Teacher smoking outside school gates

[Omzlas]

I've been pondering over this since Friday and thought I'd consult the MN gurus

There's a teacher at DC school who smokes, fine. The school is almost at the end of a dead end road and I've seen her before, smoking at the very end of the road at the end of school. She was well away from the gates but lots of kids walk that way on their way home, she'd often be chatting to a mother etc and I've never given it that much thought

On Friday, she was stood less than 3ft away from the school gates, smoking. All children would see her as they came out of the gates as you can only turn left or right as you exit and she was stood between the gate and white railing (the kind put in place to stop kids running out of the gate and into the road).

My AIBU: surely this is an appalling message to send to children? I'm an ex smoker and wouldn't begrudge anyone a cigarette if that's how they want to live, but surely not smack outside the school gates? Do I speak to the head or am I being precious? I completely understand that children are likely to see their parents smoking but... at school? A teacher?

I don't know whether I'm overreacting or if my concerns are valid and I should speak to the head. It's a small school (one class per year) but the head isn't that approachable, should I just bite the bullet and speak to her? Mind my own and ignore it?

Precious. So precious.

However, in my school there was a rule that staff would have to walk X amount of metres away from the school before they smoked. So maybe YANBU but I would never in a month of Sunday's think of complaining about this.

Well, she no longer has a smoking room in the staffroom.

That was an advance from when I was at school and you knocked on the staffroom doors and the smoke knocked you back.

Surely whst your dd is seeing here is that smoking makes you an outcast.

Am really surprised no-one on the staff has already said something.

If it is as the dc are leaving, then that is likely to still be in her directed time. Is she there as 'crowd control' or as 'home school liaison' ? If not, then she should leav it 10mins until the dc have all left and go out then.

As to if you should speak to the HT or not, I don't think I would (as it sounds as if the HT isn't that approachable), but I do think it is poor behaviour, and, quite frankly, a bit odd of her, and am amazed she hasn't been pulled up on it already.

I honestly wouldn't care.

We should be teaching our children thst smoking is bad for you, but if someone else's smokes then that's their decision.

She's outside the school gate and can smoke if she wants too.

What is your worry OP?

Are you thinking that the kids seeing a teacher smoking, is going to suddenly make them want to smoke too?

fuck she is teaching your kids for 8 hours a day, she most likely needs one to then have to deal with "that mum" every afternoon, give her a break maybe buy her a pack!

I find smoking disgusting, revolting and health threatening. I can't wait for it to be declared illegal.

But it is legal. And probably the only place she can indulge her legal addiction during the day is outside the school grounds, but can't go far due to having to dash back for responsibilities. So YABU.

We should be teaching our children thst smoking is bad for you, but if someone else's smokes then that's their decision.

But a teacher who is regularly to be seen smoking is never going to be credible in giving the "smoking is bad for you" message and will make it more difficult for her colleagues to do so. I'd have thought it's reasonable to ask her to find somewhere more discreet, or to wait till the children have left.

But it is legal. And probably the only place she can indulge her legal addiction during the day is outside the school grounds, but can't go far due to having to dash back for responsibilities.

Drinking is legal, but you wouldn't condone a teacher standing outside the school swigging from a bottle of whisky. What responsibilities would she have to dash back for every day at the end of the school day?

You’re being precious but I understand where you’re coming from. If she were to stand 15–20 ft away from the school I’d be okay with it. My issue is having to walk through a cloud of nasty smoke to access the gates, whether children or adults. If anything that’s the angle I would take if you decide to approach either her or the head.

So teach your children that some grownups make bad, unhealthy choices

Anecdote: a 'concerned neighbour' phoned the police to report a suspicious-looking man who was seen hanging around outside my DCs primary school. He was usually there at break when the children were in the playground. Turned out to be a teacher, having a cigarette!

What responsibilities would she have to dash back for every day at the end of the school day?

After school activities. Marking. Mounting. Tidying. Lesson planning.

But she doesn't have to "dash back" for those, does she, nocoolnamesleft? If she can afford the time to stand outside smoking and chatting, she can afford the time involved in walking a few metres further away from the school. Or she could start some of those activities as the children leave and postpone her smoking session.

My dd went on a French exchange to Paris in Year 9, and to this day claims she saw teachers and pupils smoking together outside the school gates through which everyone walked to enter.

I smoke and even just as a parent I wouldn't smoke outside the school gates. Also anywhere I've worked including offices with just adults, I wouldn't smoke outside the main door or gates either.
Smoking is my dirty little habit and I don't want kids seeing it as normal or acceptable. I would speak to the school about it, I'm surprised no one hasnt already.

*has

Seriously? She regularly gets to the school gate ahead of the bulk of the children at the end of school, just to smoke a cigarette? Does she have a free lesson at the end of the day, every day? Unlikely. Is she on duty by herself there at the end of every day? Again, unlikely, as duties are rotated, and she wouldn't be allowed to smoke on duty. Wouldn't it make more sense for her to smoke (peacefully, without the hordes of pupils going past) in the staff carpark, or at the gates to the staff carpark if not allowed to smoke on school grounds?
Doesn't fully add up...

I'm a teacher and I smoke. But I hide in my car well away from school, would never dream of standing anywhere near school. Not one of my pupils has ever seen me smoke. I spray copious amounts of perfume on me afterwards. I'm really surprised she's not been spoken to about standing smoking at the school gates. But then I would have thought it was common sense not to do so in the first place?
But no please don't report her! Speak to her directly first. Then if that has no effect, then have a chat with the head.

Trust me, that teacher will need that cigarette.

Id leave and i hate smoking.
Give the woman a break

Leave it rather

But it is legal.

This really surprises me. It is illegal here. Can’t smoke within several meters of schools, playgrounds/sports ovals, any public building, any transport stop (bus stops, railway stations etc), open areas of public pools, any enclosed public space, any eating area including outdoor areas and in any private vehicle if there are kids up to 16yrs present. That’s just off the top of my head, sure there are more restrictions but as a non-smoker I’m not really impacted so can’t be bothered with all the detail.

I think smoking is vile, but to be honest as long as she is not littering with her cigarette ends and is outside the school grounds, I don't think there's anything to accuse her of.

If children ask her why she smokes she can be honest and say it's an addiction and not to start.

This country has a much bigger problem with drinking rather than smoking.

Yanbu
I hate seeing anyone smoking outside the school, including parents. It sends a terrible message.