Dedrater

Trust me, kids need it, they just do not function in school for long periods of time, as much as it inconveniences me.

SunnySideUp

Let half the kids have 1/2 week off, then the other 1/2 .... the teachers work the whole week!

Rob Day

iTrader: (78)

Sounds to me like they need their Contracts reviewing.

Schools shut becuase of a lack of attendance of teachers and the safety aspect - and the funny thing is, the teachers, the Heads and councils dont actualy care or get embarassed about the school closures

Knowing this if your work offered the same theory, would you go to work.... I know i'd make every efforts as i have in the last 4 weeks!!

My childs school closed all week due to the safety aspect and lack of teachers!!! I asked why when dropping of my daughter today whats changed? The reply: We cant stay shut..... I said the school grounds have not seen Grit, a Spade or even an effort from anyone to clear the snow and your open today and its -11c.. she laughed.....

They know its a joke as do I, they are playing the system.......

Dedrater

Don't send them to State run education? Its our choice really.

I and mine do/went to State run.

Dedrater

Doing what?

ScoobyDoo555

UK300 Prodrive - Whilst there is an element of what you're saying (but I challenge you to find any vocation where there won't be individuals who don't take advantage), 99.9% of Teaching staff are dedicated to the profession.
A great many teachers were told NOT to come in if they couldn't safely make the journey.

I would imagine that is the case across the country. I live 15 miles away from my work (I'm in a very rural area) - travel has been virtually at a stand-still. Not my fault that the Council or Highways Agency haven't been able to provide me access to my place of work.
My two work colleagues can't even get off their drives - 1 foot of snow, and ICE etc... We just can't get to the main routes. Simple.

There is an inherent issue with this country that "Snow" brings out the worst in EVERY Brit (nice sweeping statement that I thought you might understand )

The issue of school closures is down to OTHER people, not teaching staff.

H&S - even the Bins haven't been emptied due to H&S

Jonnys3

When I were a lad... school was only shut in weather like we're experiencing if the boiler crapped out or something was really serious enough not to keep the kids at school; teachers tried their best to get in and what's more, they didn't give a rats *** about kids creating super ice slides the length of the playground, or the many injuries that seemed to be associated with said slides - it was all part of growing up in the playground and learning about the snow and its potential hazards.

Do you not think the pathetic mentality of "wherever there's blame there's a claim" is now the reason for school's closing at any sign of snow/ice in fear of being sued by those parents of children unfortunate enough to sustain injuries in the icey conditions at school?

I think teachers are given a hard time these days. Parents have the absolute responsibility for their children and I think there are many across this country who seem to forget this!

ScoobyDoo555

I would however, say that if you live in a City, or Urban area, the whole transport issue is a lot less valid......

But it's amazing how the term "tarred with the same brush" springs to mind

moff1888

It's simple, send everyone to boarding school.

I hated hearing about schools being closed, try living at school it would have taken some properly bad weather to stop us getting to school. To make things that little bit worse half the teachers lived on the grounds and the rest lived very close so no chance of the teachers not showing!

Rob Day

iTrader: (78)

I can not be bothered with a snowball fight, but the fact that I live in a small village in the penniens and i know where 1/2 the teachers live (within 1/2mile of the school) its a joke to think that the school has closed becuase OTHERS are preventing the school from opening. Its Blx - watch the news... 3 schools closed all within 1/4 radius, and 1 opened that was within the circle of these 3 schools.... eh?


This IMHO and each are welcome to comment.

Rob

Rob Day

iTrader: (78)

Ditto... Even if the boiler wasnt working we still sometimes went to school. I recall being wrapped up in 5 layers or more by my parents.... We are becoming too Soft all beacuse of the 'Where Theres a Blame Culture'

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

Difficult one to a point. If a school has been closed and teachers have been told not to come in, then I think they should be paid as it wasn't their choice. A different story though, if they were given the option to come in and do some work there.

What annoys me, is that I have a friend on Facebook, a teacher and she has been bleating on about how good it's been having extra time off, and how she was putting off 'homework' as she knew she had a bit more time to play with. Her most recent comment was how she hoped school would be called off today (Friday now) as she didn't want to drive.

Well I'm sorry, but I don't really want to trudge through snow, and rely on ****ty public transport, but I've done it all week. But then I wouldn't be paid if I didn't bother turning up. Even if I was paid, unless it was so bad that I realistically/safely couldn't get in, i would go and I don't even like my job.

deanb1980

i dont think they should my wife is a teacher and i dont understand why they dont let them into work but when the school is closed because the governors have closed it theres not alot she can do i think the school should be fined for closing as my wife cant have any time off apart from when the school is closed

SunnySideUp

I hear again and again and again and again that Teachers don't have enough time ....... guess what? WORK HALF TERM and do what you say you cannot when the kids are there!!

Butty

iTrader: (2)

As an alleged Hampshire school governor, surely you knew that teachers were told not to come in once the chair and head decided to close your school?
Why come on here and bleat about it when you know full well what the score is during closures?

SunnySideUp

I'm asking a question ....... simple as.

Of course, if the school is closed, the school is closed. My point is that the school should be open for business after the initial shock of the snowfall ...... there are estate staff at all schools, they should have the campus's clear on the main routes by now I would suggest?

Most peoples suspicion is that they are taking extra leave, hiding behind the Health and Safety argument.

I'm throwing the question open for discussion - no need to get so defensive, say your piece without insults.

Teachers should work through the Half Term is my suggestion - fair to all.

Rob Day

iTrader: (78)

I live in a small village and the schools around here have caretakers who look after this kind of thing; heating, gritting & general maintenance at this time of year... Schools in my days had caretakers too....

Dream Weaver

My wife is an assitant head, her school is closed, she is there so stick that in your pipe Pete.

And I had to get up at 6:30am to sort her car out and take her there, sacrificing my own business' time to do it. She will be there til after 5:30 as she is every day teaching the little ****s that belong to ungrateful arseholes like you.

Then we wonder why the country is going down the pan, we have no respect for the teachers/police, parents have the same daft attitude as the kids.

Dedrater

They can work from home. If the kids are not there, they have no need to be on site.

It's not rocket science.

Hysteria1983

To be fair, it's like any workplace, there are probably the select few who are happy they have had 3 days off. They have probably spent it playing on the 360, and down the pub with their mates for a game of pool.

On the flip side it's easy to assume that there are some staff members who actually care about providing a good education and actually want to be there. It's not beyond the realms of possibility that some of them have actually panicked about the whole situation, and the work that will have to be put in and heavily condensed over the next few weeks, just because a few days were missed.

I doubt very much that all teachers are happy about this happening. But not to pay them would just be wrong.

If the school isn't open, there is nothing the teachers themselves can do about it, it has already been explained that the decision has nothing to do with the teaching staff themselves.

Anyway, my son's school seems to have been the only school open for miles around, and if I could show you the entrance I am sure it's not the best decision from the head. But if we all stop being a bunch of girls, wear appropriate footwear/clothing, drive sensibly and not like a ****, I am sure we could all get about reasonably well.

Hysteria1983

Exactly. Some people are so stupid that they think that when a teacher walks out of the school, their job ends.

Why do you think that they get paid for their holidays? Because most of it is spent marking, planning, finding new resources, practicing with new teaching aids. General maintenance of the classroom such as backing boards for work samples etc is done when school ends, and they don't get paid after the school bell sounds, yet they might still be there until 5.00 most days.

Come on, surely people didn't think that at half term teachers just switch off for a week? lol.

Leslie

If the teachers refuse to come in when it is possible to travel then they should not be paid. If it is a decision made by the authorities then it is not the fault of the teachers they should be paid as usual.

Does not seem all that complicated to me!

Les

Hysteria1983

Same here Les.

Surely it's obvious if someone wants to go to work, yet they are not allowed, it's out of their hands. It doesn't take a genius to work that one out.

If I was instructed not to go to work, and I had to stay at home and get paid, I wouldn't argue.

dunx

iTrader: (3)

Not to mention the rebate on your council tax

A school is closed by the management not the teachers, I would have thought you would be aware of that.

dunx

Mark'sWRX

My wife is a teacher and has been in work every day (over 10 miles). She wants to as her kids will not reach their targets otherwise.

The problem is, some teachers do live walking distance away, but others live in the country. If half can't get in, you can't legally have a handful of teachers supervising hundreds of children.

As already said countless times; it is not the teacher's decision, so do not criticize them unfairly.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

I bet the teachers at the school Pete is a governor at absolutely LOVE him..........

Gear Head

iTrader: (2)

I went to work yesterday and got sent home 2 hours in. should i still paid pete?

BoozyDave

iTrader: (8)

i don't think they should be paid if they stay at home and can't be arsed. i think they should be paid if they go in and help to clear the playground and paths etc.

CHRISPURVIS100
same as me.
went in tue, wed and thurs mornings, site manager closed the building site i work on. i phoned my boss to see if there was any other work we could do, he said no and told us to go home.now he's saying i'm only going to get paid 1 hour each morning! so i was getting up at 6am, clearing van and driving for about 1 hour to get to site for 7.30. got sent home at 8.30 and spent over 2 hours getting home due to traffic. i think i should get some pay because i made myself available for work.

ScoobyDoo555

Well, I got into College today (12.5 miles away) - took a while to get off the drive and through the dodgy roads (It's my own fault - I've got stupid wide tyres!! )

I eventually turned up - and a handful of students made it in (albeit the ones that live locally). I couldn't have been happier to see them - we had a wicked discussion on Acoustic properties of rooms (they all want to modify their parent's houses to accommodate bedroom studios!! ) and then we did some recording studio stuff.

The buses caused us the most problems, due to running limited services, so by 1.30pm, they'd all gone home.

Why post this? Just to prove that teaching staff and management are TOTALLY different beasts - don't mix the two up.
Not a snowball fight just fact.

P.S. on the days of enforced hometime, I've been logging in to my online course, and the college email/network to continue my work. Marking has been done, and additional lesson prep (for the eventual return) has been conducted. Further discussions have been had today about the possibility of working through a half-term too. So B0LL0CKS to all you doubters.