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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU that some children are missing 7 school days due to strikes and others none

229 replies

jazzyfazzy766 · 02/05/2023 17:14

So today my childrens school was closed for strikes for the 7th day, not even partially open. My children have missed 7 full days of school since February. My nieces go to a school 2 miles up the road and they haven't missed one day as they have only closed classes of striking teachers and none of the teachers have striked for the full 7 days as they say it isn't fair on the children.

The local secondary has been closed as well apart to year 11's but the secondary in the next town has been open.

It just seems unfair that some children have missed over a weeks education whilst others haven't.

I understand why teachers are striking and if all schools closed and all children were treated fairly I would find it easier to accept but this just seems so unfair on some children having to miss out. Our school has cancelled 2 school trips as well which probably can't be rescheduled!!!

I found out today as well that in my kids school only a handful of teachers were striking but as teachers don't have to give much notice the Head decided it was better to close to all classes so parents could arrange childcare rather than give very little notice to parents on which classes were closing when the teachers had given their intentions.

If the next three back to back strike days go ahead that means my children will have missed 10 days of school and twice a week at the moment they need to be at school for 745am for catch up lessons because of covid!!

Makes me so cross that SOME children are suffering. It needs to be consistent across the board. This isn't our childrens fault and SOME are being penalised!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
Callyem · 02/05/2023 17:59

Hintofreality · 02/05/2023 17:38

We were supposed to have a Parent’s Evening tonight, school let us know late last week that it is cancelled because of the strike and moved to Thursday instead. No thought given to parents who had booked time off work or arranged childcare to attend and know have to try and re jig everything.

What 'thought' should they have given you? They let you know last week.

ilovesooty · 02/05/2023 18:03

WheelsUp · 02/05/2023 17:43

Have you seen the news? The currently striking union are having strikes in June/July.
The unions representing head teachers, support staff and other teaching unions are going to vote for strikes in the autumn.

Hopefully they'll all be on strike before too long and at least the OP will have her desired consistency.

cansu · 02/05/2023 18:03

Hintofreality
It is unlikely that a national strike would be rearranged so that your parents evening can go ahead. No one at the school can do any more for you than notify you of the change.

NewNovember · 02/05/2023 18:07

Stop outsourcing your childrens education then, school is an opt in service the responsibility for education lies with you - the parent.

neslop · 02/05/2023 18:10

cansu · 02/05/2023 18:03

Hintofreality
It is unlikely that a national strike would be rearranged so that your parents evening can go ahead. No one at the school can do any more for you than notify you of the change.

But they can give as much notice as possible - our school rearranged parents evening as soon as the possible strike days were announced, on the basis that it was better that way even if strikes were then called off and didn't happen.

Ostryga · 02/05/2023 18:11

NewNovember · 02/05/2023 18:07

Stop outsourcing your childrens education then, school is an opt in service the responsibility for education lies with you - the parent.

Please say this louder!! If you can’t cope with 6 days off then why don’t you educate your children yourself?

Probably (like me) you absolutely couldn’t cope with it and wouldn’t want to. There is no way I could educate my daughter to the level her teachers do.

Original poster
jazzyfazzy766 · 02/05/2023 18:13

Teachers do a great job and like the nurses/paramedics are worth their weight in gold but it is the children that are suffering - companies and workplaces are beginning to get cross with employees having to take the day off. I have no family close by so my DH and I have taken 3 days off each but his boss who had 6 staff off today is reaching the end of her tether. If there are strikes again neither of us can miss work so one of us will have to go sick.

I understand that the idea of strikes is to cause disruption and life isn't fair but my point is that none of this is the children's fault and yet some of them are being penalised . I know that is the way society works but in this world of equality this is not giving equality in education to some children.

OP posts:
Ostryga · 02/05/2023 18:15

It’s short term pain for long term gain op. And all children that are looked after, or have social services involved (at least at DD’s school) and in on strike days.

It will be worth it. I’m a single parent with no family help and have lost a shit ton of money taking days off unpaid (parental leave) to look after Dd. Still want the strikes to continue until the govt stops being so fucking useless.

Original poster
jazzyfazzy766 · 02/05/2023 18:17

Our school has made no provision for the vulnerable which did surprise me. A complete blanket closure for everyone.

OP posts:
Busybody2022 · 02/05/2023 18:21

Yes. My children's school is doing the dame as yours and surrounded by schools where no other school has had the same kids miss more than 2 days but most have missed none.

It is causing a huge amount of resentment at ours. It isnt fair some kids are taking the full brunt of it and others completely unscathed.

ilovesooty · 02/05/2023 18:22

jazzyfazzy766 · 02/05/2023 18:13

Teachers do a great job and like the nurses/paramedics are worth their weight in gold but it is the children that are suffering - companies and workplaces are beginning to get cross with employees having to take the day off. I have no family close by so my DH and I have taken 3 days off each but his boss who had 6 staff off today is reaching the end of her tether. If there are strikes again neither of us can miss work so one of us will have to go sick.

I understand that the idea of strikes is to cause disruption and life isn't fair but my point is that none of this is the children's fault and yet some of them are being penalised . I know that is the way society works but in this world of equality this is not giving equality in education to some children.

You'll be missing work if you lie about being sick won't you?

Direct your ire to where it belongs - the government.

Sprogonthetyne · 02/05/2023 18:25

Some kids will have a week off ill and some won't. Some will have help with homework and some won't. Some will go to school fed and we'll rested and some won't. Some will do extracurricular activities and some won't. Some kids will spend their time off (including strike days) doing fun/educational outings and increase their cultural capital and some won't.

Overall whether a kid's class is closed for strike action is bearly a drop in the ocean of inequality that is already affecting their outcomes.

electriclight · 02/05/2023 18:26

jazzyfazzy766 · 02/05/2023 18:13

Teachers do a great job and like the nurses/paramedics are worth their weight in gold but it is the children that are suffering - companies and workplaces are beginning to get cross with employees having to take the day off. I have no family close by so my DH and I have taken 3 days off each but his boss who had 6 staff off today is reaching the end of her tether. If there are strikes again neither of us can miss work so one of us will have to go sick.

I understand that the idea of strikes is to cause disruption and life isn't fair but my point is that none of this is the children's fault and yet some of them are being penalised . I know that is the way society works but in this world of equality this is not giving equality in education to some children.

And the strikes in the NHS are not the fault of the patients who have had their operations rescheduled.

It the last option open to us. If you want strikes to stop, lobby the government for fair pay and school funding.

The discrepancy between schools is because staff belong to different unions - NEU voted to strike while NASUWT did not.

noblegiraffe · 02/05/2023 18:27

Some kids will have had a permanent class teacher this year, some will have had lots of different teachers, some will have been taught by TAs. In secondary some classes have had no teacher.

This problem is getting worse and worse.

teacher45646 · 02/05/2023 18:31

jazzyfazzy766 · 02/05/2023 18:13

Teachers do a great job and like the nurses/paramedics are worth their weight in gold but it is the children that are suffering - companies and workplaces are beginning to get cross with employees having to take the day off. I have no family close by so my DH and I have taken 3 days off each but his boss who had 6 staff off today is reaching the end of her tether. If there are strikes again neither of us can miss work so one of us will have to go sick.

I understand that the idea of strikes is to cause disruption and life isn't fair but my point is that none of this is the children's fault and yet some of them are being penalised . I know that is the way society works but in this world of equality this is not giving equality in education to some children.

The children are suffering FAR MORE under the current government - which is WHY we are striking. Your anger is completely misplaced!

sunflowerdaisyrose · 02/05/2023 18:33

@WheelsUp I can't find it in the news about 3 more potential days striking, what outlet is reporting it please? I'll look it up.

One of mine has been out all 6 days (only class shut in the school), and the other, none. Thankfully the one who is at home is self motivated to work and lets me get on with mine.

Beezknees · 02/05/2023 18:33

NewNovember · 02/05/2023 18:07

Stop outsourcing your childrens education then, school is an opt in service the responsibility for education lies with you - the parent.

What a stupid comment.

noblegiraffe · 02/05/2023 18:35

sunflowerdaisyrose · 02/05/2023 18:33

@WheelsUp I can't find it in the news about 3 more potential days striking, what outlet is reporting it please? I'll look it up.

One of mine has been out all 6 days (only class shut in the school), and the other, none. Thankfully the one who is at home is self motivated to work and lets me get on with mine.

On the NEU website.

AIBU that some children are missing 7 school days due to strikes and others none
Putyourdamnshoeson · 02/05/2023 18:36

I have one child who missed one day and one who has had days off for each one. Different schools obviously.

If the government would invest in education it wouldn't be happening. I work in education, although not in a school. It is in a DIRE state. 13 years of all services from sure start up to adult social care being cut to the bone has had a profoundly negative impact on home lives, aspirations and therefore behaviour, so an already cut back education system is having to deal with all sorts of complex child and adult mental health issues and poverty.

People who don't see it don't listen. Strikes are meant to be disruptive.

People need to stop voting Tory

Fandabedodgy · 02/05/2023 18:37

Our strikes are over in Scotland but my kids missed 10 days due to the strikes.

Shinyandnew1 · 02/05/2023 18:40

Fandabedodgy · 02/05/2023 18:37

Our strikes are over in Scotland but my kids missed 10 days due to the strikes.

The Scottish teacher strikes led to quite a good pay settlement, I think.

twistyizzy · 02/05/2023 18:42

jazzyfazzy766 · 02/05/2023 18:13

Teachers do a great job and like the nurses/paramedics are worth their weight in gold but it is the children that are suffering - companies and workplaces are beginning to get cross with employees having to take the day off. I have no family close by so my DH and I have taken 3 days off each but his boss who had 6 staff off today is reaching the end of her tether. If there are strikes again neither of us can miss work so one of us will have to go sick.

I understand that the idea of strikes is to cause disruption and life isn't fair but my point is that none of this is the children's fault and yet some of them are being penalised . I know that is the way society works but in this world of equality this is not giving equality in education to some children.

You realise that some children's education is being compromised on a daily basis due to lack of teachers/resources etc though? This is part of the rationale for the strikes. Or do you only care about your child (which is a perfectly acceptable fyi but I don't hear you moaning about this).
Even without strikes many children are without a dedicated class teacher at primary/Subject teachers at secondary.
Anecdotally DDs BFF last year (she was in Yr 6 ie SATS year) had 7 teachers from Sept-July. All supply teachers and none stated longer than 4 weeks so at 1 point the school cook was facilitating learning. Be cross about the unfairness of THIS, not the strikes!

cansu · 02/05/2023 18:44

OP Have you contacted your OP to ask the government to get around the table and negotiate to end the dispute? If not, please do so. This is the only way to end the disruption.

Nordicrain · 02/05/2023 18:46

NewNovember · 02/05/2023 18:07

Stop outsourcing your childrens education then, school is an opt in service the responsibility for education lies with you - the parent.

😂

eatdrinkandbemerry · 02/05/2023 18:46

My daughter has missed school on all the dates while my son has been In every strike day and they attend the same school!!!!
My other son attends a special school and his school have totally closed on all occasions.
My daughter is on the sen register and struggling so it's not helping her being off (she hates school so she's happy).
I understand why they are striking and it's children like mine that do bleed dry their small school budgets so I can't complain but my son is finding it hard with his routine being disrupted without the cognitive ability to understand why 😩