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…

I work in a big school and have also been a governor in a primary school. If they started using apologetic tone for inconveniencing parents, they would open themselves up to all sorts of demanding communications and complaints. They deliberately use plain, authoritative language. They don't work in the service industry and you are not the client. They are not doing anything wrong, they don't need to apologise or use a conciliatory tone for inconveniencing you.

I think our reactions to weather are ludicrous and people should get on with it tbh. But I accept other people have different views and reactions to the heat, so I speak for myself. The voting is pretty split which reflects that as well.

Doesn’t she say no AC in the post

Schools cannot win on this.

I wonder how many employers where wfh is possible this week are not agreeing to that as an option, if only to save unpleasant journeys to and from work?

Oh I have just read that.

Lol. It is for people with school age children who need to earn money to live!

I found primary school communications were always appalling, and usually had that tone. It Grated. And it was always body last minute when the school must have known about key dates for months (although adverse weather doesn't come into that category).

Secondary was much better, they seem to appreciate that parents need to plan ahead.

Plotting? Too damn hot to do anything of the sort.

I walked past about 30 kids in the dining hall today - I was hit by a wall of human heat that felt roughly the same as going outside into full sun in the car park at 2pm.

We're still open at the moment. Two thirds of the site is windows in full sun (no curtains or blinds, they're a bit pricey when you need thermal curtaining and/or blinds the equivalent of 7-45 foot long and a half mile wide to cover each window on the sunward aspects yes I am a pedantic dick, thank you). So you get all the classes trying to scuttle into the north facing rooms, except most of those are also south facing.

It's going to be brutal tomorrow. Assuming the woods that the public transport run through don't catch fire like they did last time. Or the fields. Or people's vehicles. Or the buses. Or on the railtracks. Then it'll be more dangerous than just heatstroke - but at least we've got a few defibs, I guess.

Ik people keep saying they can’t win. But they can? Just put out comms saying go home at lunch if you want. Or stay

The schools have a duty of care to the children . If it's not safe for them in the school they have no choice but to close the school
It's annoying for parents but it's not their role to consider the parents work commitments

Parents might see it that way but it doesn't mean they are correct. The role of schools is to educate their pupils . They don't need to vonsode their parents work commitments

And they wonder why there’s a teacher retention problem. This is crap. I e been a teacher for 35 years and I’ve never heard if a) teachers ’plotting’ for time off or b) SLT listening to the views of teaching staff

“Teachers plotted for the Met Office to issue a red heat alert saying danger to life and then made sure the school doesn’t have air con so they could get a day off”

My kids school has a very sensible approach. Keep your kids off (authorised absence), pick up early or if necessary leave them in and they will potentially spend time in the hall the coolest room. Seems very logical.

According to the DWP it is

They should ask for a photo of an ID badge by email.

This. 100%

Schools need to adapt. This isn’t just a one off.

All the ones over about the age of 11 will be out with their mates, hopefully not at the local lake or river, I doubt they will be in being fanned by their parents

So come on how does a 100 year old building adapt on zero budget? I would love the ideas!

I keep reading this but how? Any solution will cost money and there isn’t the budget for it - year on year there are cuts, never rises.

The government must think it’s the lesser of evils to shut schools rather than fund them to say open.

I think heat will be another driver of inequality. Schools who have a PTA who can fund measures will be able to stay open in comparison to more poorly funded schools.

Sorry - are you trying to make any accidents involving students not in school the fault of teachers? Not parents? And you don’t think some might be ill or worse if they stay in schools in 40+ heat?

They count wrap around care and holiday clubs as child care NOT the actual state funded education during designated hours.

I used to have a lot of respect for the profession. Until the pandemic. That destroyed my respect for a vocal minority in the profession.

I think there needs to be some sort of Hub set up, like there was during Covid school closures.

Pick the coolest part of the school, there will be far fewer children than usual and just let them relax, watch films do craft etc.

I appreciate that schools aren’t childcare but for some people, taking time off at short notice just isn’t possible.