To not send my children to school on the strike days?

[mumoffourminimes]

(Primary) school have said they will open on the strike days with TAs in classrooms instead of teachers and they will not be covering the national curriculum (fair enough). But do I have to send the children in under these circumstances?

Is it even safe to have a school full of children and half the number of adults?

I'm especially thinking of the younger years, unfortunately there have been some violent incidents in both yr1 and reception classes and there are some kids that really need the supervision.

I don't want to send my children in for babysitting services, i'm at home on maternity leave so I don't need that, lucky I know. So AIBU not to send them?

As above. I've taken my own children to the picket line, which has never been at the actual school I work at. Normally a big, friendly rally arranged in the nearest city.

I think it's about a broader sense of solidarity. It's not that you aren't free to cross the picket line. But if you're in sympathy with what striking employees are striking for, you don't want to cross their picket line as a "customer" of the employer. Because the more people who do that, the less impactful the strike, and your sympathy and solidarity is with the employees not the employer.

If my child's teachers aren't striking and he can have a normal school day, that would be grand. But I'll not be pleased if I'm obliged under threat of fines to send him in just to watch videos or do busywork under supervision of TAs who've been put in an awkward position and may feel uncomfortable providing cover, or by unqualified volunteers, with normal ratios out the window - in order to break a strike and claim only x% of schools were disrupted.

My kids are at two different secondary schools. So far one of them has said they'll be closing altogether as not safe to be open. I'm not really expecting the other one to be open.

If my child's teachers aren't striking and he can have a normal school day, that would be grand. But I'll not be pleased if I'm obliged under threat of fines to send him in just to watch videos or do busywork under supervision of TAs who've been put in an awkward position and may feel uncomfortable providing cover, or by unqualified volunteers, with normal ratios out the window - in order to break a strike and claim only x% of schools were disrupted
Agree with this.

The guidance sent to schools is to keep them open at any cost and telling schools that they don't have to offer any education on those days. This is not good for the children.

If most other affected schools are closing or partially opening maybe I'm misreading this. Maybe the HT thinks all staff will be in as normal but can't guarantee it so she's hedging her bets. Opening to all but with the caveat about the TAs

The government doesn't care about our children

The government doesn't care about our children
I know this and you know this. Hopefully more people will realise this.

If my child's teachers aren't striking and he can have a normal school day, that would be grand. But I'll not be pleased if I'm obliged under threat of fines to send him in just to watch videos or do busywork under supervision of TAs who've been put in an awkward position and may feel uncomfortable providing cover, or by unqualified volunteers, with normal ratios out the window - in order to break a strike and claim only x% of schools were disrupted.

Absolutely agree with you on this. My kids school has said the national curriculum won't be taught, and there will be periods where they're supervised in the hall. What is the benefit to my children for going to school that day? I want to keep them home.

DS is in a specialist school and his teachers aren't striking but they are still closing so the teachers can look after their own children.

Our local authority will only issue a fine if there are 9 sessions (4.5 days) of unauthorised absence in a 6 week period. So keeping dc at home for one day is not going to trigger a fine. Trust your instincts, and keep dc home!

DD's headteacher has said that, on the info he has, they will be open as normal. No mention of using TAs as cover or of the curriculum being suspended. Guessing not many from the right union at her school.

I can't work out our school approach.

They can open to vulnerable and critical worker children only but we need to request a place. Government guidance is those who can be offered a place need to be in. Would you take it as optional or not?

If I was a low-paid TA officially asked to cover the work of teachers on one-third or less of their wages by keeping the school open without them, I would be on strike myself.

The strikes occur on four days within a six week period. So that's half a day leeway for sickness.

I didn't know they were all within 6 weeks, but sickness would be an authorised absence and wouldn't count

DS' class has to stay home but school sent around an email saying if classes are open and those students stay home it will be marked as an unauthorised absence.