To think this is inappropriate for teachers

[irishchick93]

Hi. My sons classmates parents are having all the teachers around to the house for end of year dinner. I'm a bit miffed as to why. Maybe it's me but I think it's not very appropriate?

why is in inappropriate
are they on the board of governors?

Maybe it to say thank you for educating their child? Bit old fashioned perhaps but I am sure it happens a bit....

So the parents don't know any of the staff/governors and their child is fairly new to the country and the school?

They have invited every teacher from the school and the whole board of governors to come over for dinner?

And all the teachers and governors have agreed to go?

Your friend, who teachers at the school, is invited and has agreed to go? But you/she doesn't know why there has been an invitation or know of any link beyond recently joining the school?

How many teachers are involved?
How many governors are involved?

How big is their dining room to host this many people?!

Depending on type of school, the country they came from and their financial status, it's plausible they may be willing to donate funds to the school. That could be why the governors and staff are there. It's not unheard of and certainly the norm for wealthy parents in some other countries.

Thats super weird. Of the parents to invite them and for the teachers to accept. Very unprofessional.

why is it unprofessional?
the child is only 5

Is this the UK?

Is it an independent school?

Are the parents from the UK?

How big is their dining room to host this many people?!

Tbf, some village primary schools are very small.

Do you have children in school?

It's just not done to invite teaching staff and governors etc to your house as a group.

I knew this happening once in my career .
The parent was a very famous actor and the one member of staff they invited to dinner was someone who'd taught their child (for many years- secondary school).

The age of the child is irrelevant.

yes but what could happen?

OP sounds spiteful to me, she's looking to stir up trouble. And there are too many holes in her story. What does she want to ban next? Teachers going to the park or supermarket in case they see a parent or child. Too many parents think they own teachers and have a right to dictate what they do outside of school hours. No I am not a teacher.

That's not what miffed means.

Why is it unprofessional?
He’s 5; they are hardly going to be helping him cheat on his 11+
Are you one of those people who thinks teachers should live in school and not mix with the ‘normal folk?’ 😂

Teachers often have an end of year night out. This sounds like an alternative where they are gathering in a house & better still not having the expense of a big night out with dinner & drinks. 😁

If it’s primary I would have thought it would be good practice for the teacher to say that one of her good friends children will be starting their school. It’s a bit like conflict of interest and I’m sure the school could make sure the friends daughter has a different teacher. If it’s secondary school that’s different.

Some schools discourage their staff from being friends with parents on social media. Staff dining at a parents house is a million times worse, it crosses a line. There should be a professional distance socially.

On a scale of how much this is your business, this scores an absolute zero. Who the teachers have dinner with in their spare time does not concern you in any way whatsoever. If you're feeling somehow jealous or insecure about it, invite them yourself, but they are under no obligation to accept.

Surely Occam's razor would suggest that the parent used to work at the school themselves, hence knowing all of the teachers.

No, it proves that busybodies are liable to stick their oar in and take offence for no good reason.

I think there must be more of a connection than you know of OP. Because yes it is weird for a new parent of a new child in the school to invite all the teachers to her home and for them all to accept. My child is in reception in a small village school and I only know her teacher, I have nothing to do with the others, let alone host a dinner party for them. There are Mums that help with the PTA, bake cakes, volunteer for everything, go on school trips and are generally like mother Theresa at my kids school, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they socialised with the teachers, because the school would be lost without her, but she’s very established at that school, your friend sounds like a new kid on the block.

Some people just try very, very hard in school socials 😂

Alternatively, all schools have parent governors. That would probably explain why teachers and governors were invited, and also why everybody accepted

Totally off topic but I haven’t heard “hooner” in an absolute age! It made me smile!

This thread is why it's weird

Because there's always that parent who will create drama about everything, who feels the need to post on social media, who is miffed that she assume that somehow another child will be given some kind of unfair advantage - they're 5 years old 😂

and we predictably jumped to safeguarding issues.
Because, based on the report of a 5 year old child, a bunch of teachers might come and eat a sausage roll in someone else's house. FFS.