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Original poster

Unaceptable taking a "snow day" when schools are open

409 replies

Creambun2 · 28/02/2018 11:28

It really annoys me that the vast majority of schools are open in my area, yet many, many children have been taken out of school by parents "to enjoy the snow". Talk about lack of respect for the staff and other pupils who bother to turn up. We only have a couple of cm of snow!

OP posts:
Niceandwarmandhot · 02/03/2018 07:21

Wow tinky, you're a tax expert too? However do you find the time to grace us with your presence on every single thread here?! Grin In fact, it's daft to pretend you have a clue what everybody else pays/uses. You don't know what she pays; if she had state or private education; if she drives; if she lives on a private road with no dustbinmen; if she has private health care etc etc.

If it's not safe to travel, that sounds sensible to me. Get outside and enjoy it. If it's safe and the schools are open, people talking about taking kids out of school just to watch movies together baffles me Confused; surely you can do that any time.

But whatever you do, the phrase "making memories" will never ever be reasonable. Yeuch!

Valentinesfart · 02/03/2018 07:37

I don’t have kids. But I pay a huge amount of tax for other people’s kids to be educated. I don’t mind that a bit. But I do mind if the school is open and the kids aren’t there. They should be at school to learn. End of. No excuses apart from safety, and if the school seems it’s safe to open, parents should get their kids there.

Grin

I don't think that's how it works unfortunately. Pretty sure I wasn't able to dictate how and when cars were driven, when I was employed. Despite having to pay toward them and not having a car myself.

Mainly because I actually benefit from things being carried back and forth on them, in the same way you benefit from children being educated so they look after you in your old age, run your banks, etc etc.

I can assure you though that the people performing your hip surgeries in your dotage won't be held back by having had a snow day.

Valentinesfart · 02/03/2018 07:39

Honestly whoever said "entitled" though. Consider the entitlement of telling a parent what to do with their own child because you pay taxes.

I bet you're one of those horrendous people who says "I pay your salary" to police officers and doctors.

ShewasjustawishStevie · 02/03/2018 07:44

Tink's right. Only a tiny percentage of taxes go towards education. And it benefits us all to have an educated population.

hellokittymania · 02/03/2018 07:49

I want to school in Kentucky and in Germany for a short time and had to deal with the snow, when I was in Kentucky I have a guide dog and she didn't like it even more than I did. I was very worried about falling on black ice. We did have a few snow days in Kentucky when it became very very bad, but other than that we all had to go to class. I lived on campus though, so it wasn't too far away to walk. Germany was a 15 minute walk and then a five minute ride on the whatever you call that yellow thing In Stuttgart

If I had children, I would take them to school, but leave earlier so I could walk slowly.

listsandbudgets · 02/03/2018 07:51

DSs school is open this morning but woth usual caveats about travelling safely. We are not taking him as DPs car is refusing to start, taxis are quoting a minimum hour to get here and lots of problems with buses which is how I normally do school run of dp cant.

Shame really. DS is happily talking about last snow day.when his head teacher got a pile of snow balls bombarded at him and then made snow angles with them all. They also did a nature walk through school grounds and all had hot chocolate amd marshmallows in school hall. DS very cross we are keeping him home!

Niceandwarmandhot · 02/03/2018 07:54

This made me smile

Unaceptable taking a "snow day" when schools are open
Pam100127 · 02/03/2018 09:16

My daughter’s school, a girls grammar, was in yesterday, there was a couple of inches of snow, the girls were told that under no circumstances were they to go out at break or lunch to play in the snow. Today they have closed for the day. Fear of litagation, I guess.

Lalala2018 · 02/03/2018 09:26

Why do you let other people's choices affect your day OP perhaps you need to let it go, let it go...

maisiemoo14 · 02/03/2018 09:30

That sounds like an amazing way to deal with a snow day at school! My son got told that throwing a snowball was ‘unacceptable behaviour’ Shock

Lalala2018 · 02/03/2018 09:37

Some of these comments...people are forgetting that schools are institutions. The national curriculum was created to help the economy, by teaching little ones just enough to acquire minimum wage jobs. The fact that one day off school to let the children play caused this thread is profoundly sad. No wonder mental health issues are rife and the younger generations are so easily influenced.

FitBitFanClub · 02/03/2018 09:40

the teachers pull down the blinds if it's snowing so they can't see it

I don't suppose that was for the whole day. Perhaps just while they were trying to teach something specific, which is difficult enough without all the kids looking the other way and not paying attention.
I often pull the blinds down when they come to strim the grass outside the classroom. That's of course much more interesting than fractions! Grin
But yesterday, when we opened as the rest of the world stayed closed Angry , it was hardly worth trying to stay on plan, as so many kids were missing, so we did muck about a fair bit, doing fun things that were loosely educational.

Niceandwarmandhot · 02/03/2018 09:45

Lalala - seriously?????

Schools were so much more strict in the 40's/50's/60's than they are now. My father was telling us last night that he got caned for being late when it snowed - and in the Yorkshire dales where he grew up, there's a LOT of snow!

I really don't think that the few comments on this thread about taking education seriously are affecting children's mental health. Try exposure to the internet; social media pressures; parents working longer hours; better awareness of mental health - I agree with you that it's a real issue, but it's not caused by the attitudes of a few people saying we should prioritise not disrupting education over snow!

Niceandwarmandhot · 02/03/2018 09:49

Fitbit - my brother's school did a careers day last summer, and invited me as one of the speakers. Unfortunately for me, the army officers who came to talk about the armed forces brought some horses and decided to let another class of kids pat them and groom them before showing off some of their riding skills on the field right outside the classroom window. Can you imagine how hard it was to keep the attention of my group focussed on "boring white collar office job"?! Grin

stopfuckingshoutingatme · 02/03/2018 09:54

our school closer finally today and I suspect the staff are fucked off travelling in to have a 50% of the class turn up

Most of the UK have grated this as an excuse to DOSS! apart from essential workers such a bus drivers, NHS staff etc

I have massive respect for the bus drivers actually, for getting me to work! and the the NHS nurse who was there till 7pm yesterday

PerfectlySymmetricalButtocks · 02/03/2018 10:05

Not round here stayathomer. The majority of children walk to school. Those who drive or take the train or bus, I completely understand.

NickyNackyNoodleNoo · 02/03/2018 10:09

My DCs school has been closed for the past two days, me and DH tagged teamed it as to who stayed at home. However on the day we weren't 'childcare' we battled to work as a no show is just not an option, we took the day we stayed at home with the DCs as annual leave.

I thought brilliant on my day we'll make memories all got kitted up, thermals, layers etc etc. Within 15 minutes we were back inside as it was bloody freezing and the snow was drifting into our faces. Not the memory I was imagining. Instead we baked and watched tv Wink

PerfectlySymmetricalButtocks · 02/03/2018 10:12

Niceandwarm mine each have their own tablets. 😉

Clandestino · 02/03/2018 10:15

We are literally drowning in snow, I am sick of it at this stage, tbh. Kids have been off since Wednesday and there were snowball fights, snowmen built, fooling around, making snow angels. It's probably the first time in their lives for many that they have a chance to enjoy the snow so why not?
Our company told us to work from home, the whole campus is closed and this is one of the times when we don't need to create an extra programme for DD.

Mummyel1 · 02/03/2018 11:43

Just to be a real party pooper. After the school closed Tues/Wed because of snow and ice (fair enough) , I felt the school was milking the situation yesterday, roads were passable and not one flake of snow...Hmm today is an inset day.... iDon't get me wrong, it's been lovely having my boy home but it is like a half term being sprung upon me with zero mental preparation or activities planned Grin

tinkywinky2018 · 02/03/2018 11:46

In fact, it's daft to pretend you have a clue what everybody else pays/uses. You don't know what she pays; if she had state or private education; if she drives; if she lives on a private road with no dustbinmen; if she has private health care etc etc

its actually really easy. Not my fault if you're confused by basic economics

Niceandwarmandhot · 02/03/2018 12:11

Ah tinky. You're unintentional comedy raging gold on every single thread 😂😂😂

tinkywinky2018 · 02/03/2018 12:14

if you find me that funny you really need to get out more Hmm

Mollieben · 02/03/2018 16:15

Ds1 school closed yesterday - notified at 7am. Ds2 school was open yesterday however they didn't notify anyone of this until 8am by which time I had taken decision to take him to work with me. They then closed at 12 which would have been a right pain had I sent him in do I obviously made the right decision! Both schools shut today