Parents - how do you feel about teaching unions?

[Musicaldilemma]

Following various exchanges in real life and on here, I was wondering what other parents currently feel and think of teaching unions? Do you know a lot about them? What do you feel their role is and should be in this pandemic? If you are able to, please clarify if you are a parent married to a teacher or teacher parent. Or just a parent like myself with a few friends who are teachers. I was interested to see that teaching unions in Switzerland, for example, really pushed the message that schools must be and stay open for children’s mental health.

@Keepithidden

Parent, non teacher here. I have worked with the DfE on projects and found them generally obstructive and interested only in their bottom line budgets at the expense of education and safety IMO. I hope this is only my personal experience.

I fully support teachers and their unions. Both as a wider support for workers rights, but also for the shit sandwich teachers have been served by the media and politico's these past few years/decades.

Thank you.

Nursery workers' unions are now stepping up. And more and more childcare workers are joining their unions. I'm really glad about that, and so should everyone be.

There's a good opinion piece in the Guardian about how the govt is using nursery workers as cannon fodder. And they've got away with it because no-one had been vocal on their behalf.

So I'm standing by for the thread about their unions. I'll certainly be supporting them in any fight for workplace safety. And no I'm not a nursery worker.

Not really sure why parents' opinions on teaching unions are relevant, unless they're a teacher and they are in the union?

It does sound a bit like you are trying to make trouble OP. I'm very grateful to the unions for the way they have prioritised children's well-being as well as teachers', in the way neither the government nor a sizeable chunk of parents seemed able to. Are you aware of the NEUs latest campaign to ensure vulnerable children aren't left behind?

people I do hold partly responsible for the current mess we are in (apart from the Government) are the Us for Them people who just would not listen when warned that all children back with no mitigation would not work long term. I don’t understand how they had so much influence.

Yes, it was very odd. There is a lot coming out now about how this group managed to have the disproportionate amount of influence they seemed to, and none of it looks good and proper.

DfE and teaching unions are not the same thing

I cant believe any teacher who cares about the kids they teach and their welfare would choose to not be in school currently especially those who teach the exam years who will know that following their union and refusing to work will have a massive impact on the childrens futures!

The union has not stopped anyone working. And you know exactly where you can go with the ‘you don’t care’ shite. I am CV and worked with no mitigating measures in any classroom, other than those I provided myself. My child is also CV and I don’t believe the school environment is currently able to keep him even a tiny bit safe. So no, your children are not, and never will be, more important than mine. I will do what I need to do to ensure that I don’t die or end up with long covid and try and keep my son safe. I don’t need your permission to do that and frankly, you can stick your ‘you’re so uncaring’ bollocks right where the sun doesn’t shine. You know exactly fuck all about teachers as individuals who have a whole lot more on their plates than just your child.

Not a teacher or married to one. I think what the unions have done is wonderful. I wish more places had unions who would fight for their clients more. There is nothing wrong with wanting your workplace to be made safer.

neu.org.uk/coronavirus-neu-national-recovery-plan-education

Can some parents really fail to see that the Teachers' unions suggestions are entirely reasonable for everyone?

They're benefitting your children, though that's not their prime purpose.

Disruptive. Not on the side of children at all. Seemingly wanting to stop teachers from actually doing their jobs. A disgrace really.

@Woolff

neu.org.uk/coronavirus-neu-national-recovery-plan-education

Can some parents really fail to see that the Teachers' unions suggestions are entirely reasonable for everyone?

They're benefitting your children, though that's not their prime purpose.

@loulouljh

Benefitting my children? I really don't think so. As soon as there is talk of schools going back the unions will jump on that to find a hundred reasons why it should not happen. They are truly awful. Now maybe not all teachers unions are the same.that I don't know. But my overall view is far from positive and I am not alone in that.

@loulouljh is it not important to you that schools are as safe as can be for your children and consequently you? (Not to mention all the school staff, their families and the families and wider community around the other children in the school).

You know that people in teaching unions are teachers, don't you? And that teachers, by and large, are pretty invested in helping kids do well?

I'm glad I have a foot in the real world, where people tend to be more supportive of teachers.

@Monkeytennis97-the most important thing is for kids to be in education in school (they are completely safe as is-I am not worried about my kids in the least, nor me and my family).

I would have some sympathy with the unions if I felt they were trying to work with Government. I can understand that they want as safe an environment as possible for teachers and staff. No issue with that. But they are not working with anyone. They are as disruptive as possible. It is inevitable..any announcement about schools returning and up will pop a union with a hundred reasons as to why that should not happen.

I am very supportive of teachers. I know alot of teachers are horrified at the behaviour of some of the unions. Quiet rightly too.

I know alot of teachers are horrified at the behaviour of some of the unions

What behaviour? Which unions?

@loulouljh really, you think schools are safe?! Really? As they were from September-December? They weren't.

I would have some sympathy with the unions if I felt they were trying to work with Government.

The government refused to work with the unions. The unions offered to plan with the government many times but were ignored.

@loulouljh also they are not disruptive. The government just bin all their press releases etc and don't talk to them. If anyone is disruptive/couldn't give a stuff about education it's the government.

The unions have tried to work with the DFE. The DFE aren't interested.

[quote loulouljh]@Monkeytennis97-the most important thing is for kids to be in education in school (they are completely safe as is-I am not worried about my kids in the least, nor me and my family).

I would have some sympathy with the unions if I felt they were trying to work with Government. I can understand that they want as safe an environment as possible for teachers and staff. No issue with that. But they are not working with anyone. They are as disruptive as possible. It is inevitable..any announcement about schools returning and up will pop a union with a hundred reasons as to why that should not happen.[/quote]
I don't know whether you genuinely have memory issues or are just choosing to lie? How can you say unions have been as disruptive as possible? Did all schools return fully in September? Yes. Did all schools follow the DfE guidelines for opening? Yes. Did thousands of teachers become ill with covid during this time? Yes. Did the government concede that schools had to close due to extremely high infection rates in the community? Yes.

@loulouljh

the most important thing is for kids to be in education in school

Based on what? It being inconvenient for you to have them at home?

If they're safe, as all children deserve to be, (and six hours per week day in, during term time, in school doesn't change the experiences truly vulnerable children have the rest of of the time) they why can't they learn from home?

Qualified teachers are working harder than ever to provide and differentiate for their pupils at home, whatever their individual needs. And I really mean even knowing who doesn't have a pen to write with, food to eat, an adult who cares, and doing something about it. Teachers are still setting the conditions for learning and unions aren't preventing them from doing their jobs.

School is predominantly for educating children. It shouldn't be a sticking plaster for everything that's wrong in society, and under normal circumstances, socialisation isn't exclusively there either. If instruction and explanation, models and opportunities for application and practice, plus quality feedback can be engineered remotely in a pandemic, (which teachers are working flat out to adapt, organise and deliver) of course it's better for everyone to stay at home, when the alternative is is a workplace (learning place) that the government still won't make safe, despite calls from unions.

@loulouljh: How about you educate yourself on what is actually the case with schools/union/the government, rather than just randomly repeating soundbites you've picked up from the Daily Mail?

Again, for the hard of thinking...you do understand that teaching unions don't give a fuck about your feelings towards them? They are looking after the workplace conditions of their members.

They could not be less interested in the indignation of Louise. 42. SAHM of two from Leamington Spa. Not a teacher. Not a member of the union. Opinion worthless.

I'm not a teacher. Just intelligent enough to understand this.

Also, would agree with all the teachers here who are pointing out everything that was suggested to the government as a way of making schools safer. Everything that the government has still as far as I am aware failed to put in place.

I would have some sympathy with the unions if I felt they were trying to work with Government.

Unbelieveable. I had to stop myself facepalming because I'd have knocked myself unconscious.

@loulouljh were you even reading the news? The WHOLE problem was that the unions (which basically means the teachers) wanted to work with the government, but they were frozen out.

The govt went ahead with their plans for schools without consulting teachers/headteachers in any way, through unions or otherwise, and that's why the whole thing has been a disaster.

Teachers wanted to be in school. Heads wanted their schools open. They knew what it would take to do it safely (rotas, masks, etc) but the govt refused to engage or listen.