My child's school is striking next Wednesday

[Cherryblossom200]

Hi all,

Just found out my daughters school is striking next week. The email from the head tried explaining its not just about pay, but about cuts to education as a whole. I understand there are a huge amount of problems, however striking is the wrong way to go about it especially when it concerns children. They have lost so much time in school over covid this seems ridiculous. I'm a working parent, we all have our issues right now but I can't walk out and strike. To say I'm angry is an understatement.

I'm sure this will be an contentious issue and some might disagree, which is fair enough. But I'm fuming at the moment and needed to vent!

Some of my friends schools are staying open, it looks so far like only two schools in the area are striking.

The ‘school’ isn’t string at all. Some teachers will be, and I’d that makes safeguarding an issue, then the school would need to close for the day

*striking

Lol lol lol

m.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=UBjUiJFuXYQ&skip_registered_account_check=true

You know that’s not a documentary?

Yeah, everyone getting annoyed and having to take time off and rearrange things is kind of the point. The more disruption caused the better.
There is no money for schools, the workload is utterly unmanageable and you honestly couldn't pay me enough to go back to full time classroom teaching. The stress and impact on family life is just not worth it.
I 100% support the strikes and you should too. If you want your child to get the education they deserve, you should support the strikes. The government urgently need to take notice.

My kids go to a two form entry primary. Only three classes are closed next week. I'm a bit disappointed to be honest. I want my kids to get a decent education and that's under threat from this government. I would have liked to have seen all staff on strike.

💯

I find it hilarious that people are up in arms about having to sort their children out for a few strike days.

A few days? A few days is the least of your worries. Wait until schools can't actually open because they haven't got enough staff to run them.

^This.

Also, OP, you said that our schools are archaic and European schools are more advanced. Whicb European schools? And do you have any examples of how thet are more advanced? I've visited schools in France and Germany and they seem considerably more archaic than here tbh!

If pay and conditions don't improve teachers are going to continue to leave the profession in droves. Unrealistic expectations are placed on schools with no funding to support them. Schools are routinely expected to provide social care and mental health support as other services are overwhelmed (did you know that CAMHS often refer parents back to school when their increasingly high thresholds aren't met?), yet we have no additional budget to meet the tidal wave of need.
No fucking wonder teachers are striking.
OP will be the first one to wail when her child hasn't got a qualified Maths teacher and she's in a class of 50.

They are closing for days. 4 until the end of March.

Hopefully is the NASUWT re ballots there will be another wave of strikes for their members in the spring / summer . Maybe then this government might start to address the chronic Underfunding in education . I support the teachers

@Emerald where is all this crazy generalising coming from? What gives you the impression I'm unhappy with my working conditions and pay? I'm really happy with both thanks. But I'm in disagreement with the strikes and I can't help my view.

Miss Wings, I'm not a 'thick shit' or uneducated. I absolutely do not feel I have to justify myself to anyone on here. But your comments are becoming personal which says more about you than anything else. Keep things on topic rather than making chavy low grade insults.

FairIsle, I'm half Swiss. The schools are in a league of their own over there. Their teaching style is completely different. The kids start at school at 7 which I think is the correct age to start, but their kindergartens are way better and start the teaching process there. Most young adults do apprenticeships rather then go to university and do incredibly well in the work place.

The same with Scandinavian schools, they are all excellent. I lived in Norway and Sweden and their teaching approach so much better.

I don't know how you can say our education system is better than Europe. The vast majority of European kids are bi-lingual but most English kids can barely speak their own language let alone a foreign language.

I fully support them. They are striking FOR the children. Yes pay but it's a much bigger picture. Children will benefit in the long run. They also want to protect education, to make sure that there are enough teachers, to improve conditions to help recruit and retain staff. To protest about the shit state that the education system has been left in. If you want to avoid the strikes then contact your MP and tell them you want the government to negotiate.

This will be an absolute ball ache for me, I've got 5 school age DC but teachers have my full support.

They may not all be in striking unions.

Teachers (and anyone) are well within their rights to withdrawn their labour if they see fit. I'll not have people like you and the posters you have tagged pontificate about what we should be happy with.

Ironically, the fact this strike is inconveniencing people should be a wake up call as it is a lot closer to reality than people actually realise.

You said in your OP that 'we all have our issues at the minute but I can't just walk out and strike'

Our school says it knows how many of its teachers are union members, but none if them are obliged to say whether they are striking until the day itself. So, to manage the uncertainty, the school will be closed (for safety reasons), but staff who are working will send out invitations to remote lessons. It seems a good compromise to me.

Speaking to other parents at the school this morning, there isn't one person who isn't agreement with me. They all agree that there needs to be more funding, but that the strikes won't achieve anything other than disruption.

The problems within the education system are so bad, it will take years and years to sort out. A few strikes won't make any difference sadly. If it works then that's fantastic, but I don't think it will.

I support strikes, I have seen education decimated since my eldest started school 12 years ago.
My youngest’s primary school has said nothing yet, not even an email saying what the potential dates could be in our region. Does that mean they won’t be striking? Everyone else on here seems to have had at least some communication!

DDs school is partially open to years 7, 11.and 13, SEN children and children in care ..They have stated that its likely not lessons will he held but food, study rooms and supervision will be available.

They have also said attendance is optional.

DD is year 12 and she and some if her friends are going to spend the day babysitting local primary school children (families they already know not entirely at random). I think they're asking a £25 flat rate from 8.30 to 4pm and then under 18 minimum wage after that.. do you know any reliable Year 12s that may be affected by strikes OP?

You kept saying it's not going to work. What do you suggest that would work then? Please do go to your headteacher and let her know what brilliant idea you have.

You chose to ignore all the people here who are supporting the teachers, quoting the other parents you talked to. Do you realise we attract people like ourselves who share similar value in life? It's probably not statistically correct to suggest most of the people agree with you just because you talked with some parents whom more likely to be close to you.

People strike all through history. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't. It does and should stop people trying. It's very bold for you to already conclude the result.

I'm sorry you have to struggle to cover the childcare, OP. I'm sure most of the people feel it for you. But this is a much bigger picture, beyond you and me or any individual. And it's for our children's future. I'm grateful the teachers are willing to try, even if they may not get what they requested for.

"It doesn't and shouldn't stop people trying."

Can't you just ring school office to ask for some clearer view for next week at least? @Mythicalmol