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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Why all the anti school/teacher threads?

245 replies

shithappens123 · 23/07/2019 23:04

I’ve not been a member for long but I’ve noticed the amount of school bashing threads on MM. it’s almost as if some patents see the school as an enemy not as organisations wanting to educate their children the best they can.

I’ve read threads on how they gleefully complain about teachers (seems more in primary education though) and saying how incompetent they are when they have no idea how hard they work.

Teachers are fair game on here and it’s most disturbing.

OP posts:
Original poster
shithappens123 · 24/07/2019 09:36

Really? That’s pathetic snowflake. It’s people like you that are contributing to teachers leaving the profession and good luck finding teachers to teach your kids.

OP posts:
hashtagthathappened · 24/07/2019 09:49

Snort. I am a teacher. I am also a mother.

If someone starts a thread complaining about a mum refusing to move her pushchair, that isn’t a reflection on me. If someone starts a thread about a teacher being rude to a child that’s nothing to do with me either. Get it?

herculepoirot2 · 24/07/2019 09:58

If someone starts a thread complaining about a mum refusing to move her pushchair, that isn’t a reflection on me. If someone starts a thread about a teacher being rude to a child that’s nothing to do with me either. Get it?*

It becomes a reflection on you (albeit a very unfair one) when people start writing, “Why are mums so fucking entitled? Who do they think they are? Yes, there are SOME nice mums but OMG, I would rather pull needles through my belly button than actually talk to one.”

AnneElliott · 24/07/2019 10:02

I don't think there are lots of teacher bashing threads on here - imagine being an estate agent on mn!

And no profession should be above criticism. I certain don't get offended if there are threads saying how shit some civil servants are (normally DWP) as there are some shit civil servants! I've met them! And it is hard to fire them.

I also have the rather old fashioned view that public servants are accountable to the people we serve - and if it's not working well then we should hear about it.

herculepoirot2 · 24/07/2019 10:04

I also have the rather old fashioned view that public servants are accountable to the people we serve - and if it's not working well then we should hear about it.

Unless - and this is vital - they are the ones telling you it is not working, and then you should plug your ears and go la la la la.

Knittedjimmychoos · 24/07/2019 10:06

Bizzare premise op. Your coming at this from your own perspective but it's not all about you. Infact you sound a little like our school head Grin

Of course parents will come on here to ask and air thier issues as others have said its a parenting site and if your not worried about your own performance and support, what's the issue?

There are dreadful teachers out there! As we all know for some children one bad teacher can break a child and a good one can make a child.
No one and nothing is above scrutiny

recrudescence · 24/07/2019 10:09

The onus is ... Not on MNHQ to modify perfectly reasonable threads in case it upsets someone.

As you know, MNHQ modifies or deletes threads all the time on the grounds they consider them to be unreasonable. If it decided, as I think it should, that the denigration of teachers was unreasonable then it would begin to modify those threads too. Also, for what it’s worth, my objections have nothing to do with being offended or upset but rather with Mumsnet’s responsibility in terms of attitudes towards public servants generally and the crisis in teacher recruitment and retention specifically.

Original poster
shithappens123 · 24/07/2019 10:11

I’m coming here to discuss the constant bashing of all teachers by people who have no actual idea what goes on in the classroom.
I wouldn’t dream of telling other professionals how to do their job yet on mm there are many armchair experts...

OP posts:
herculepoirot2 · 24/07/2019 10:14

You’re not being unreasonable, OP. Not only are the teacher bashing threads on here often full of generalisations, they are very often unreasonable in and of themselves, and the sheer frequency of them does amount to a wider problem. Some people here seem to enjoy pretending that each thread is an entirely separate, hermetically sealed thing, bearing no relationship to all the other, very similar threads. Like if a drop of water falls on your face, then another one, and another one, then ten more, it isn’t fucking raining.

Original poster
shithappens123 · 24/07/2019 10:16

Thanks herculepoirot2 it would we good to have more positive threads on teachers and the good things that happen.

OP posts:
Allthebiscuits · 24/07/2019 10:28

Bad parents need someone to blame.

LolaSmiles · 24/07/2019 10:33

The thing is that people rarely start threads when they're happy about something. You don't get how good is my child's teacher threads any more than you get how lovely is my husband because we have a respectful adult relationship as equals threads.

People will seek advice when they're concerned so I entirely get why concern threads would be more common.

That said, I think there is a massive difference between threads where reasonable parents are seeking advice and reasonable posters give a range of sensible and helpful advice and the hysterical frothing at the mouth threads where:
*The crux of the OP's aspiring complaint is ' but my child said they didn't so anything wrong'

  • The OP claims loads of parents have said we hate the teacher and they're no good and they all want the teacher fired
  • Usual anti school bridge turn up telling the OP to demand a meeting with the head / call the LA / complain to the governors / ring ofsted and shout down anyone who points out what stupud advice it is
  • Either the OP or posters get into why school rules are stupid and their child should be exempt from any rule they don't like
  • Either the OP or cheerleader posters seem to think that if a parent refuses consent for a detention (which isn't required by law) by smugly saying 'well they cant force them fo stay can they', they can complain if their child gets moved up the behaviour policy.
  • The thread becomes:
  1. Make inaccurate claims about teaching and teachers in an inflammatory way because posters have a chip on their shoulder
  2. Teachers reply saying they're wrong and here's why
  3. Posters from 1 take it as a weird personal victory that proves teachers do nothing but moan and think their life is waaayyyy more difficult than anyone else ever in the history of the universe

It's the needlessly confrontational type threads that are ridiculous, but it does highlight to the world how school time gets sucked up dealing with the loud, vocal, unreasonable minority

dancingrobot · 24/07/2019 10:34

If teachers are really saying that they are such snowflakes they can’t cope with a thread
This, however, I take issue with. The term snowflake is as ridiculous as the views of the people that use it.

echt · 24/07/2019 10:35

"No other profession gets the insults we do"

Try being a social worker

niceupthedanceagain This is a thread about what's on MN, and no, social workers do not even get referred to as frequently as teachers.

Flamingjo · 24/07/2019 10:36

There's always somebody who has to wheel out the insult "snowflake". How original. This seems to be a term used to excuse shutting off their ears to an actual problem and belittle the person speaking.

Samcro · 24/07/2019 10:41

why shouldn't people moan about teachers? people moan about everything on here.

Kazzyhoward · 24/07/2019 10:51

Bad parents need someone to blame.

And good parents have a right to complain when they've been let down by a teacher/school.

hazeyjane · 24/07/2019 10:55

Bad parents need someone to blame

What a shitty comment

Original poster
shithappens123 · 24/07/2019 11:02

That’s the point though - no one likes to be referred to as “bad parent” so why is it ok to constantly have the “ bad teacher” threads?

OP posts:
herculepoirot2 · 24/07/2019 11:03

Bad parents need someone to blame

It’s true, though. How many threads are there on here where the parents underplay/trivialise their children’s bad behaviour, or describe their active attempts to prevent schools from addressing it?

My child is no angel but surely...

I don’t condone poor behaviour but...

I know my child can be difficult but the school can’t...

Clash of personalities...

It’s constant, really.

hazeyjane · 24/07/2019 11:07

Ok....I am saying that comment is shitty in the context of this thread.

Those comments are without context.

noblegiraffe · 24/07/2019 11:07

I’m sure some people start threads about teachers just because they know they will get loads of posts and enjoy stirring things up. Threads that appear specifically designed to wind up teachers appear quite regularly.

Especially in the holidays.

herculepoirot2 · 24/07/2019 11:12

hazeyjane

I think it’s closely connected to the context of this thread, myself.

recrudescence · 24/07/2019 11:18

I’m sure some people start threads about teachers just because they know they will get loads of posts and enjoy stirring things up. Threads that appear specifically designed to wind up teachers appear quite regularly.

And Mumsnet HQ is cynically complicit in this. It knows that these threads drive traffic to the site and that’s good for revenue.

DisorganisedOrganiser · 24/07/2019 11:23

I have reported healthcare bashing threads. Especially those where individual hospitals and wards are named. I recognised a school on a long thread recently and also I was critical of the MAT on the thread I at least had the decency not to name them or the school! I also report threads with incorrect and frankly dangerous medical information on them. The last thread had dangerous information but MN said that since they were not specialists in the area then they couldn’t comment either way. That is exactly why the threads shouldn’t be left to run!

MN does nothing.