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…

Schools are being forced to step into gaps left by parents and I do agree that ideally they should just step back from all that, focus on academics, and let social services take over if parents won't.

No teacher wants to brush a child's teeth, or potty train them, or feed them, but someone has to.

And there's enough people complaining that they didn't learn "life skills" at school and that geometry was a waste of time, as if your parents didn't bear any responsibility at all for preparing you for adulthood.

Home schooling is an option, it's much less convenient than school and economically very challenging. If school is the only option that works around your family life, you have to abide by the laws and respect the fact that there are 29 other kids in your child's class and they don't have time to wait whilst your child is caught up on missed content. And also, that they will only be open when they can provide a safe environment for education.

As a teacher I really don't like the schools = childcare attitude. School is for education and in 40 degree heat, nobody is learning so what is the point in being there? Besides, I am sure most schools have an arrangement for those that really cannot accommodate.

The school’s obligation is to the safety of the children. I’m not sure how conveying the information in anything other than a concise factual way makes a difference. It’s not their fault it’s hot!

‘Forced’. I think state over reach has led to this but then you can’t be surprised when parents see you as a childcare setting. If you’re checking my kids teeth, telling me they’re not too sick for school, teaching them about things I haven’t okay’d (many examples of ideologies being taught in school as gospel) then you’re going to be looked at as childcare because you’ve over reached into parenting.

Im not saying I agree but I’m saying that’s why parents see it as a blurred line and then get annoyed everytime teachers knock off for the day when we already struggle to fit in the school day hours, holidays and many inset days.

I agree with schools closing in an unprecedented heat wave, but I understand parents annoyance as it’s always something and it’s hard enough juggling kids and work now.

Can I recommend speaking to your MP about the need for the government to fully fund education in general and to specifically fund AC for all schools? That would make a big difference to how many schools need to close.

They could start by actually funding their proposed teacher pay increases each year, so that schools aren't forced to cut everything they possibly can.

School isn’t a childminding service. The children are the schools’ concern, not the parents.

I think it's just easier to be balanced in response to someone else's frustration than your own! I'm definitely not immune to complaining about things that inconvenience me 😅

We probably need to get real about how to prepare our homes, schools, hospitals and work places for the extremes in heat and weather we will be increasingly be seeing as temperatures rise globally so that life doesn't come to a grinding halt every time it gets really hot or really cold. Unfortunately the things we probably need like AC aren't exactly environmentally friendly or affordable.

Yes, it's difficult but remember that teachers have kids too and they have to be in school earlier than their kids and stay later due to after school meetings, planning, marking and parent's evenings, open days, extracurricular activities, twilight revision sessions and detentions..

OP as a mum whose DS left primary school 15 years ago I would say everything to do with school ignores parents' work commitments!

Call me old fashioned but school should be about education not childcare

This isn’t new. I’m almost 50 and remember my primary closing for a week for all sorts of reasons: too cold in winter and heating insufficient, too hot close to summer; some sort of virus going around ( week closure every winter for this); days here and there for any reason. Parents have to have back up options - grandparents, babysitter, nanny share, call an agency organize help for the day/ week

They are putting you children's safety first. I work in a school it's 30degress in classrooms with windows open, no shade in playground so kids are stuck in, hot and bothered. No adult would want to work like that. They are following safety guidelines. You'd soon complain if your little darling got poorly.

No closures so far in my village in South Yorkshire. Although some parents have taken it into their own hands and taken kids out. I certainly don’t think they do these things lightly, some parents are actually asking for school to be closed. We have AC at home so they would be better here but unless school close any absences would be unauthorised.

Schools are open about what they offer and what they teach.

If you don't like it, you don't have to send them.

What you don't get to do is send them but expect the school to follow your rules. They don't have to OK any kind of curriculum with you or debate their opening times- it's up to you to agree with them, or make alternative plans.

I agree. Mine have to be collected ay 1pm trw. Means juggling things round...

Schools are places of education not childcare. As a parent as much as yes you do need to work, it’s your job to find appropriate childcare.

Schools don’t close for the fun of it and actually, teachers can be parents too and also face the same issues as other working parents. Needing last minute childcare and putting your children over your work does come as part of having children.

I will say I do absolutely sympathise that schools can be awful at communication - with teachers as much as parents and children and that this should have been planned in advance seeing as we knew about this heatwave since last week.

I so also think that it’s the way our society is set up that women are expected to be available at the drop of a hat while also being fully committed at work. We in general need a more family friendly society where childcare needs don’t get in the way of society being able to function. Not sure how we’d achieve that though.

To answer your last question though, what do they think you’re doing - they think you’re being a parent primarily. I’m sure there are teachers who would be happy to spend the extra time babysitting in these cases if they were paid appropriately per child for it.

Yes this! My sons school is now closed Wed and Thurs afternoon (they were actually quite slow on communication which was stressful) but mine is still open optionally after lunch. So I'm still potentially in dependent on how many children stay. It's stressful but PP is right- its part of parenting to have to make arrangements for your children's welfare.

My classroom has windows on all three sides so it is pretty uncomfortable at 25 degrees plus. At 35 degrees we can't use it safely so kids have been under trees in the morning and in the library in the afternoons. I don't work Tuesdays but staff said it was hellish and they felt unwell. If it's not safe it's not safe.

We need clear guidelines from the DFE on temperatures inside schools so it's not done on a school by school basis.

Time to get aircon in all schools - Something for the new Prime Minister to implement asap

So tiring trying to explain this - I’m guessing you’re a teacher? Just wondering based on the hostile attitude and lack of comprehension of what I’m saying. It’s like when you even broach the subject of shorter holidays due to normal people’s annual leave entitlements and teachers start frothing at the mouth.

It’s not ‘my rules’ either, it’s the schools lack of consistency when they say “we’re not childcare” as soon as they drop parents in it who have to work. I’m not setting the curriculum as you state, but it was making the point about over reach from education into parenting type learning.

To reiterate, I agree that the top level heat is too hot for children but I also see the OPs point that yet again schools don’t seem to communicate effectively that they know parents will have a tough time with alternative arrangements this week. It’s that “oh well your problem” attitude that annoys a lot of us when the same school will be down our necks if we keep our kids off with flu.

You do realise thay school is for educating your children, they're not your child minders. Its likely little education will happen in this heat so why should they go? You are parents before you are whatever career you are. No one. Not even teachers are obligated to looks after your children.

Yep. Surely making it optional is the best bet.

I think the vast majority of schools are ignoring children’s well being in order to facilitate working parents.
It’s a red weather warning, a danger to life. I honestly think some children will be very poorly over the next few days after being forced into school.
Schools should prioritise health and safety, but generally they’re prioritising working parents and I think it’s to the children’s detriment

Children are statistically safer at school where there are adults actively safeguarding them. All that’s going to happen if school closes unexpectedly will be a lot of kids unsupervised, probably outside, in very high temperatures. More kids cooling down in rivers etc.

Came here to say this! School is not childcare. They don’t think about whether you’re at home and at nothing, or whether you’re in a demanding and difficult job. They don’t think much about you at all! That is not their responsibility!