school cancelling lessons to watch England World Cup

[Balcanoona]

Is this right? It’s the match on Monday cancelling lessons from 1pm so the students can watch the Iran vs England game

Agree.
We have a thread where people said they won’t watch Celebrity Get Me Out if Here because of Matt Hancock ( and Boy George to some extent). In years gone by we had sportsmen boycotting South Africa over apartheid.
Supporting the Qatar World Cup is a completely a political issue . There’s plenty of ways to watch it after school if the actual game means that much. Otherwise they can just tell be told the result.

I'm so confused. I had to check the date on this thread. I had no idea there was a world cup for any sport next week, let alone tbe football one!! I'm not a team sport fan but still - how on earth could i have missed this?! I haven't heard a single child mention it at school or seen any displays in the supermarkets. Is it lower key this time?

I don't think we'll miss lessons if it's a Monday. Queen's funeral and coronation were/will be Mondays and we had a whole school off curriculum day anda residential trip for 3 year groups on Mondays too so classes we teach on Mondays are well behind the other classes as it is. I wouldn't have strong feelings either way, otherwise.

Is there an alternative for children who don’t want to watch?
If not, I think it’s unreasonable.

I don't want to be a killjoy but I really can't get excited about football at all and this would really annoy me.
It is sending very confusing and contradictory messages about the importance of education, individuality and independence of thought.
I also hate the way the media (BBC etc) are always harping on about human rights abuses in Qatar, getting all faux indignant, and yet airing the matches anyway. This seems to be reflected in your school, doing a token lesson about Qatar but showing the match anyway. I would be so cross! Not that I care too much either way - I just hate hypocrisy!
Forgot to say! Sod providing work for children who aren't interested - use your parent power and take them out - say you're going to take them to watch an alternative sport if necessary - how could they object?

"They have told mine that is a historic event ..... well... football!? You have to be kidding me!"

Wales haven't qualified for the world cup since 1958 so it could be a once in a lifetime event.....

I'd have hated being forced to sit through it. I hope that an alternative is offered to those who don't want to (I mean literally any alternative - watching paint dry would be more fun).

It’s 64 years since Wales were in the World Cup.
Of course it’s historic.
Yabu.

I bet they wouldn't do this with a women's world cup, you know one we have a chance of winning.

English patriotism is a funny thing.

I bet they would!

As they have done this for the men's game they really should, otherwise what message are they sending? Men's football is so important we disrupted the timetable but women's isn't.

My older children's school has confirmed they will be showing the match which spans most of their lunch break and then into a specially extended tutor period after then it’s on to a shorter last lesson. As football fans and recently qualified referees who are studying sport qualifications, they are absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity. Their friends who don’t share their enthusiasm will be able to go about their day as normal. My dd is at primary school and there are no plans to show it there (yet! The Headteacher loves a last minute decision) but we will catch up at home. As a family we have discussed a lot of the issues around Qatar and why there is so little advertising and hype as brands do not want to be associated etc. We have also discussed our memories of previous tournaments and how this one differs.

I agree, women’s football is gaining a much higher profile - long may it continue!

I hope as others have mentioned that the Qatar human rights or lack of and the award via likely corruption is mentioned.

England are only going to be in three games, so perhaps the main lesson children will learn is disappointment.

Mine would rather pluck out her eyeballs than watch football, or any sport tbh.

Children in Need is on Friday the 18th, not Friday the 25th?

I don’t think a couple of hours is going to spoil anybody’s education and I think it sounds like it will be an enjoyable afternoon for the children. My unease is that I don’t expect there would be / have been the same concession had one of the women’s matches fallen in school time. And I confess, I will probably watch some of the World Cup but have never watched women’s football myself, but I still don’t like the example being set to children.

Why are some posters saying it is a historical event? England usually get through to playing in the first rounds of the world cup.

I remember the last world cup which was happening while DD was taking her A levels. One of the matches was playing while she was at her prom, and apparently the atmosphere was fantastic, but this was in the knockout stages.

Blimey, if people in Wales can't see that this is hugely culturally significant in Wales, maybe they need to go to school, but again they'll really be doing it to protect their attendance. I imagine schools will be practically empty if they don't show it

One of the primary schools in my area is having a special screening of the England game - only for pupils with 100% attendance since September. You can imagine how that has gone down with parents.

School letter in ours clearly states Fri 25th for non-uniform day - Children in Need and match watching. I think they want to bulk it all to save some proper lessons.
I still do not agree with them watching it. And many of them actually do not want to.

Being Scottish, unfortunately we don’t have this conundrum but I honestly couldn’t get het up about this.

God forbid the kids that want to watch the match have a bit of fun at school 🙄

It sounds like the school have got the CIN date wrong.

they should spend the time not watching the match and not having it on the tv so it's not counted in the ratings.
Instead they can talk about how and why it was awarded to a country with an appalling human rights record, and corruption.
And then they can talk about Iran and what they are doing to women.

That would be a better use of their time, TBH. And i realise i am completely po-faced about this but this time it is really really appalling.

having said that: i would be gutted if i was from Wales and would probably watch the match. But i would be taling about Qatar and Iran and why it is wrong that it was a) awarded to Qatar and b) Iran should be a pariah state for sports the same way Apartheid South Africa was.