School Closure/Strike 30th November

[Migsy]

School sent the letter home tonight notifying that they will be closed due to Industrial action and banging on about due to safety not enough teachers to open, so they are giving notice to help parents find alternative childcare.

I thought I might write back:

"Dear Headteacher

Thank you for your letter regarding the closure of x. As a direct result of this and the closure in July for the same reason and not having other childcare options, I will therefore be taking the day off from my self employed work unpaid, equating to a loss of £xxx.

I will shortly be submitting my intention to take my child on holiday in the summer school term of 2012, as the cost difference is roughly what I would have earnt, had x been in school and myself working.

Whilst writing, I would like to enquire as to what the teaching staff did on x October 2011 - a Teacher Training Day. Having seen and spoken to Mrs X and Mr Y in X and X shops respectively, both advised they were doing their Christmas shopping due to, and I quote "Not being a course they wanted to go on."

I look forward to your response.

Yours etc "

Talking to other parents, many have already used or planned their annual holiday allocation and will simply take a day off unpaid. Surely this is going to hit employers as well as the pocket?

Do you think the strike will get called off last minute and if not, what will you be doing with your wonderful offspring?!

[Fittster]

Up your rates and said your kids to an independent school.

They will be kind to retain customers, your local comp doesn't really care one way or the other.

P.S. If they don't get what they want it's work to rule next.

[Ozzie Osmond]

These public sector strikes will IMO generate a massive backlash of public opinion against the strikers.

Q: Why are you on strike?

A: Because my pension hasn't been cut nearly as much as yours.

[scenario8]

Ozzie Osmond said:

These public sector strikes will IMO generate a massive backlash of public opinion against the strikers.

Q: Why are you on strike?

A: Because my pension hasn't been cut nearly as much as yours.

Q: What pension?

A: Oh...

[Fittster]

Ozzie Osmond said:

These public sector strikes will IMO generate a massive backlash of public opinion against the strikers.

What percentage of the population are, or have been public sector workers? People in that group are unlikely to be hostile to their actions.

[Puggit]

Isn't it a general public sector strike on Nov 30th?

Don't these people watch the news? They are directly helping to cause the collapse of our economy.

[MentalSarcasm]

Fittster said:

Ozzie Osmond said:

These public sector strikes will IMO generate a massive backlash of public opinion against the strikers.

What percentage of the population are, or have been public sector workers? People in that group are unlikely to be hostile to their actions.

I'm a public sector worker (civil servant) and I think they're all idiots.

Puggit said:

They are directly helping to cause the collapse of our economy.

Because of that ^^^

Unfortunately I'm severely outnumbered, I'm in a tiny camp of people at my workplace that didn't join the PCS. I have sit quietly and listen to someone shout loudly about how it's all the fault of the bankers. It's not worth total slaughtering I would get if I dared to argue back.

[SGirl]

We got this "we might be closed on 30 November" letter from our headmaster last week.

I'm self-employed as well, but I can't take the time off because I'm up to my eyeballs in work and taking the day off will put me massively behind; and I can't deliver work late just because the teachers aren't working that day. Even with 2 weeks' notice, I can't accommodate the teachers' day off. But luckily I work from home, so I'll just have to start early, finish late and keep stopping off during the day so that I can entertain the young man.

My son's teacher has been off sick for most of this term too, and she's handed in her notice and will be leaving at the end of term as an indirect result. I'm pretty put out about this anyway, because the school made a big noise about consistency of teaching, using the same teacher for all classes, at the end of last term. Now my son and his classmates have had at least five or six different teachers, we haven't been able to have a parents' evening this term because nobody knows the children well enough; and while a permanent teacher has been appointed from January, this term has been chaos from start to finish. And now they're having an unscheduled day off to make their stupid commie point as well.

Not best pleased with our school at the moment. I can only hope an Ofsted report is due - I'd be more than happy to present my views to the inspector.

[rover 623gsi]

Fittster said:

What percentage of the population are, or have been public sector workers? People in that group are unlikely to be hostile to their actions.

I work in the public sector and I am totally opposed to these particular strikes - teachers are just pissing people off, causing loads of disruption for pupils and parents and aren't going to generate any sympathy because most people are suffering one or another in the current economic climate. AND their strike isn't going to get them what they want anyway.

Sometimes you have to know when to fight and when to walk away and I think the teachers have been led down the wrong road by their unions.

[Migsy]

I think the backlash at our school will be parents being less generous with their time, possibly money too.

[Fittster]

rover 623gsi said:

Fittster said:

What percentage of the population are, or have been public sector workers? People in that group are unlikely to be hostile to their actions.

I work in the public sector and I am totally opposed to these particular strikes - teachers are just pissing people off, causing loads of disruption for pupils and parents and aren't going to generate any sympathy because most people are suffering one or another in the current economic climate. AND their strike isn't going to get them what they want anyway.

Sometimes you have to know when to fight and when to walk away and I think the teachers have been led down the wrong road by their unions.

Why do you think teachers want your sympathy or give a hoot about your life?

Even if they don't get what they want there a significant minority are happy to have a day away from 30+ kids, who are quite often unpleasant little creatures. They are in a no lose situation, worse case the government gets it's way but at least they got away from the classroom for a day.

[Fittster]

Migsy said:

I think the backlash at our school will be parents being less generous with their time, possibly money too.

I think they are going to have to put more time in. After the strike, it's work to rule so no extra activities will be provided.

[rover 623gsi]

Fittster said:

Why do you think teachers want your sympathy or give a hoot about your life?

Well, I don't think they do want my sympathy or care about me - but they should because if the govt believes that the public don't support the teachers' strike they are less likely to give in to their demands.

[johnfm]

Will we notice much?

Apart from parents having to find childcare?

[Migsy]

johnfm said:

Will we notice much?

Apart from parents having to find childcare?

The roads will be quieter

[Fittster]

rover 623gsi said:

Fittster said:

Why do you think teachers want your sympathy or give a hoot about your life?

Well, I don't think they do want my sympathy or care about me - but they should because if the govt believes that the public don't support the teachers' strike they are less likely to give in to their demands.

As I said previously don't have much of a downside. The options available to them:

1. Don't strike, government does what it wants.
2. Strike, the government will on balance still do what it wants but they have escaped the classroom for the day.

Quite frankly if I was face with 30 surly teenagers for hours on end, I'd go for option 2.

[SGirl]

Fittster said:

Migsy said:

I think the backlash at our school will be parents being less generous with their time, possibly money too.

I think they are going to have to put more time in. After the strike, it's work to rule so no extra activities will be provided.

Absolutely correct. At our infant school, the teachers put vast amounts of effort into everything, which resulted in a very pleasant atmosphere at the school and I was more than happy to donate money for things and I also used to spend the occasional afternoon helping out with craft classes or school trips. But at our junior school, there's nothing like that kind of atmosphere. Most of the teachers don't even bother to say hi if you pass them in the street. So I've scaled back my donations and I rarely offer to help out now.

Although I'm always tempted to proofread the letters I receive from the school and send them back with all the errors marked up and corrected.

[Fittster]

SGirl said:

At our infant school, the teachers put vast amounts of effort into everything

You think they are going to continue doing that if their terms and conditions are reduced?

[dundarach]

Dear Parent

If you don't like the state provided education, then pay private.

Otherwise shut the hell up and realise they're doing the best they can.

If you don't feel this is the case also, might I suggest you put yar money where your mouth is and open a free school.

The Government whose policies created the situation you don't support will pay you to start your own school.

So there you go, what more excuse do you need, or do you just like complaining?

Regards



PS Not a teacher

[clarkmagpie]

My wife is a teacher and for the first time will not be striking this time.
The Head is putting her under pressure to saying it will look bad if she doesn't.

She is unmoved and is standing firm and going against her boss and her union.