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?

Thanks for the varied replies, I was ready to have my arse handed to me, MN style

I don't begrudge her a cigarette, not at all. I'm an ex smoker and I get it, I truly do and I was never a teacher. She usually stands a good 30m away from the gates and this was the first time I've seen her right outside the gate

I don't know why or how she was there, lesson wise. That occurred to me but it isn't my place to question why she's outside when she should potentially be inside

The school is very small and children aren't allowed to leave unless they're with an adult, therefore I wouldn't think that any monitoring of children leaving is done, I've certainly never seen anything like that before. She was outside the gate anyway, not inside and checking that all children had an adult with them

Anyway, thanks for all replies, I'll mull it over

I’d complain.
Smoking is vile and all those kids walking through her smoke clouds? Fuck that! She’s supposed to be setting an example. I think it’s bloody awful. Nothing wrong with her going further away out of sight.

I’d complain.
Smoking is vile and all those kids walking through her smoke clouds? Fuck that! She’s supposed to be setting an example. I think it’s bloody awful. Nothing wrong with her going further away out of sight. it’s called personal choice, once we lose it any individual freedom we have is gone.

If it’s the only time you’ve seen her so close, it could be she had a “duh moment” and afterwards thought “geez, why did I do that, that was daft” rather than a pattern.

IDK, I think many of the kids at school will have witnessed a parent/uncle/grandparent light up and they’ll all have seen someone with a cigarette. They need to learn that they don’t have to do what they see others do.

Oh FGS, where is all this puritanical piousness going to lead?

It smells, children need to be made aware how unhealthy it is, it's not ideal that she's doing it by the school gate.

But dobbing her in to her boss? Really?!

They need to learn that they don’t have to do what they see others do.

That is an extremely good point.

We used to share cigarettes with our deputy head at the school gates

I definitely wouldn't tell the head. Have a quiet word if you insist but she's not doing anything wrong really. Not setting the best example but then I don't think kids would smoke just because their teacher is.

It is up to the school and presumably they will know she is doing it.

Ffs. It's a fag. She's not shooting up smack. The children will be wafted with clouds of poisonous diesel outside school, a trace of Marlborough Light (I imagine that's what teachers smoke)won't make any difference.
I don't smoke but seriously, if children can't cope with seeing a teacher having a cigarette on occasion without their world collapsing they are going to really struggle with life.

I am or have been involved with four schools over 20y, infants/juniors/primary/secondary, both as staff and parent. I have volunteered, worked and socialised with staff who drank and smoked.

I have never seen any member of staff smoking anywhere within sight of their school grounds. It is something that is occasionally discussed in the staffroom or at social events, and the agreement has always been that it would deeply inappropriate for staff to be seen doing something that runs totally contrary to what they teach.

So:
Smoking on or near school grounds, or at a school event - absolute no.
Being drunk on or near school grounds, or at a school event - absolute no.
Having a sociable beer or other alcoholic drink on or near school grounds, or at a school event - absolutely fine.

It’s grim. It pisses me off when parents smoke near school. Teachers are equally annoying.

It's unprofessional and I doubt that the school would be pleased. I wouldn't complain as I used to smoke and I get it but she should be doing it away from the school gates.

I'd have a word with her about it. It's really not OK to stand right by the school gates smoking, whoever you are (teacher, parent, visitor), and force children to go through your disgusting clouds of smoke. The role model aspect is an additional one in the teacher's case.

Part of why we all (mostly, anyway) still minimise smoking to the extent we do is that we know people who do it and don't like thinking badly of people we like/respect. It does make a difference to how we see it. Children seeing their teacher smoking aren't necessarily going to take it up themselves because of it, but it will make them more likely to minimise the harm and antisocial aspect.

I’d have a word with her about it. wait, you’d try and tell another adult what they can and can’t do? Ok then.

I don't like people smoking outside places like the supermarket either but if it bothers you then I would speak to her directly and say you didn't think smoking was allowed at that spot. Take it from there

Me I am only grateful I can get on a train, bus, have a drink or meal without clouds of smoke choking me.

I'd leave her alone.

It is not illegal. It is an unhealthy lifestyle choice but not illegal so I would leave it.

I am so old I remember teachers asking for volunteers in the class to go buy her fags from the corner shop!

I spray copious amounts of perfume on me afterwards.

I can bet the children will still know you smoke.

Pah , no biggie in my opinion BUT it might have been better if she had walked away from the actual entrance .
When my youngest DSs were small a few teachers smoked and they would take a little stroll whilst doing so .

I was a teacher and I think you would be justified in mentioning your concerns to the Head. If she has to smoke during the day she should find somewhere she can't be seen.

When I started teaching in the 80s the Head and the Secretary used to smoke in their office in front of the children. Times have changed.

She probably needs a fag after caring for your kids all day . Give the woman a break - she's a teacher, not a self-appointed angel.

'She probably needs a fag after caring for your kids all day grin. Give the woman a break - she's a teacher, not a self-appointed angel.'

THIS

Drinking is legal, but you wouldn't condone a teacher standing outside the school swigging from a bottle of whisky.
Drinking whisky is hardly the same as smoking a cigarette.
Alcohol alters a person's ability to function 'normally' cigarettes do not.

Having said that. As an ex smoker, I would be unimpressed if I had to walk through second hand smoke.

She's pushing boundaries... Nip out for a fag at lunch/break sure but before/after school when the children are around ? No.

Btw...I'm also old enough to remember a staffroom full of smoke. Several teachers walking down corridors with a pipe too! 😂

It would make me really uncomfortable. I see teachers as role models, however idealistic or old-fashioned that sounds.

Nothing to do with being precious, times have changed! Surely by law and Ofsted regulations, the area outside a school is legally required to be a strictly no-smoking area!? Schools have so many policies and procedures they have to abide to - this would come under health and safety and the teachers code of conduct policies surely! People can say this attitude is precious all they like but its irrelevant when it comes to School policies and procedures.

I am a smoker and at home I smoke outside in my back garden. I rarely smoke in public.

As for the teacher I wouldn't like to see that but I wouldn't report her. If she is that close to the school building and at the entrance/exit point then surely other members of staff/head will have seen her smoking.

I don't think it looks good and I wouldn't smoke around people I was talking to whether they were a smoker or not. It is my choice to smoke and it is my health. I would not subject anyone to my second hand smoke.

I remember when my girls were at primary school and we had parents evening. When we saw the teacher she had obviously had a smoke inbetween parents as she absolutely reeked of smoke to the extent I could tell which brand she smoked!

At high school a teacher was known for joining the pupils at break time and if he had ran out of fags he used to ask a pupil for one!

I can understand why some teachers smoke but I think they should stand out of sight and smoke discreetly and then attempt to mask the smell with some cheap body spray.

As another poster has pointed out a teacher surely would not stand there swigging from a bottle of alcohol. Although the effects of alcohol affect functioning/or lack of it as where smoking does not have the same effect.

I would not like to see that but as I said I wouldn't report as teachers have enough to cope with. I agree it is not the best message to give out to children and although it is outside of classroom time, teachers are still influential to their pupils at all times.