To think the school should not be providing online learning on strike days.

[needabreak5]

School say they likely have to close because they can’t accommodate all kids. The non striking staff will provide full day online learning for all pupils, which kids are expected to engage with. How are parents expected to do this? My kids are 6 and 4 so can’t just get on with it.

DH works full time and needs to be in next Wednesday. I work full time, but will be able to WFH and try to do as much work as possible while DC are occupied (with iPads / TV etc) and catch up when DH gets home. AIBU that it’s unfair to expect parents to engage a full day online learning if they are trying to work too? Feels like lockdown learning again which was impossible!

I know it will be fine to just not do it, but I don’t think the school should be asking this of parents.

[JodiePants]

Schools should not be doing online learning as it undermines the teachers striking. Union guidance is that work should not be set by striking teachers. Teachers not striking should not be covering, in person or online.

[WineDup]

@needabreak5

Lockdown had nothing to do with teachers at all - wee worked throughout it, often in the classroom with vulnerable children, at the point where other people were hiding away genuinely afraid of dying.

I still thought the home learning expectations set for young DC were impossible with 2 full time working parents (demanding not strictly key worker roles so no school place).

I can see this from both sides - my partner and I are both category 1 key workers. We both worked through the pandemic, a mix of at home and in person, and we had a school aged child.

We weren’t entitled to get dd into school unless both of us were in person, which was rare - we were mostly both at home, or we managed to schedule our days in the building for different days.

I was to provide live lessons - via video - for at least 1/2 of my timetabled classes. The others I could set work but still had to be available in real time to help.

My partner was making/taking calls.

We also had to homeschool.

iIt was tough to do both the homeschooling part and the home teaching part.

[Stormyseasallround]

It’s not a race to the bottom. I can both sympathise with the plight of the self-employed AND fight for higher wages for my own profession.

[FrippEnos]

@Thinkbiglittleone

I was under the impression the schools are not allowed to replace the striking teachers. So who would be delivering this class ?

Schools can ask TAs to cover classes if it is in their normal working remit, but they would also have to set the work which often isn't in their remit.

[unknownscot]

@FawnFrenchieMum

Well I think schools won’t be able to win as for every parent that can’t do it there will be one demanding work is set.

If you can’t do it don’t, no one is going to punish you or the children.

This 👌🏽

The teachers are right in striking. There will 100% be parents asking for work home. If you can't do it or don't want to ask your children to do it, don't. The teachers will not be phased if it's not done.

[FOTTFSOFTFOASM]

@flumposie

@FOTTFSOFTFOASM during lockdown I couldn't go on trains, see nurses in a hospital etc so by your thinking they shouldn't be on strike either. Also teachers didn't close schools during lockdown, that was the government and teachers were working from home. They are entitled to strike.

Yes, by my thinking, they shouldn't be on strike either. I refused to strike when I had a state-funded job because all strikes do is shit on the people who need you to be at work (pupils and their parents, students, sick people, people who can't afford cars so who are reliant on public transport to get to their zero-hours jobs, etc).

[MrsHamlet]

Meanwhile, parents in other schools are complaining that their kids aren't getting online learning.

[CrapBucket]

School can't win, they honestly won't care if you do the optional online stuff (which they have created for the parents who would complain if it wasn't there). Put your own family mental health and wellbeing first. Don't send yourself back to lockdown misery.

[BankOfDave]

If the school was completely shut what would you do then? I get you can’t leave a 6 and 4 year old unattended for long on online learning but you’d have to arrange for them to do something anyway?

[User1643876]

My DM is on standby to have my DC if needed, she won't be homeschooling. I will be at work

[CatchYouOnTheFlippetyFlop]

No member of staff should be filling in for the teachers in any way, shape or form. It undermines the staff of strike and nobody should be putting non teaching staff in this position. I hope they will be approaching their union about this.

[ChickenBurgers]

Just don’t do it. I’ve booked the day off work and I’m going to take my son out for the day if he’s off. If you’ll struggle to manage homeschooling while working just don’t do it. Can you or their dad not take a day of A/L? Saves a lot of hassle then and if they end up in school, you get a day of peace and quiet. Win win!

[Badbudgeter]

Our school didn’t set it online learning as not asking teachers to cross the picket lines. Scotland so we’ve had multiple strike days already.

[MarshaBradyo]

I don’t really care if they do or don’t. My Dc seem likely to be going in anyway - the older two that is

[ilovesooty]

@JodiePants

Schools should not be doing online learning as it undermines the teachers striking. Union guidance is that work should not be set by striking teachers. Teachers not striking should not be covering, in person or online.

Exactly.

[Getinajollymood]

@MrsHamlet

Meanwhile, parents in other schools are complaining that their kids aren't getting online learning.

Whether parents complain or not is beside the point though. A lot of people don’t understand strikes or the legal positions surrounding them.

[User1643876]

Some people like me will be arranging relatives to mind DC, so probably a day out or watching TV, they won't be expecting to be replacement teachers

[MrsHamlet]

My school is closed to most students but non striking teachers are setting online learning for their own classes. Striking teachers are doing nothing.

[echt]

This is the government trying to undermine the teachers' unions action by simultaneously appearing to do the right thing by instructing schools to provide online work for all students, then annoying the bejesus out of parents by placing responsibility on them to supervise that work.

It's all to make the strikers look bad.

Will the schools give a fuck if the work is/isn't done? Nah.

[DownInTheDumpster]

I feel so sad for teachers. They can’t even strike due to terrible conditions and insane workload without there being an expectation of them preparing learning for the day and working out how to pick up after the strike day- ie more work again. It’s such a thankless profession but it’s so important and all the teachers I know are so lovely.

[MrsHamlet]

@Getinajollymood

Whether parents complain or not is beside the point though. A lot of people don’t understand strikes or the legal positions surrounding them.

I'm a union rep. I'm well aware of this fact.
We're damned if we do and if we don't.
Classes whose teachers are on strike will not be getting work set.

[iloveyankeecandle]

Just don't do it. I won't be home schooling if my kids school is shut. Same as I won't be doing a teachers job as support staff in the school I work at. We need to support them.

[iloveyankeecandle]

This is nothing at all to do with the pandemic?!

[glowingstars]

I think it’s good that they’re offering online learning as some parents will want it. But I think there should be no expectation for children to complete it, especially the younger ones. Ideally it would be great if the online learning could be a couple of educational videos…

[FrippEnos]

@iloveyankeecandle

This is nothing at all to do with the pandemic?!

Sssh the haters will be feeding off the pandemic for years to come.

There are quite a few on MN that love to continue to spread misinformation about what teachers did during covid.

I am looking forward their harry type book of truth to be published so that they can all salivate together over the BS that they enjoy spreading.