to expect school to postpone Parents Evening so that I can vote?

[notanumber]

I'm a teacher (but don't hold that against me, on this thread at least).

The next Parents Evening (Year 7 so not an exam class) is scheduled for...May 6th. Obviously this has been in the school calendar since September and they couldn't have predicted that this might be a Very Significant Date, but surely common sense would dictate that given the circumstances the school postpones it.

I live a good hour away from my school and usually don't leave 'til gone half eight on Parents Evenings, which means, basically that I cannot vote. This is true of many of my colleagues (and I imagine that it may well pose problems for some parents too).

AIBU to tell the Senior Leadership Team that they are being bloody unreasonable in not changing the date given that it's the general pigging election and I'd like to exercise my right to vote?

Can you not apply for a proxy vote? Or a postal vote?

Polling Stations will be open until 10pm, so you might just make it.

FYI you could have requested a postal vote once you fnd out about the clash....it's a bit late now

YABU

You could vote by proxy, vote by post, go at 7am.

quick get a postal vote or 1st thing in the morning

Polling stations open at 7am. Could you vote on your way to work? Or if you leave at 8.30pm you should just have time to stop off and vote on your way home.

Polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm, surely you could nip in at either end. Although I agree it would be better for them to change it for parents too.

Dh is a teacher and won't be home until after polls close on election day.

He simply applied for a postal vote.

I agree actually, they should move it. You're right in saying it could be a problem for parents as well. Ours has moved one that clashes with an England match!!!

They should change it.

You are probably too late for a postal vote.
Polls open at 7am and close at 10pm, so not unreasonable to vote first thing or last thing.

YABU, especially as you have known the date clash since the election was announced (and the May 6th has been mooted for months now as the most likely date.)

Ok. I should have applied for a postal vote.

But I didn't. The reason I didn't is because it's the middle of exam season and I've been working flat out (working days that start at 7:30 and finish at 7:00 plus evening prep at home plus Saturday revison sessions for Years 11, 12 and 13) Oh, and I'm seven months pregnant.

I just think that I give a lot to the school in the form of time and goodwill and just at the moment it would be lovely if SLT could make a concession for us teachers. Most of us have put our lives on hold for the last couple of months. I've barely seen my child let alone got it together enough to organise postal votes.

Yes, that's my fault. But I also think that if the school want my continued unpaid goodwill then perhaps they could consider a date change.

I leave home before 7am at the moment and can't guarantee that I'll be back by 10pm as I have to remain in school to see all the parents.

So while I probably could squeeze in a last minute vote there's a chance that I won't make it.

I was once told it's illegal to prevent employees from leaving work to vote.

This might not be true, I don't know. But I've used it a few times when it looks like I'm not going to make it home to vote.

It's your right to do so, get some other people on your side too!

YABU. You have known long enough to have organised yourself with either a proxy or postal vote. It is not school's fault. You can't pstpone at such short notice - parents will have organised their own committments by now in order to go t parent's evening too.

It is unlikely to be an issue for parents as they have not the lengthy distances in general.

Is there a chance you can arrange to go into work slightly later that day perhaps? Get to poll station for 7am, be out in 10 min max and at school for just after 8? What time do you have to be there fore?

What time does school start?

If I were you I wouldn't have organised a postal vote either and would want to vote. I can fully understand why you feel fed up.

If it were possible I would just make the decision to vote at 7 am and set off for school straight from the polling station. You might possibly get to school a bit later than usual, but I don't think that would be the end of the world under the circumstances, assuming you are missing out on prep before the school day rather than registration of course.

Can't you just arrange your consultations around finishing slightly earlier than usual?

YABU - but I am sure that if you spoke to somebody in SLT about your concerns, it could be arranged that you come in a little later than normal (you should have plenty of time to vote, travel in and be in school by morning registration, even if not as early as you usually are), or to leave at 7.45 in order to vote on the way home.

How long will it take you to vote??

I sympathise, I'm also a teacher and parent's evenings are hard work at the best of times. Given that you have missed your chance for a postal vote, I think you should vote at 7am and just get into school a little later that day. You are obviously putting so much effort into your work, but you CAN afford to get in half an hour later. Or simply tell your management that you will be leaving at 8.30pm, schedule your last appointment at 8.10 to allow for over-run.

FWIW my school is in London, we had a parents' evening on July 7th 2005, and they chose not to cancel/ rearrange it. Most of us had partners/children/friends who commuted into London and had spent a harrowing day trying to find out what was going on, while still teaching. Can't say I've ever really forgiven them for not changing it.

Yes, I'll go in late (I get public transport so missing connections etc means that it's not simply a case of just adding an extra fifteen minutes to my journey). I will make it in for registration but will have to cancel my pre-school Year 12 revision class. So I guess that's the solution.

Just to be clear though, it's not just me that is annoyed. Working in London means that longish journeys to school on public transport aren't unusual and there are lots of staff who are in a similar position to me.

Yeah, fair enough, I should have been more organised in terms of postal voting. But my school is in a pretty deprived area and for the most part my colleagues and I work long hours under challenging circumstances. At certain times of the year (such as now) we live and breathe school with long long days and six day weeks etc.*

That's our choice, but the school benefits enormously from our goodwill and dedication around this.

They are well within their rights to point out that we should have arranged a postal vote. But I am then also well within my rights to work from 8:30 to 3:30 only and provide no revison / clubs / equipment.... Goodwill works both ways. I just feel a bit fed up that they can't bend a little on this issue.

*Yes, of course we get good holidays and I very much enjoy these and am generally happy with my lot. I'm just pointing out that I work far more than my contracted hours.

Just to say I completely understand where you're coming from. However, I now think YADBU. You are working TOO HARD! Stop and take some time for yourself and your family. Go and read the bit about Work/Life balance on your union page, and PUT DOWN the pile of books that you are currently trying to mark.

(says the teacher who only just made it home in time to kiss her toddler goodnight for the third night running)