017 11:30

"a decision made 6 weeks ago was imo enough time for school to say they're closing for a training day."

And then deal with all the shit from parents when the children have to be in as normal on a day that had previously been INSET, due to the swap? Plus schools often book external training for INSET...

Everyoneafter3 · 28/05/2017 11:31

My dd in y3 would have wanted to know exactly why she was being kept off, and would be highly suspicious if she was to be the only one.

MyCalmX · 28/05/2017 11:34

In Australia voting days are always Saturday. I was surprised they were during the week when I first came to the UK. Is there are reason for this?

Iamastonished · 28/05/2017 11:38

Good point MyCalmX. Don't they have voting on a Sunday on the continent?

OP, I still think you are over reacting by keeping your child off school on polling day.

MiddlingMum · 28/05/2017 11:39

It wouldn't occur to me that this might even be a problem. Children are in far more potentially dangerous situations all the time.

Parker231 · 28/05/2017 11:41

OP - if you keep your DD off school, how will you explain it to her when her friends are going to school. I understand you are concerned for her safety but I think you are being unreasonable. She's have an absence mark, you'll have to take a day off work and unfortunately life is full of risk. It's more dangerous crossing a road, being in a car etc

CinderellasBroom · 28/05/2017 11:46

To the poster who said they would be (inwardly) cross with me if I kept my child off school for this reason - why? What bearing would it have on you?

Because it risks the school suddenly deciding to close after all, and creating a childcare problem for me (I work).

Because my child is old enough to ask why some children's parents want to school to close / are keeping their children off that day, and answering that they are afraid something bad will happen on Election Day is likely to worry her unnecessarily, as I would be too polite to say to her (as she might repeat it at school) that I thought those parents were being silly.

Because I think the right way to respond to terrorism is to carry on as normal.

woodvillain · 28/05/2017 12:15

I understand your concerns but you say yourself that all safeguarding measures are in place. I actually think it's a good thing for children to be aware of the democratic process taking place in a part of their school. My dcs primary school is used as a polling station and has always stayed open. Voting takes place in the community room which is at the back of the canteen, doors are locked between the two areas and voters use different entrance to the building. I have never given it second thought when my school dc went to school on polling days.

OdinsLoveChild · 28/05/2017 12:19

MyCalmX heres a copy paste from another website about why theyre held on a Thursday:

The idea was to disrupt government as little as possible with elections so they were held on a Thursday. Most results would have been known that night or during the course of the following day. This gave the new government the weekend to form, the new PM could announce key appointments and all would be in place in time for the civil service and stock markets to return to work on Monday at 9. A seamless transition

MyCalmX · 28/05/2017 12:23

Thanks Odins. Seems a bit outdated now though? Or are the government saying we don't want to be disrupted but doesn't matter for the regular folk Hmm

OdinsLoveChild · 28/05/2017 12:29

MyCalmX I think most jobs do still work a 5 day week so to them it still makes sense. I imagine if it were held at the weekend people just wouldn't bother going to vote as they'd be out having fun instead. At least on a Thursday they would be out at work and can drop in on their way to or from work to vote.

SnickersWasAHorse · 28/05/2017 12:48

People are more likely to be away over the weekend too.