If you missed your kid's parents' night because you were on a term time holiday, would you expect the teacher to allow another appointment when you return?

[Purpleturtle46]

Just that really. Parents night same week every year and parents informed 2 months in advance.

YABU-yes the teacher should arrange to see you at an alternative time on your return.

YANBU-no, you booked and holiday and missed it so that's on you!

No. Obviously.

*Why is an appointment discussing education, more important than an appointment discussing a child’s medical issue?

Do you not think that doctors should also have to work extra hours or ring patients on their breaks/at home and spend less time with their own families, to accommodate someone because they didn’t turn up for their appointment or wants 2 separate appointments for each parent?

Or is it just teachers that you think should do this?*

The parents evenings I have attended for my children allow both of us (yes, we have often attended together) to engage with the child's teachers, ask questions, and gain an understanding of their education. Sometimes discussions require input from both parents.

A doctors appointment is usually more focused on a specific health concern. Whilst they are important they usually don't require both parents to attend because decision making is not required in the same way. Often just one parent is needed to relay the medical history.

But you already knew all that, you're just reaching because for some reason you've taken an issue with a DV survivor asking to be accommodated separately from her abuser.

Straw man argument.

Do you really think teachers are well paid and adequately compensated in this country?

experienced teacher average £47k. I mean it’s not a princely sum but it’s ok, no? More than a lot of parents will be earning. Plus, you get to finish at 3:30 as everyone here repeatedly states. Plus the holidays!

No, why would I be? If you support the school, its pupils, its parents, its teachers and its rules you are a PTA person. If you are a person who takes a term time holiday, you are not the above.

I said at 3:30 my time is my own. I don’t mean that’s it. I have to mark, plan, tidy up, fill in forms, plan trip, do my subject leadership, plan assemblies, organise sports events etc , that that ten minutes times however many people want it means I am working even later into the evening. I can’t be directed in terms of what I have to do/ when etc but I do have to complete those jobs . Either at school or home.

You're lacking in comprehension.

We get to leave school at 3.30 should we wish.
We still have to get the job done.

I find the entitlement of parents on here staggering. Actually, disgusting. Teachers work long, long days and evenings and weekends. It’s not just ten minutes for the teacher, and even if it were it’s ten minutes after getting into school at 7:30am and working a full day before going home to mark your precious DC’s workbooks.

Move your holiday if you’re that bothered about missing a parents evening. Take responsibility for your decisions while you’re at it!

We get to leave school at 3.30 should we wish. We still have to get the job done

good. Because that involves speaking to parents for 10 mins if needed surely. So we’re on the same page

Nope. You had the chance to speak to me. You went on holiday.

It's not their job to offer alternative appointments to parents who want to take their child out of school for a cheaper holiday.

I'll assume that's a no 😁

I get why headteachers are paid so much reading this thread

But if they were here for parents evening you'd be doing that appointment anyway?

Hahaha...😂 oh you're serious.
Get the fuck out of here, with your 5 o'clock bollocks!

Dealing with entitled and unreasonable parents all day?

Nobody mentioned the PTA. You mis-read. It said PITA (pain in the arse).

Exactly, within the time I'd allocated to it. Not like I can walk out of parents evening and do anything useful for the 10 minutes they aren't there.

Separated parents is a different issue and I think should be accommodated, especially where spousal abuse is involved. For that comment yabu.

However, if a parent chooses to go on a term time holiday when dates for parents evening are well advertised then that visit on them. You are under no obligation to accommodate them. That said I would perhaps advise the parent that if there are specific issues then they can email them over and you can respond at a convenient time.

A doctors appointment is usually more important than a parents evening, let’s be real here.

A parent who chooses to take their kid on a term time holiday, has no right to then act like education is a top priority for them and it’s in the child’s best educational interest that the teacher should give up their free time to accommodate them.

You’re being obtuse and trying to twist peoples words to make the teacher be in the wrong for some reason.

Its odd that you’ve turned a discussion about a term time holiday, into a discussion about DV.

And I haven’t taken issue with a DV survivor being asked to be accommodated. I’ve actually said multiple times that they shouldn’t need to disclose or do anything that would be triggering or that they would be uncomfortable doing - not sure why you’d take offence to that.

It’s unfortunately extremely common for many of the parents of students to have gone through an abusive relationship.
And many parents are of course separated.

Teachers are not unique beings.
There are multiple teachers living with DV right now or used to be, just like women from all other professions.

Nope

Don’t forget the c. 30% pension contributions too! That’s making it up to around £61k, for the weeks worked over the year.

If we agree that teachers don’t get paid for holidays then that covers around 42 weeks, which if you prorate up to a regular 52 wk role makes something like 76k.

I don't think you quite understand what directed time is.

No why should they give up more of there free time?

Quite. It's either a £60k role with double the usual holidays or a £76k role paid pro rata because it's part time (if we accept the narrative that holidays are unpaid)

It's a decent professional salary

I don’t agree that parents nights are in the interests of the child. It is for the parents. Even if it was, if the parents don’t prioritise school over holidays why on earth should the teachers bend over backwards when the parents can’t be arsed

mine have never been out of school even for a day on holiday. My dad used to have set holidays in his job and I had to get taken out of school and I would not have done it to my own kids.