List of striking teachers

[Motherland2624]

Hi
one of my sons is in the upper sixth of the local grammar school
the headmistress has just sent a list of striking teachers (for our information)
to get a idea of what our child’s day is going to look like
do you think this is a power move by the head trying to name and shame the teachers
I think it’s totally unnecessary its a legal right to strike
strike or not I support all teachers in their choice
just wondering on peoples opinions ?

I’ve just quoted this in my email to the head I hope that’s ok

That’s appalling.

My DC's school sent a letter out with the classes that'll be closed, so in primary it's obvious which teachers are striking. Is that the same?

That’s different.

and it’s not always automatic that the class closed has a striking teacher.
In the school my SIL works in they have prioritised certain year groups so some teachers are essentially minding another class while theirs is closed.

Sorry @Malbecfan i didn't mean to dismiss the other teachers.
It would be more of a two fingers at the head for being an arse - so maybe i'd just write "thanks for letting me know who to send the snacks to" or something?

I hope the strike achieves its aims, that will improve things for the kids, at least?

Depends how they have phrased it i guess.

If it is a list of "teachers who arent in school today" then probably get away with it as no reason is stated why they are not in (but we all know why).

At the end of the day kids will come home and say which teachers were in and which were not.

@YetMoreNewBeginnings I was told by the Head that that isn't allowed? As a few parents asked if some form of rotation could be done across the four days, given that so few classes are closed and it's a 3 form entry school. And the response was that non striking teachers can't cover classes for those who are. So it's pretty obvious that the teachers of the closed classes are the ones on strike. One class has a job share and again it's clear which of the two teachers is striking and which isn't as of the four strike days, the class will be open on one of them due to it being the non striking teacher's day.

I think the Head is meant to protect the teachers. Some don’t necessarily want parents to know it’s them that’s striking (although in some schools, it’s obvious).

It says” here are a list of teachers who are absent due to strike related action”

I'd forward that straight to the Union rep or to one of the teachers.

This is outrageous.

Ah, ours wasn't phrased like that. It was a list of the classes closed. Still blindingly obvious which teachers are striking as it's those teachers' classes which are closed. But no actual list of names.

Totally agree, I'd imagine it's a very serious breach of confidentiality

Absolutely this! It's an outrageous GDPR breach. Although it also tells you which teachers to be disappointed in for not striking. In scotland the school are just closed on the strike days because so many teachers are striking.

Pretty sure no parent of a secondary age child needs to know what one random day looks like. If classes are put together and all given work with very little teacher input it's not the end of the world for any year group and I'm sure there's plenty of revision/past papers material available to occupy exam year's. It's a sly and underhand way of publicising who is striking.

@Chickenly dont be ridiculous, and petty, you have no idea, again.

Our federation published that 1 school was fully open and another had limited classes running.

Parents of those 3 classes were then informed individually that their child's child would be open.

None of the parents are aware of which other classes are open, how many and haven't been informed which are closed - just that their own child's class is shut.

Not necessarily @Whattodowithallthebooks , a pp said their union may have not got enough votes so they will reluctantly have to go in. Nonstriking teachers should not be asked to cover striking colleagues classes
In my eyes this is a massive breach

Thank you for reading my response in the way I had hoped you would @Brefugee and thanks for your support. I'm sure all the teachers whether striking or not would be most grateful for any offerings, verbal or edible.

They can’t cover classes in terms of doing lessons and setting work.

they can essentially babysit though. That’s how some schools are open despite a number of teachers being off - two/three classes in the hall etc.

Eh?

@Chickenly quite

Of course there's a legitimate interest.He needs to know whether his classes are on and if and when he should come to school!

Surely it makes more sense and is less of a risk of breaching GDPR to say "These are the classes that are going ahead"
It seems an incredibly stupid thing to do.

As it is a secondary school the children will have multiple teachers during the day for different subjects. Therefore, it helps to know which of their lessons will be cancelled (i.e. whether there is any point turning up to school) and perhaps listing the teachers was the best way to communicate this efficiently. Otherwise they would have to list every class/pupil timetable and which lessons cancelled perhaps which would be an unmanageable task. So the head teacher may have done it for this reason and that may be justifiable. If loads of the teachers are striking anyway it doesn't look like victimisation.

What an awful ting to do!

Plus all it tells you really is what unions they're in.

I'd consider dropping the head an email to ask why they thought that necessary.