AIBU to think school closures ignore parents' work commitments?

[OhNoItsThePinkyPonk]

AIBU to think that the school doesn’t take much account of parents’ need to work? Primary school have just announced they won’t be opening for the rest of the week, but it’s OK because they’ll be sending us online work for us to do with the children, and whilst they are sorry they have had to cancel sports day we shouldn’t be too upset because they’ve have rescheduled it for a couple of weeks time. Like, I totally get they have to put the safety of the children first and if it’s too hot it’s too hot, but what do they think I’m
doing when the kids are at school, preparing beautiful dinners, ensuring the craft box is topped up, pining wistfully for the moment they come home? FFS, my job obviously comes second to my children and of course I’ll cancel planned surgeries and clinics where I need to. It’s not the emergency that bothers me, it’s the blasé way in which it’s communicated as though it’s a
minor inconvenience, not a major major f’ing headache with serious second and third order effects.

phew, that’s better. Now to go and get the little darlings…

So what happens to all the kids that you are meant to be teaching then?

School is school, it is not a childcare provider that you can get angry with for cancelling a babysitting session last minute.

YABU

I have no skin in the game here really - my kids school remains open (so far) and I'm WFH in comfort today.

But surely you must appreciate that classrooms are in fact significantly hotter than a room at home? For a start, at home in my little home-office I have closed the blind and curtain today after having the window open early to air the room. A 3rd floor classroom will be mainly glass windows, likely no/little blinds and windows that often can't open more than a few cm due to H&S rules. I have a fan blowing on me - most classes will have one fan only, and that isn't going to be doing any effective cooling for those nearer the back of the room.

I am also sat alone in this room. My kids will be sat in classes of 30+ in one room. That alone makes it hotter.

If I've got a day off work in the sunshine I'm not sitting inside with my DD doing online schoolwork, we'll be going swimming and Paddleboarding in the lake nearby.

Fortunately I'm on a day off on Thursday which is the only super hot day forecasted where i am, so will be okay this time and also be able to take an extra kids or two as well.

Well this happens all the time anyway. Teacher's have kids that are sick and have to be off to look after them, or teacher themselves are ill. It's not unheard of.

If you are in a red area that means danger to life. Let that sink in for a second. You think teachers can really be responsible for 30 children when there's a danger to life.
What did you want the school to say in their message? Did you expect them to fall to their knees and beg for your forgiveness for putting your child's health first? Of course it's annoying but a lot less stressful than if your child became severely unwell and the teacher was busy with 29 other children.

This was the temperature in my science lab at school yesterday afternoon at 2:35pm

31.5°C

There were 33 people in that room. Glass windows on both sides, flat roof overhead, windows only open 2 inches due to being on the first floor.

It was "only" 30°C outside.

What temperature is it likely to be on Thurs, when the forecast is saying 39°C outside??

There is no legal maximum temperature for classrooms, but the World Health Organisation recommends around 24°C as a comfortable upper limit.

My MAT has decided to close all of it's schools. Even if they hadn't, I would have had to take the day off, as my own DC's primary chool is closing (different trust).

DD's primary gave us a choice. I do feel a bit bad she's staying as I have to work, but I suspect they will end up watching films in the hall (for some reason that's the only part of the school with AC).
What is more bizarre, is that DS's school with AC in about 70% of buildings, is closing at lunch. It's so they don't have to travel home in the hottest part of the day, but for those like him who have a short walk I'm not sure the benefits outweigh the discomfort of being home where I definitely don't have AC. He's 14 so can look after himself, but glad I'm around wfh to remind him to drink lots.

I‘m in Germany, where it’s been hitting up to 36 degrees.

Our primary schools have a policy for closing early if temperatures top a certain number. This happens every year, and whether through organising the day differently or cancelling the final lesson, school closes at 12:20 rather than 13:10, with children who can’t go home relaxing in a classroom for the final hour. The standard hour of homework isn’t given.

However, we‘re also better set up for impromptu closures (barely a week goes by without an impromptu later start). My 9yr old got himself to school for the later 08:30 start this morning and has been doing this adhoc since age 7. it’s also quite normal for kids to spend an hour or so home alone after school at DS‘ age. A lot of raising kids here is encouraging independence.

They shouldn’t be.

AIBU to think school closures ignore parents' work commitments?

I would argue the opposite: that employers are unreasonable to ignore parental commitments.

Schools exist to educate children, not provide unpaid daycare.

How are teachers supposed to do that?

Are they and the kids of other key workers supposed to be made of sterner stuff?

Overall I agree with you, but living full-time and growing up in a particular climate is not the same as suddenly being thrown into it for a week when you are more generally acclimated to something different.

If you say so. Everyone I know uses it for education…

I rather suspect they word it as they do to stop entitled parents messaging back that they need childcare, it's inconvenient, they've got to work etc. Adopting a 'tough shit' tone may be tactical.

You would have to take leave if you couldn’t find alternative cover though wouldn’t you!

How would you suggest society functions then instead?

Just don't do the work. You're right that you can't drop everything if you work and it does cause issues, but we must recognise it's for valid reasons. Equally I think schools must realise some people will be working or having to find emergency childcare and won't be in a position to complete work with their children at home. Tbh they'd probably rather not send any home but then someone will complain about that too.

This.

Anyone who voted for successive Tory governments that dismantled/scrapped school improvement programs and wilfully ignored school infrastructure issues for 15 years has no place to whine that schools are open/closed/cold/hot/crap/whatever.

I’d agree with you if the school and LA’s weren’t punishing parents for having their kids off for sickness or family emergencies.

I agree with the heat meaning shorter days, I just think the argument that school isn’t childcare when the same school will second guess your parenting on how sick your child is and harass you to force them in is a bit hypocritical.

If schools aren’t childcare then they need to back off trying to take the role of parent around things like reasonable missed attendance.

What a stupid question 😂

This is very poor, our local primary school has also decided to finish at midday, but children can stay in school for the afternoon for childcare if parents are unable to collect them and lunch will be provided.
The local college is also closing early, this is a new build, (less than 5 years old) not fitted with any AC or solar panels because the LA took a short term cost saving view, rather than considering any future-proofing.

Yeah obviously that too....it doesnt have to have only one purpose does it! But OBVIOUSLY given most people work Mon-Fri, it's also used as childcare.

So presumably you think that a parent should always be at home contactable by phone and ready to take over at all times whilst their child is in school.

Which parent i wonder? If that parent gives up their career and gets trapped in an abusive relationship as a consequence of having no financial independence, what should that parent then do?

What should single parents do, this includes widowed single parents?