To feel like parents aren't allowed to criticise teachers anymore?

[velaryon]

I have the utmost respect for the teaching profession, especially the hard work and dedication of many teachers despite a pandemic and nationwide lockdown.
But at the same time, I've seen a lot of parents genuinely concerned about the teaching & communication at their DC's school who were immediately accused of 'teacher bashing' and being too lazy to teach their own children.
AIBU to think this is absolutely ridiculous?
I don't see anything wrong with questioning the level of teaching a school is providing, provided it's done in a sensitive and understanding way. IMO it's ridiculous how quickly someone is accused of teacher bashing for asking a legitimate question.

Maybe the maths teacher is ill. Maybe his parents are dying. I don't know. You don't know. We are in the middle of a pandemic and it is unreasonable to name call when you don't know the teacher's specific circumstances. Phone the school!

Sorry that was in response to headofaverysorryhomeschool

Sorry, it must have been deleted before I popped back.

I agree with @Useruseruserusee and I do understand what most are saying.

Personally, my DD's schools response has been very poor for her. That's our experience and I'd like to discuss it on mumsnet, because I'd like to pool resources, vent, see what others experiences are. That does not mean that I'm bashing a whole profession?

Why did you delete my comment mumsnet???

I have a job. I work for a charity to support deprived communities. I get paid for that job. My boss will not furlough me.

I have to do my job & the job of all three of my kid's teachers now.

But apparently i'm not allowed to comment on that.... 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

It's okay, I'm expecting my comment to be deleted too. . . sorry mumsnet!

To feel like parents aren't allowed to criticise teachers anymore?

Yet here you are.Oh, and welcome to MN, OP.

But apparently i'm not allowed to comment on that

Who's stopping you?

@DamnYouAutoCarrot If you are discussing a particular issue that concerns you regarding your childs education that is not teacher bashing. Saying "Get the fuck over yourselves teachers!", as posted just now, is teacher bashing, and seeing as there has been more than a few incidents of the latter happening, members of the teaching profession are getting a bit fed up.

There we go.

No, you're doing your job, and you're doing your best to shore up your kids education this year. The teachers can't do it as they normally would, and yes, it falls to us, as parents, and actually to our children as well, to do the best we can to minimise negative impact on their education.

And also to recognise that this is really hard on everyone, parents, children, and teachers, and we can all only do our best, and cut ourselves and each other some slack, and realise that no, this isn't business as usual, and yes, there will be a degree of impact.

Can I suggest, if you feel your school or teacher is not providing to the extent you want or need, you might want to look at tutors? We had a really crap primary school, who refused to extend our kids, we got maths tuition, in another country. If you can afford it, even for the duration, that might give a little bit of peace of mind?

You know the point in your first 3 posts when you got to the "but" OP? That's where you need to stop. Just stop.

No one is above criticism, but for crying out loud can't we give each other a fucking break now?

🌷🌷🌷🌷

But it IS teacher bashing if you’re having a go at the teacher for things out of their control.

Contrary to popular belief, individual class teachers do not get a say in amount or frequency of home learning set/platform used/feedback given/videos vs no videos/phone calls home. All of this is decided by SLT (management) just like in every other organisation. And they do this within the limits set by the next level of management (local authority of academy trust), and them within the next level (DFE).

If you are not happy with home learning provision, you need to contact SLT. If you are concerned about their wider opening plans, you need to contact SLT. If individual teachers are going renegade and providing something different from the rest of the school, you need to speak to the SLT.

Although they may well have a nervous breakdown so I’d go easy on them for now - they still haven’t had all of the guidance through from the DFE yet that they need in order to run on the 1st June, despite something like 12 documents having been released in the last week, all that contradict each other....

I played operation as a child- doesn't mean I can do heart surgery. Just because you went to school doesn't mean that you know how to run one.

I recall a parent complaining about something that really wasn't important. When I refused to go along with their plan they said, but I am a GP, to which I replied, oh does that come with QTS as well these days.

He shut up.

You’re absolutely allowed to criticise your child’s teachers, if you’re not happy with the education they are or aren’t providing your child.

What’s unreasonable is criticising all 500,000 odd teachers in the country.

Some of them have worked right through their Easter holiday providing education and care to keyworker and vulnerable children. Must be pretty galling to have to read the tabloid abuse calling them lazy and cowardly.

I was marking online at midnight last night. Tonight I'm getting things ready to go into work tomorrow with key worker dc.
I'm not even that great a teacher, but I deserve better than the blanket condemnation threads on here are throwing at me on a daily basis at the moment.
Generalising is lazy thinking, if you have a problem with your dc's teacher, or shop worker, or GP or whatever then talk about that. Don't post "why can't teachers/GPs/shop assistants be better, who do they think they are" etc etc ad infinitum.

Lol, parents never bloody stop moaning about teachers.

Btw I'm pretty sure all people whose jobs are affected by coronavirus have been complaining about it. Medical staff, bus drivers, postal workers etc.

It is a pity teaching unions didn't insist on teachers being furloughed until August. They'd have missed out on all this grief.

It’s always the same on here. Teachers are the holy grail and anyone who dares say anything at all is shit down in flames.

@Downton57.. I said I was going to highlight it to the head later on..

Now is not the time to be running with tales.. They have enough going on.

You’re absolutely allowed to criticise your child’s teachers, if you’re not happy with the education they are or aren’t providing your child

Even that isn’t right in the current climate. You have no idea what individual teachers may be facing at the moment. Health issues, elderly parents, illness, domestic violence, single parents with young children, mental health crisis, financial worries...with an expectation, just like everyone else, that they just get on with it. All usual support networks have been pulled, and now the worry about returning to work and what that might mean for their families.

By all means complain, but do so with some sensitivity. A headteacher can’t make someone in hospital set and mark work. They can’t force another teacher to manage two people’s workloads. They can’t get a single parent of an autistic 5 year old who is bouncing off the walls to be on Zoom for 6 hours a day. And they can’t tell you what is going on for an individual teacher. I am teaching full time because my school demands it but one of my colleagues is struggling, for legitimate reasons which are personal to her. The complaints from parents are frankly vile - our HoD is batting it off right, left and centre but even saying ‘Mrs X is currently on sick leave’ isn’t enough for these people. One parent is out for blood. It is disgusting behaviour And the teacher in question has had to get the union involved and is considering private legal action. She has more than enough to deal with right now. It is not right.

@PinkiOcelot that's hilarious.

@frasersmummy well, exactly. You don't know what might be going on in the math's teacher's life, so don't use the word 'rubbish' to describe them.

Teachers are the holy grail and anyone who dares say anything at all is shit down in flames

I suggest you look up holy grail.

Frasersmummy I emailed dc's school to ask about lack of work in a core subject, and was directed to quite a lot of work that had been posted somewhere I hadn't known to look (though dc should have). It is worth getting in touch.