School Strikes 26th March - Invoicing the LEA

[Bexinder]

Just wanted to share what I'm doing, and I wonder if we can get some sort of campaign going. Lots of UK schools are closed due to teacher's industrial action next Wednesday 26th March. Given that we parents have absolutely no leeway when it comes to taking children out of school during term time and will be hit with heavy fines per child if we do without permission, I'm invoicing my local education authority for failing to provide education on this day. They haven't asked MY permission to allow the school to close.....Now I'm not expecting them to pay this at all, but I am wanting to cause a stink. They can close the school over the pay and pensions row, but I can't take my children out of school for a funeral.
Sorry - rant over... if anyone wants to copy the invoice, let me know and I'll post it. Thanks!

Gove won't even talk to us. We would call off the strike if he'd simply engage with us. Your kid is losing a day's education because he won't go to a meeting.

Dumb

Abbier: absofuckinglutely.

Not liking the responses OP?

Teachers are striking to protect the education of children like yours OP.
Apart from all the other appalling changes to education in England, if teachers pay and conditions are completely decimated-who will want to become teachers?

You will not get good graduates going into teaching in the future because they won't be able to afford to. You will be left with the poorly qualified and inexperienced educating in state schools. Wonderful. And (some) PARENTS are complaining about teachers trying to protect education-jeez!

mrz I know - I mentioned waaaay up the thread that only LA-employed supplies could cover and very few are any more.

but that isn't true Galena

You sound a right tit. They are allowed to strike, its meant to be an inconvenience

Oh, surprise, surprise, the OP has disappeared.
Gone to slink under a stone in embarrassment for starting such a ridiculous thread, I hope.

mrz
My school has 3 teachers striking. They have asked one teacher to postpone her co-ordinator time so that the teacher who usually covers her can cover the class of one of the teachers striking AND bringing in supply for the other two classes.
Stupidly, the teacher whose co-ordinator time is being moved, AGREED! Thsi teacher doesn't agree but is so wekam she said yes!
What affect (in terms of law) does this have on the school? Not sure if it is LEA or agency supply cover.

sorry about the typing errors.

Technically the school isn't employing someone to cover for a striking teacher but I can't see the head's actions being condusive to good working relationships.

Don't be such a dick head OP. Teachers are striking for good reason. I don't agree with term time holidays being so strictly regulated but it is a separate issue.

I agree with the original OP. Teachers are public sector workers and have very generous final salary pensions which are increased with inflation, excellent holidays and an increment each year until they reach the top of their pay scale. Private sector workers never have such generous terms. I think Michael Gove is brilliant and it's good someone is finally sorting out the education system which is failing many children.
I think I will also complain and contact the Daily Mail. Teachers should be like the police and be considered an essential service and not allowed to strike. the NUT is extremely left wing and this should have no place in our schools

I will reiterate. I am getting £9000 per year after nearly 20 years' service.
I have worked lunchtimes - orchestra, choir, recorders.
I have worked on Sundays so that children have feedback on the work they have done on Friday.
I have done things for the community - access to a local pond
I have taught children and tracked their progress (to the nth degree)
I have been observed, seen by Ofsted, measured against standards.

I did have a previous job, where I fulfilled a better paid role within an organisation. A small part of the organisation, with a specific reporting role.

My pension, at about £750 per month is hardly generous, seeing that I am a 'well paid' member of the senior leadership team.

As to Michael Gove being brilliant. I think, 2little1s, that you are a little bit deluded.

I am not on strike that day (different union) but my disabled sons teacher is. My in laws fortunately are driving 280 miles to look after him as DH and I are both in the wrong union. In a couple of months DH and I are taking 50 pupils away for four days (I'm part time), DS will go into social service respite care for one night and my parents will have both DSs for the other three. Shall I invoice the parents for the additional hours care I am providing?

"Teachers should be like the police and be considered an essential service and not allowed to strike."

Absolute rubbish. Teachers do not provide an essential service (where 'essential' is used to mean maintaining order/saving lives or other 'must be performed at that moment in time' services). Their teaching can be postponed. They can condense a subject, or skip an enhancement activity. It's not ideal, of course, but it can be done on the odd occasion without too much detriment to the children.

These teachers are striking to protect the education of your children, which in their view is being eroded. Now, you can agree with that or disagree, but you can't take away their legal right to protest in the form of strike action.

It would be a very dangerous time for employees if the right to strike action was removed in all but the most essential services (Police, medical staff).

I'm a Governor of two schools and volunteer in a third. The teachers bend over backwards to help the children they educate. To suggest that they would take a day's strike action for trivial cause is completely disrespectful.

2little1s "an increment each year until they reach the top of their pay scale."

This doesn't happen automatically anymore. Get your facts right.

2little, suggesting that teachers should be regarded as comparable to the emergency services and therefore prevented from striking is utterly ludicrous. Who loses their life if a teacher goes on strike? If it was so essential for children not to miss a moment's education, schools would not be allowed to exclude.

As for your views on Gove, I'm seriously wondering whether you're his wife. No-one else could make that sort of pronouncement remotely seriously.

teachers say they want to defend education but are still going on strike. I know many teachers and they want to defend their salary, pension and holidays. They dislike Gove because he is taking on their unions and their conditions of service. He is improving education. I too am a governor of a school. Any teacher earning £9000, as earlier poster said must be working part time...I know what teachers' salaries are ....at least tell the truth. Too many parents are scared of saying anything against teachers because they are worried that the teacher will take it out on the child.

"Too many parents are scared of saying anything against teachers because they are worried that the teacher will take it out on the child."

Then they're stupid too.

You will merely look silly OP.

"I find it very surprising that a school governor would be in support of Gove. I am also a governor and cannot think of a single person who I know within the education system who would agree with your view that Gove is improving our education system."

Ditto.

2little1s I read ipad's post to say that her pension is £9k, not that she earns that as a teacher.

I've never seen the NUT as being a very left wing union - I thought the NASUWT was more left wing.