2 emails within an hour of each other re strikes and holidays

[OhIdoLike2bBesideTheSeaside]

So my kids school have sent 2 emails out this morning, 1 regarding closure dates for strikes

Fair enough I get it

Then in the next email less than an hour later - the importance of not taking your kids out during term time for holidays and them getting behind!!!

I mean the mums wattsapp is going wild

I think they have a cheek to say that!!

But it's 2 different things, right? and presumably they come from the head/admin who aren't involved in the strikes?

Letters about attendance and timekeeping are mandated by government.

It's another massive piece of admin foisted on schools, that they have to carry out whether they agree with it or not.

The strikes are over pay and CONDITIONS. Most teachers are not striking over pay. They are striking because of intolerable working conditions and excessive workload. Excessive workload caused by paperwork mandated by the DfE.

Our headteacher (LEA funded not academy in London) decides whether fines are issued. She never does it because it’s not a deterrent to the families who take them out. It’s become ridiculous at our school, with most of my child’s class off the week either side of Feb half term for cheaper skiing. We get letters fortnightly now but post covid no one cares. (Our school didn’t let kids back in even when they could have ie the key year groups in summer 2020 so I think it’s a reaction to that). Most have booked skiing or short break visiting families for the 15/16 March strike taking the 17th off - you can argue this is childcare as there’s not much else parents can do on these days. FWIW I support the strike but parents aren’t going to take attendance seriously when schools are closed repeatedly.

I'm sure parents whatsapp groups were set up for the main purpose of moaning about teachers. The parents on ours do nothing else.

I think the damage was done during lockdown. An extended period of school being something that could be withdrawn when convenient, a nice to have. That's the point at which the state attitude to attendance crossed over into parody territory. The strikes, which I admit I support, are nothing in comparison.

Just to remind you that teachers teach, they are not responsible for sending out mass emails.

It's not teacher bashing
But double standards
Most teachers earn a lot more than most people tho I think that is why some of the parents are upset about it to be honest

How is it a double standard ?

The teachers striking aren’t the ones who are demanding an attendance %

Schools don't fine students. The LA does. They are right to highlight it.

If you care about your child's education. You a) support the strikes to get a better education b) dont allow them to further miss school

Teachers are striking because the budget cuts are destroying the education system, we are one step behind the NHS.

The council have attendance officers who send out letters.

Exactly. This is a state policy. The same state that's mismanaged schools so badly in the past decade.

Anddddd here we go.

Double standards how?
You get a fine if your children miss school.
The teachers lose a day’s pay, trying to retain experienced and good teachers so that your children receive a better education. They lose a day’s pay because a third of all newly qualified teachers are currently leaving within the first five years due to the bad conditions.

They lose money to strike. You do realise that?

Train to become a teacher then. It's such a well-paid, easy job and there's so much demand they'll have no problem.

It was, and I do think that was possibly intentional.

*It's not teacher bashing

But double standards

Most teachers earn a lot more than most people tho I think that is why some of the parents are upset about it to be honest*

But other people chose to not be paid as much as teachers. It takes 4/5 years at university to become a teacher. As they have the whole country in their hands are they not allowed to be paid well? Or should everyone be on a zero hours contract so we all earn a shit wage? It’s about choice for ‘most people’

Its not a double standards, they are totally separate issues, don't be thick.

Schools have to send these attendance letters out because DfE is insistent on a rigid framework where Heads have no discretion and everyone everywhere has to attend 100% regardless of the suitabilty of provision, their mental health and whether they have just lost a limb in an RTA, or that holidays are 50% cheaper in term time.

Teachers have a right to strike. As do we all, thankfully, at least for now in response to their pay and working conditions.

Strikes are not holidays.

They have nothing to do with each other. Individual schools are not enforcing the strikes.

i think it’s frustrating as a parent but if I want MY CHILDREN to have the best teachers working under the best conditions I will support these strikes.

I don’t see anything wrong with taking children out of school for at the end of term but it’s the councils who enforce these fines.

Well I in DSs year the issue is not the attendance of the pupils, but the teachers. I cannot count how many hours of teaching he has missed in some subject and now strikes 🤷🏻‍♀️

Ha, we had the same this morning.

Email about strikes followed minutes later by another email speaking about the importance of attendance which they will be cracking down on.

Wouldn't surprise me.

Strikers strike on behalf of all workers. I support them all. Striking is an employee’s only weapon, and it’s a weapon of last resort. Unions defend workers, their rights and their working conditions. Only millionaire business owners should be anti-strike. Don’t let the government and the Daily Mail turn you against your own people.

It was definitely intentional. They knew full well they’d stir up outrage in parents that aren’t fully understanding of the strikes. They knew the comparison would be made: if teachers can strike why can’t I take my child on holiday when I please?! They knew the group WhatsApp would whip up a frenzy. They knew sending those emails would add fuel to the fire for anyone disapproving of the strikes.

Oh absolutely. Can always rely on people to try and undermine strike action in ways like this, including the government and schools/hospitals. Note how the press also always ramp up the anti nurse/teacher etc rhetoric when strikes are on the horizon.