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Original poster

AIBU to think teachers shouldn't advertise anti vax messages at school?

82 replies

TippedOverIceberg · 15/12/2021 14:04

I will preface this by saying I haven't seen the offending message in person and will hopefully see it tomorrow.

Had a call from DC2's friends mum in the course of which she mentioned that DC1's TA isn't vaccinated. When I queried how she knew, she said the TA has an anti-vax sticker on the back of her car. I find this a bit off, she parks the car on the school parking spaces and all the children walk past the row of parked cars on the way into school.

Am I totally unreasonable to think she shouldn't be allowed to promote anti-vax sentiment on school grounds? The children are old enough to be vaccinated.

YABU she should be allowed to promote anti-vax.
YANBU a school is not the place to promote anti-vax, even on a teacher's car.

OP posts:
HangingOutWithTheSandman · 16/12/2021 07:35

so we can't be sure she wouldn't also have poor judgement discussing the topic and not being impartial as I thought all teaching staff were supposed to be in school.

Would you care if this teacher/TA was encouraging kids to have the vaccine, as you mention they should be impartial?

A teacher at my child’s school was hospitalised with covid and was off school for a couple of months. One of the other teachers was talking to the kids about him returning to school and said something like ‘so if any of you are thinking about not getting your vaccine, you need to think again’.

My child isn’t getting the vaccine but should I be annoyed at this comment? I wasn’t, but I did say to my child, he might get some certain parents moaning about his comment. I think it’s best teachers don’t talk about topics like this and do remain impartial, but I think having a car sticker is very different to actually saying it to the kids. This teacher/ta will use the car outside of school too.

Slightly different but over the years teachers have apparently made comments about things like politics and the Royal Family at my kids school. 😬 Technically they shouldn’t, but they’re not robots and my kids actually found it quite funny to hear whether they agreed or not.

I do think people having car stickers about subjects like this are probably attention seeking and silly but I’d just roll my eyes, if I even noticed.

girlmom21 · 16/12/2021 08:07

Unlike anyone else on Mumsnet.... I won't have time to post once I've walked past the car,

Sorry we didn't realise you were oh so busy and important.

It's hardly crime of the century.

If your trust in the teacher is so limited that you can honestly claim that you claim her judgment is so poor, you wouldn't allow your child to be taught by her.

Even if she did talk to them about why she's not vaccinated, you can talk to them about why it's a good thing to get vaccinated and provide a balanced counter-argument.

Charles11 · 16/12/2021 08:15

She’s hardly committing a crime. The way things are going, she might be next year, but currently she’s free to have whatever sticker she wants on her own car.

ChloeDecker · 16/12/2021 16:04

I know the car is hers, she told Dc when she got it.

Doesn’t mean other people in her family, for example, don’t drive it and it could be their sticker.

As much as I disagree with people not vaccinating unless for medical reasons, this sticker is not a hate crime and therefore, the TA has done nothing wrong (unless you come back and let us know what it really says).
Trying to manufacture accusations in case the TA might be saying things to pupils is tenuous at best.

I find it always best to stick to facts and not gossip…

Pensieve · 16/12/2021 17:30

Is this what adult bullying looks like?

I’m a supporter of vaccines but I wouldn’t complain about this unless I heard directly off my child a comment had been made. It sounds a lot like you and your merry mob have beef with this TA/teacher for more than just her sticker.

Original poster
TippedOverIceberg · 16/12/2021 20:02

Would you care if this teacher/TA was encouraging kids to have the vaccine, as you mention they should be impartial?
No, I don't think speaking about health issues is the remit of the TA/teacher and I wouldn't expect any to encourage kids to have it. I'd expect them to say the kids should discuss it with their parents. It's a decision to be made between the child, parents and doctor and I don't think the school should have a say.

I’m a supporter of vaccines but I wouldn’t complain about this unless I heard directly off my child a comment had been made
I am obviously not going to complain without any evidence of doing something I find unacceptable. Equally, my child doesn't talk about school at home so I might only find out in a few months time about something that has happened this week.

If your trust in the teacher is so limited that you can honestly claim that you claim her judgment is so poor, you wouldn't allow your child to be taught by her.
I don't have a choice Hmm

It's a small sticker of a red circle with a red line through a vaccination/syringe.

OP posts:
MichelleScarn · 16/12/2021 23:27

So does it say DO NOT ACCEPT THE COVID VACCINE?

girlmom21 · 17/12/2021 07:57

Well you do have a choice about who your child is taught by...

DBI78 · 17/12/2021 08:05

@girlmom21

Would you be upset if a TA had a Christianity sticker on their car?
Really comparing faith and anti vaxers?
DBI78 · 17/12/2021 08:05

@AnnaPerenna

I may have autonomy over my body and choose not to wear a tampon but that not means that I can go swimming and streaking the water with blood like some cheap horror movie.

How do you not get it that do not get the vaccine is not 'body autonomy' but it's putting others at risk?

Well said
DBI78 · 17/12/2021 08:06

I guess it comes down to what the sticker says. If you find it concerning/offensive report to head.

DBI78 · 17/12/2021 08:08

@XenoBitch

I am willing to bet there have been numerous car stickers over the school's staff cars over the years, yet you are only yourself in a twist over this one. I bet the kids walking past never look or give the cars a second thought.

I have seen stickers about the vaccine on bus stops etc, but they have all been anti-mandate ones, which I 100% agree with.

Yes because not everyone make good choices. Same with vaccines I guess.
DBI78 · 17/12/2021 08:08

@Whitefire

It is well known that stickers are literal violence, report her to the police. That'll learn her.
Teach her. And I don't think police will care.
Whitefire · 17/12/2021 08:15

I was being tongue in cheek, but thanks for the English lesson.

CoffeeWithCheese · 17/12/2021 08:16

I'm vaccinated. I'm still deeply against forced vaccination, sacking people from their jobs who don't comply and vaccine passports/passes.

Contrary to what MN seem to think - the two viewpoints are not mutually exclusive.

DBI78 · 17/12/2021 08:25

@Whitefire

I was being tongue in cheek, but thanks for the English lesson.
I did not get that genuinely thought you were serious 🤣🤣. And you're welcome ☺️
girlmom21 · 17/12/2021 08:38

@DBI78 the point is a teacher can have views without forcing them down the throats of children.
I don't care if a teacher is an anti-vaxxer or whether they're religious but I wouldn't expect them to pressure my children into having the same views as them either way.

FestiveMelts · 17/12/2021 08:44

We're living in times when coerced vaccination is a thing, I couldn't give a fuck if a TA has a sticker on her car.

DBI78 · 17/12/2021 20:31

[quote girlmom21]@DBI78 the point is a teacher can have views without forcing them down the throats of children.
I don't care if a teacher is an anti-vaxxer or whether they're religious but I wouldn't expect them to pressure my children into having the same views as them either way.[/quote]
I understand but religion (should be ) a positive teaching about faith whereas not vaccinating is a choice and during a pandemic not a clever one. It's definitely not appropriate to influence children that view. But it would depend what the sticker said and where the car was parked whilst the ta was working. If it's on a public street it's nothing to do with school, if it's in a school car park then I guess it depends on school policy about representing the school.

XenoBitch · 17/12/2021 20:34

I am curious as to how you would know what car belongs to this TA. It really sounds like you have some of issue with this person, and you are looking for some dirt to get her in trouble.
What is it you are hoping will happen? What do you want to come from this?

nojudgementhere · 17/12/2021 21:19

@CoffeeWithCheese

I'm vaccinated. I'm still deeply against forced vaccination, sacking people from their jobs who don't comply and vaccine passports/passes.

Contrary to what MN seem to think - the two viewpoints are not mutually exclusive.

Great viewpoint - wish there were more people like you in the world!
Emmelina · 17/12/2021 21:22

Perhaps I’m playing devil’s advocate here, but is there a chance she doesn’t know it’s there?
I drove through an extinction rebellion protest a couple of years back and later found a couple of stickers on the back. I hadn’t put them there.

HumunaHey · 18/12/2021 06:55

[quote girlmom21]@DBI78 the point is a teacher can have views without forcing them down the throats of children.
I don't care if a teacher is an anti-vaxxer or whether they're religious but I wouldn't expect them to pressure my children into having the same views as them either way.[/quote]
A car sticker is hardly forcing a view down someone's throat is it?

Beadebaser · 18/12/2021 07:08

No - I’d report that to the head. Depending on what the sticker says, if it’s encouraging misinformation - and there are children reading the sticker - it should be removed.

If you look at online harms - racism, bullying, exploitation, trolling etc - misinformation/fake news IS also on that list. So again - depending on what the sticker says - if it’s promoting misinformation it should be removed. Much the same as a sticker promoting any other harm listed above should be removed.

Beadebaser · 18/12/2021 07:08

@TippedOverIceberg