To think this teacher is out of order?

[DutchSparkle]

My DN is 16 and in his GCSE year. He is intelligent, he is not an academic type. He wants to go to college to become an electrician. He was told by his maths teacher he should study A level maths at sixth form. He explained that he wasn't doing A levels at sixth form, instead he wanted to be an electrician (applications for sixth form closed months ago). The teacher then replied "How are you ever going to make something of your life or get a decent career without going to university?"
My DB has tried to speak to the head but is being stonewalled 😢.

When I was 16 I'd have been mortified if my parents (or aunt ffs!) tried to get involved in something like this! Not that they ever would have.

Worth ignoring imo. Uni isn't everything and the trades are fantastic career paths for those who want to do it, well paid and a career as an electrician is a great career in itself. The teacher is out of order of course but it's not worth making a fuss over. His maths teacher sees talent in him and made an ill-thought out comment.

It's a good lesson that even educated people can be ignorant

It's a silly comment but at 16 he should probably be able to ignore it and move on. I would imagine he'd be mortified by his relations coming into school about it!

On one hand I am genuinely appalled that a teacher considers it a) a fact that you aren’t worthy of anything u less you have been to university and b) would actually say this to a student.

However, I would probably see how your nephew is responding to it. If he seems unconcerned then challenging that teacher isn’t necessarily your brother’s fight.

I am a teacher myself and I would take it up with the school because I think it’s a shit thing to say. It’s not the job of every parent to take on such things though.

Idiot teacher. Your DN will probably end up earning way may than a teacher's salary. If your DB wants to take it further then the governors are the next step.

My dh didn’t go to uni, he got an apprenticeship straight out of college with a massive local employer. He’s now been there 25 years, he’s top of his game, he’s done all sorts of qualifications whilst there and been paid to do them, he’s got a massive pension and a nigh-on six figure salary and can retire early. Bet that teacher can’t say that. Tell your dn to go for it.

Maybe just tell him to ignore it?

If he’s interested in making money and being his own boss, tell him he will be earning more than the teacher and can have Fridays off once he’s established 😊. Tell him that and to forget what the teacher said.

Even if applications closed for 6th form already, all 6th forms need to have sufficient bums in seats for funding. If your DN is one of the best at maths in his year, then the teacher was probably wondering why the school wasn't retaining him. It sounds as if the way he went about it was very clumsy....DHs teacher tried to persuade him to stay at 6th form & go to uni by saying he could spend three years partying, and did he just want be boring and just get a job?

On average an electrical engineer is probably paid more than an electrician, so the teacher may have a point, and I'm not sure what your DB would achieve by complaining.

To be a trained electrician is a very desired occupation.
He would never be out of work.

How have applications for sixth form closed? By us they can apply right up till the September term starts.

In many years of teaching I have never heard a teacher say that you must do A levels/college/university to make something of your life.

The teachers that I know would say something about did they enjoy that sort of work? suggest various apprenticeships and college courses and encourage them as they would never be out of work.

In the end -and I say this as a teacher-, it has fuck all to do with the teacher what your DN wants to do with his life and I have to say I am not sure why your DB wants or needs to talk the head, just keep telling your DN that he can do what he wants to do.

I’m wondering if the teacher really said this

The teacher is ill suited to their role in supporting young people. I'd raise that with the school, write a letter asking for a response within x time (maybe not head, head of year or pastoral/ careers remit senior manager).
Electricians can take a range of career paths, are the school actually able to provide some information on this at all?

I would (separately) pursue useful info for him.

As said above, as an electrician he will always have a job. Unlike many who go to uni and end up with unmarketable degrees.
Encourage him to go for it, and ignore that teacher.

Don't believe it

On average an electrical engineer is probably paid more than an electrician, so the teacher may have a point

I'm an electrical engineer; couldn't earn anywhere close to DH who is an electrician....I re-trained as a teacher!

To be honest, a lot of people don't realise the earning power of suitably qualified trades and as a PP pointed out with 6th form/college it's bums on seats that increase revenue, ensure a course runs so jobs stay safe

Teachers often aren't up to date with career trends but any adult considering taking this up with senior staff or governors has too much time on their hands imo.

The lad is probably perfectly capable of challenging this himself.

Also don't think this sounds believable.

Hmm, is it possible this was fabricated/ made up by DN to get a reaction? Is he in any way unsure about the decision he's making and possibly trying to see if the parents would agree that uni is potentially a good idea? Or A levels at least. These are such big decisions for teenagers to make. Lots of weight on their young shoulders.

Hard to believe a teacher would say this. They're not in the game to put kids down.

Hopefully you can reassure your son this isn't the case (sounds like he has a plan/his head screwed on). I am a teacher and find it shocking that a teacher would say this.

But I am sorry to say that some teachers ARE in the game to put kids down. I personally recall to this day a horrible put down from a teacher. There are some teachers that see certain kids as a lost cause and are quite verbal about it. How they make it in the door I have no idea.

Sweeping statement there Subtlecheese. We have no idea of the context, the other side of the story, or the circumstances.

I’m not surprised you DB hasn’t spoken to the head. I’d tell him to leave it and let DN crack on with his plan to go to college.

For those saying it’s not believable it is totally believable for me who was told by a teacher to start practising saying ‘Would you like fries with that’ when I said I wasn’t going to uni.
Uni isn’t everything and schools need to realise this

But I am sorry to say that some teachers ARE in the game to put kids down. I personally recall to this day a horrible put down from a teacher. There are some teachers that see certain kids as a lost cause and are quite verbal about it. How they make it in the door I have no idea.

I have interviewed teachers/ex teachers for material writing and design roles. I have had teachers boast of putting down, or getting one over, on students, as if it were something of which to be proud.

I think it this case it was a misguided comment driven by the boy being gifted in maths, but even so...