Wondering why there's so much hate for teachers?

[Nannyogg134]

I've just been reading some responses to another thread concerning teachers and working over summer and there's a real mix of thoughts. I know that everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but I'm always very taken back by the amount of negative comments regarding teachers (especially regarding workload and school holidays.)

I've taught in a state secondary school for almost 13 years and I came to the job after working in a care home for a few years. There are pros and cons; the school holidays are great (and yes, they are unpaid- teachers are paid per day of their contract, this is term time only, the wage is delivered over 12 monthly payments for ease of life.) However, there is no flexibility, so I rarely see my own children in sport's day, nativities, or even on parent's evening (if it clashes with something at my school.) Overall, I feel very passionately about giving my best to my students and extra time I spend on them feels mostly worthwhile.

However, whenever there is chat about teaching, the general feeling seems to be very negative. I'm just wondering where this seems to come from? Is it the classic 'horrible teacher' stereotype we see on TV etc.? Or is it a leftover from some of our own school days?

I suppose it's not really AIBU, more of a wondering where this issue comes from and if public view can ever be shifted?

@CallmeAngelina

I can't comment on bullying.

I havent seen any

Of course you haven't!

I just recognise the 'tone' so clearly. Have 4 relatives teaching and they all segue into that specific tone when they hold forth about their jobs. And 'hold forth' isn't hyperbole, as they only want to talk at you while you listen respectfully. No doubt a carry over from how they behave in the classroom.

lol at teachers on mn being bullied. I seem to remember your posts being deleted on a thread where a group of mnetters who claimed to be teachers were behaving in an awful way to a foster carer who was concerned about education. Was that not you?

@CallmeAngelina

I've not been on mn that long

If posters are bullying other posters just because they're teachers that obviously needs addressed

A report by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on Work-related Stress 2014-17

According to the report, the professions with the highest rates of overall stress are female dominated jobs with nursing and midwifery, teaching and welfare professionals making up the top three.

I should imagine things have got worse rather than better since 2017

Good lord! What are you, some kind of stalker?
Easy to allege such a thing, but you're going to have to do better than vaguely refer to something that is impossible to prove either way.
Lots of people have posts deleted - for all sorts of reasons.
The toxic vitriol that was levelled at school staff here on MN during Lockdown was nothing short of disgraceful and I'm beginning to see some key phrases used at the time seep onto this thread too.
I'm out.

If teachers are part time, then surely their stress is proportional?

Also I strongly maintain that there were “union” threads back in the pandemic.

Sadly social media does allow people to find their tribe and rile each other up. I know lots of teachers. Some moan a bit, but not a huge amount. The one militant teacher I know is truly the worst teacher (dcs said she was incredibly lazy, flirted with the boys and had little interest in her subject) . I heard from a reliable source that the school were trying to deal with her.

it’s a shame that a few people who should work elsewhere bring the profession into disrepute and broadcast their attitudes on MN. Of course teachers often have a lot to deal with, and individual problematic situations which they wish to discuss/have a moan about, but the blanket belligerence of a core group on MN could lead people to think all teachers are like this.

If teachers are part time, then surely their stress is proportional?

Can you explain this?

Someone explaining why some posters who say they are teachers are prolific posters (not in holidays).

@Buttercupsx I have just googled various surveys on most stressful jobs, teachers are in the top 5 in every survey. Doesn't mean they are the most stressful, but no teacher on here has said that.

And even if you are part-time you still deal with family bereavement, child abuse, neglect, violent behaviour, Ofsted, SEND, referrals to other agencies, putting your hand in your pocket to pay for resources for the class etc. And that is before you do your main job of actually teaching.

@toomuchlaundry

Its definitely implied its the most stressful.

surveys on stress are self reported too.

Show me were it is implied @Topgub, or is that your interpretation to fit your narrative. Bit like when teachers asked for mitigation measures, and posters then said they were implying they wanted schools to close, and if teachers said children spread bugs/viruses that really meant teachers hated children!

@toomuchlaundry

I think its implied of lots of comments, some examples I've given already.

But there really is no point in giving more examples because you'll just deny thats the case

Like the weird denials that some teachers and teaching unions 100% wanted schools closed and kept closed because they felt they were more at risk of covid than anyone else.

Or that some teachers had an easy ride during covid.

Or that some teachers did show a complete disregard for the well being of children during lockdowns and did indeed outright say they and their parents were responsible for putting teachers at risk.

Or that not all teachers are hugely overworked and stressed bother jobs all of the time

People aren't lying when they tell you this is how some teachers come across.

@Topgub what I would like to know is where all the posters are who, during lockdown, continually talked about the vulnerable children and how the teachers obviously didn't care about them, and how we must think of them all the time. Most of those children are still vulnerable, teachers are still looking out for them, as most were during lockdown, but this multitude of posters have disappeared. Why aren't they still concerned about these children, why aren't there numerous threads by them asking what can be done, other than having school as their safe haven. Why aren't they thinking about them all of the time. These posters came out of the woodwork to have a rant, and then disappeared. Lockdown may have gone away but the children haven't.

All the people berating the teachers, when with the cuts in services, teachers have a huge role in caring for these children. With teachers leaving the profession, services being cut even more, what will happen to these children?

@toomuchlaundry

You'd need to ask them.

I dont think vulnerable children are solely the responsibility of teachers. Nor do I think individual teachers or schools were to blame for school closures

toomuchlaundry

There isn't much point in trying to converse with topgub they have happily rewritten history to suit their narrative and will twist what you say so that it matches what they want to hear.

@FrippEnos

There's no need to involve yourself in someone else's conversation.

Its rude.

You can keep repeating that I've twisted things if you like, it doesn't make it true.

Its not my problem you can't cope with being disagreed with or are unable to counter points you disagree with.

Topgub

Its an opinion forum. Get used to not being agreed with.
As for being rude, its not as rude as posting things that are not true and twisting what people have written.

But like I have already posted you do you.

@FrippEnos

I'm very used to not being agreed with and even more used to people spouting nonsense and getting personal when they can't counter what I'm saying.

But yeah, I'll keep doing me.

Thanks for the tip.

I've heard so many teachers opine about this ...... the fact that they feel they are quasi social workers shows how out of touch they are.

I understand teachers work long hours, are understaffed and under pressure. I really feel for them. My ds has Sen and requires additional support (which school have funding for) every year it has been fantastic, ds has been well supported, teachers raking time to get to know my son and what works for him. I absolutely raved about the school. This year (y2) he's had a crap teacher, she has shown no interest except irritation. She out sourced his funded one to one (can't prove it but been informed by other staff) to manage another child who was disruptive . Then disciplined my ds for struggling. His emotional resilience has suffered massively and with the constant advocating I've had to do I realised a child's experience of school is really only as good as his teacher. Fingers crossed for a better experience next year.

It sticks out in my mind because it was such appalling behavior and I was genuinely shocked adults in a responsible job (teachers) would behave in such a way. I don’t believe I’ve otherwise seen a group of people behave in such a way on mn.

I believe one of your posts was something to the effect of F**k off. Nothing more. All of this was directed at parents (including a foster carer with vulnerable children) who were worried about the education and welfare of their children.

There was no “toxic vitriol” from parents nor any attacks on teachers as a group. Certainly not at that thread or any of the others I saw where there was similar behavior from you and other teachers. Just understandable concern that their children weren’t in school and were not being given much in the way of school work.

I don’t think you are representative of teachers as a whole (I hope!) but there is a group of teachers on mn who are aggressive and determined to act as if their job and lot in life is uniquely difficult.

there are definitely “Union threads”. One poster in particular posts threads based obviously on the campaigns and policy of a teachers union. I think that’s fine but you need to at least explain that it’s the union’s position/ research and not act like it’s something that’s just occurred to you.

@MsPincher do you think it is bad that some teachers post on here how dire education funding is etc. Not to show how stressful their job is or how hard done by they are, but to highlight to parents how bad the situation is.

The lack of knowledge of parents was highlighted during lockdown when there were numerous posters saying why can’t schools get some mobile classrooms and hire more teachers so more children could be at school but social distanced, fix the windows that don’t open to improve ventilation. Schools were struggling to pay for hand sanitizer, they certainly couldn’t afford a mobile classroom!

Government have told schools that there is an increase to the pay rises to school staff (not just teachers) in addition to pay rises previously advised. They did this after most schools had submitted their budgets. Government aren’t funding these pay rises so schools are going to have cut something. Hope parents won’t be coming on here complaining about the teachers if their children are cold at school in the winter, as schools will have had to turn down/off the heating to save costs. To not have trips, books, specialist teachers etc.