To be disappointed that my children’s teachers have not come into school?

[Mixedbags]

My teenagers are at secondary school in crucial years. They have said that the last 2days many teachers have not come in due to snow and the supply teachers have not been very effective. The snow fall here and within a 60mile radius (relatives and friends all over) has been close to non existent. What example does this send to our children? Snowflakes? 🤪

Both of my children’s schools are closed today, we received texts by 6.30am by which time none of the teachers would have even attempted to get in so essentially they’ve just decided it’s not possible before trying?

The decision to close the school isn’t the teachers not coming in. It’s whether the grounds and roads are safe for people to try and get there. Or if the buses are running.

Don’t let that get in the way of a good teacher bashing though.

Last year during the bad snow-on the first day, very few schools were closed and the town was gridlocked, it took me 2.5 hours to drive a normally ten minute drive (3.5 ish miles). We are near the hospital-there was no way any hospital workers or ambulances were getting past that on a hurry-the roads just went to a standstill.

There were loads of parents complaining that the school was still open and marching in to collect their children anyway! Many were really cross we had opened.

The next day, the snow was worse and we closed as did every school locally. That must have made things so much easier to people to get into the hospital to actually save lives!

OP I don’t think YABU. I don’t know any other organisation that closes totally, and as quickly, at the first thought of snow as many of our schools do.

Most organisations don’t have the safety of 100s of young children to consider.

It will depend on the school.

One school I worked in rarely closed because it had nice new buildings, small site, children mainly within walking distance.
Another closed every year at least once as it was a school serving a large rural catchment and coach companies wouldn't be willing to bus in the students over steep banks in the weather.
Another closed during bad weather because the heating broke so it wasn't closed due to the snow, but because there was no means of keeping the buildings warm.

And actually at 6:30am some staff will be on their way in. When I did a longer commute I would be in work by 7am and have left at 6:15. But good job on the implication that a whole sector is lazy and closes just for fun.

Maisy. Crikey, why all the secrecy? What’s wrong with the school explaining, in general terms, why the pupils have a replacement teacher? A simple, “they’re unwell” or “they couldn’t get in due to snow” is totally fine and would be given in any other organisation so, again, not sure why teachers are different.
Because it's nobody else's business (colleague or student) why someone is ill as long as the appropriate members of staff know. Same for any line of work.

Generally things aren't shared in schools because the rumour mill goes mad with students (or as proven in this post staff and their mates who act like students) and you have parents who decide with no reliable source that they're annoyed about supply and feel it's their place to police the reason and judge whether they approve.

Plus, most of the time the people covering have no idea why someone is off and it's also irrelevant. Work is set and students need to do it.
If there is an issue of people taking the piss with absence then senior leadership can (and do) deal with it. There is no need for court of public opinion in any workplace.

I commute 6 miles. The difference and dangerous conditions can mean the schools open but I can't get in. The hill turns into an ice rink.
It was the only job available at the time of applying and I love the schools. It's worth the half hour commute and easier if I live away.
I haven't taken a sick day or parental leave in 2 years. But if I can't travel in safely then I won't be coming in.
I once turned up late, due to driving conditions improving as the weather warmed up.

This thread is horrendous and shows so much ignorance

sigh

I wish I could say I’m surprised by OP’s attitude to teachers. I’m a teacher who is not from the UK, but who taught there for several years. The general attitude towards, and treatment of, teachers from pupils, parents, management, the media and the general public is appalling. The current recruitment/retention crisis is not at all surprising to me. I urge anyone who thinks teachers have it easy to read the Secret Teacher column on the Guardian website, to get just a taste of what UK teachers are up against.

I’m now teaching in my home country, but I’m married to a Brit, so there’s always the possibility of me being a teacher in the UK again at some point. The thought makes me feel sick and anxious.

Teachers can’t afford to live near the schools they teach in around here. Home Counties commuterville and bog standard ordinary houses are close to a million pounds purely due to walking distance from station to London. Not affordable on a teacher’s salary. So teachers live in towns and villages further away

You don’t know where they live and what their travel conditions are like. You might have virtually no snow but a few miles away on higher ground it could be deeper. Or someone could live on an ungritted steep cul de sac where it would be dangerous to try to get out due to ice. You don’t know so yes Yabu

Both of my children’s schools are closed today, we received texts by 6.30am by which time none of the teachers would have even attempted to get in so essentially they’ve just decided it’s not possible before trying?
Because if they left it any later to make a decision parents would moan that there wasn't sufficient time to make childcare arrangements? Also by this time that caretaker and closest teachers would have been in to inspect the site and make a decision.

My mum is a headteacher and the things she deals with every day are ridiculous. Anyone who remains in the profession in the current climate had my utmost sympathy.

Maisy. You’re not reading my post properly as I didn’t say anyone needed to explain WHY the teacher was off ill, that would clearly be a breach of privacy but there’s is absolutely nothing wrong in saying ‘so and so is being covered today by a supply teacher as they are unwell’.

It’s what happens in any normal business.

Purple. If other businesses can clear their pathways etc in order to enable access then I’m sure a school can do the same? Clearly the pupils may not be able to go outside at break etc but clearing the main pathways between buildings isn’t beyond the realms of possibility.

Anyhow, I’m off to work...will leave you teachers to debate the difficulties of getting to work to do your jobs

Lol presuming much. I’m about to drive through proper snow to get to my definitely not a teacher job. I disagreed with you because I think you’re wrong not because I’m a teacher.

Karigan. Not wrong, just a different opinion to you. It’s what makes the world go round and a little sad if you believe anyone who doesn’t think exactly the same as you must be wrong

And no assumption on my part, you shouldn’t assume I meant that everyone on this thread is a teacher.

Well my H set off at 6.30 (when he knew school was open) to walk 1.5hrs to station to get train to school. But no parents will remember the teachers who do that

If other businesses can clear their pathways etc in order to enable access then I’m sure a school can do the same? Clearly the pupils may not be able to go outside at break etc but clearing the main pathways between buildings isn’t beyond the realms of possibility.

That used to be the case when we had caretakers with reasonable hours. Now school finance is cut to the bone and there is no one to clear the paths or the car park.

The OP is clearly having a good old time winding everyone up - why give them what they so clearly want ?

Maisy. You’re not reading my post properly as I didn’t say anyone needed to explain WHY the teacher was off ill, that would clearly be a breach of privacy but there’s is absolutely nothing wrong in saying ‘so and so is being covered today by a supply teacher as they are unwell’.
It’s what happens in any normal business

I'm in an Australian, and for privacy reasons, all illness or non-work-related absence is called Personal Leave. This could be being ill, a medical appointment, long service leave, carer's leave. Neither staff nor parents are entitled to know the reasons for absence.

In an Australian??? How pervy. In an Australian school.

I did think that with the last two posts flaminggusset. She's broken cover with the oh poor me bit!

In one of my previous schools, a squad of parents and the priest turn up to help clear the pathways. In secondary, perhaps the children could do the same, in shifts. Breakfast club.

When our school adds snow updates to the school twitter account it really shows what dicks some of the parents/kids are at the school. If they are open people rant about it not being safe/the school putting them in danger. If its that unsafe for you stay at home. The school doesn't need to close just for you. Last year when they closed people ranted that it was ridiculous closing for a bit of snow. Idiots!

It’s health and safety innit ?
Sometimes the heating breaks down and besides No school wants risk Mrs awkward parent slipping over and breaking something.

if my friends headteacher husband is anything to go by teachers are ‘asked’ to live out of catchment so they often have a commute - trickier in the snow especially if their own children are off school / nursery too

Not rtft but isn't it mostly down to the cost of being sued? Just another example of the few ruining it for the many.

Most teachers commute and some rely on public transport to do said commute (which may be severely delayed or not running in some parts of the country).

I teach in a college and 90% of my department commute including myself. Largest distance is 80 miles.

I think we need a photo of the snow before we can judge 

Teachers can be skivers too you know, if they could have made it in - then they should have !!!!

Where i live today and last year when it snowed heavily all the primary schools were closed and all the secondary schools opened. Some are on the same site. I guessed it was because there was a higher ratio of staff to pupils at secondary??