School closures are snow joke

2001GT

To all those in here defending teachers and attacking the OP quoting 'Free baby sitting'......I would imagine that teachers might take offence from being labled as baby sitters....!

FatAndy

2001GT wrote: »

To all those in here defending teachers and attacking the OP quoting 'Free baby sitting'......I would imagine that teachers might take offence from being labled as baby sitters....!

As the OP I'd just like to point out that I've never referred to teachers as offering 'free baby sitting'. It isn't free by any stretch of the imagination.

I think regarding other references (not by me) to 'free child minding' I think there is distinction between primary school teachers and secondary school teachers. A child of four or five needs far more 'minding' than a seventeen or eighteen year sixth former (or whatever the term is these days). I think any primary school teacher who doesn't consider that 'child minding' is an element of their job should perhaps re-consider their career options. I would also hope that secondary school teachers would accept some responsibility for the care of their pupils but hopefully by the secondary school the pupils will be a bit more capable of 'minding' themselves.

My oldest daughter is now eight going on eighteen and can pretty much fend for herself. My youngest is two and will start school part-time when she's three and half years old. She is already fully toilet trained, can eat with a knife and fork etc but I'd still hope than when she does start school she'll be properly cared for. I'd hate to think she ends up with a teacher who believes they're not, to some degree at least, a child minder.

JMW77

Just got a text at 13.00 to say bus won't be coming to the village and we must get our children to the next village to catch bus,these text messages are a great idea when they work but this is 5 hours late !

And other thing its all well and good the schools trying to open and parents complaining because they are not,but this is putting pressure on schools to open regardless of parents actually being able to get to the school.
It took me over 2 hours yesterday as the entry to school where my child goes is up hills either end of village it was ridiculous i had to be towed and parents were leaving thier cars at the end of the village and walking.
This school most definatly should of been closed .

FatAndy

I've just spent some time thinking. This is very dangerous I know and I apologise for this. However I'm a little concerned on behalf of the teaching profession (amongst others) that may have arisen over the past week or two. However I've thought of a solution to this problem so please hear me out.

It seems that in some cases schools were open to teachers but not pupils. Whilst in these cases the teachers had the opportunity to take advantage of an empty classroom to catch up on marking, planning, etc it seems some opted instead to work from home. If they're given the choice fair enough. However it probably hasn't occurred to them that by choosing to work from home they've gained a financial benefit, namely they've saved the cost of the fuel or public transport fees they would normally have to pay to attend the place of work stipulated in their contracts of employment. Unfortunately this may lead some cynical taxpayers to believe that by choosing to work from home that those teachers had somehow taken advantage of the situation in order to benefit financially. However I have a solution.

1. If and when things return to normal each teacher calculates how much they have saved by opting to work from home. This doesn't necessarily need to include days when they couldn't get to the school, just the days on which they could have but chose not to. (If necessary I'm sure a maths teacher will help with the calculation). Teachers who have made it school each day may opt for 'exemption'.
2. Each teacher then makes a donation into a hat or bucket equal in value to their saving.
3. Once each teacher has contributed the money collected is donated to an appropriate charity. Under the circumstances I'd suggest a children's charity. If you're in North Wales can I suggest Ty Gobaith Children's Hospice - http://www.hopehouse.org.uk/en/about-us/ty-gobaith/index.php
4. Put up a poster in the school foyer saying something along the lines of 'The teachers in this school have donated £xxx.xx to whichever charity. Place the poster somewhere any parents coming into the school will see it.

The outcomes of this will be -

Teachers - No better or worse off financially but feel a warm glow from aiding a worthwhile cause.
Charity - Boost to the coffers, always welcome.
Parents - Renewed sense of pride in the school and it's teachers.
Taxpayers - Less inclined to think they've been taken for a ride.

Basically a win, win, win, win situation :beer:.

This plan doesn't need to be unique to the teaching profession. Anyone who is concerned that they may inadvertantly be perceived to have taken advantage of the situation over the last couple of weeks could equally successfully adopt his idea. Feel free to use my blueprint.

Obviously if you don't get paid if you don't get to work and haven't got the option to work from home then it probably won't work, at least not unless you have extremely high transport costs.

voiceofreason

FatAndy wrote: »

I've just spent some time thinking. This is very dangerous I know and I apologise for this. However I'm a little concerned on behalf of the teaching profession (amongst others) that may have arisen over the past week or two. However I've thought of a solution to this problem so please hear me out.

It seems that in some cases schools were open to teachers but not pupils. Whilst in these cases the teachers had the opportunity to take advantage of an empty classroom to catch up on marking, planning, etc it seems some opted instead to work from home. If they're given the choice fair enough. However it probably hasn't occurred to them that by choosing to work from home they've gained a financial benefit, namely they've saved the cost of the fuel or public transport fees they would normally have to pay to attend the place of work stipulated in their contracts of employment. Unfortunately this may lead some cynical taxpayers to believe that by choosing to work from home that those teachers had somehow taken advantage of the situation in order to benefit financially. However I have a solution.

1. If and when things return to normal each teacher calculates how much they have saved by opting to work from home. This doesn't necessarily need to include days when they couldn't get to the school, just the days on which they could have but chose not to. (If necessary I'm sure a maths teacher will help with the calculation). Teachers who have made it school each day may opt for 'exemption'.
2. Each teacher then makes a donation into a hat or bucket equal in value to their saving.
3. Once each teacher has contributed the money collected is donated to an appropriate charity. Under the circumstances I'd suggest a children's charity. If you're in North Wales can I suggest Ty Gobaith Children's Hospice - http://www.hopehouse.org.uk/en/about-us/ty-gobaith/index.php
4. Put up a poster in the school foyer saying something along the lines of 'The teachers in this school have donated £xxx.xx to whichever charity. Place the poster somewhere any parents coming into the school will see it.

The outcomes of this will be -

Teachers - No better or worse off financially but feel a warm glow from aiding a worthwhile cause.
Charity - Boost to the coffers, always welcome.
Parents - Renewed sense of pride in the school and it's teachers.
Taxpayers - Less inclined to think they've been taken for a ride.

Basically a win, win, win, win situation :beer:.

This plan doesn't need to be unique to the teaching profession. Anyone who is concerned that they may inadvertantly be perceived to have taken advantage of the situation over the last couple of weeks could equally successfully adopt his idea. Feel free to use my blueprint.

Obviously if you don't get paid if you don't get to work and haven't got the option to work from home then it probably won't work, at least not unless you have extremely high transport costs.

Why?

Seriously?

wallbash

Well FatAndy , I was one of the first to call you an idiot !, then ( after you adjusted the title of this thread, and saw the problem was not of the teachers making ) started to see some of your problems , and came to the conclusion that really it was 'lack of communication '

Now we are ( rather you are :rolleyes: )

quote ... Taxpayers - Less inclined to think they've been taken for a ride.

Taken for a ride by the teachers ?????

Sorry ... but if that is now your ' communication' you are back as a first class idiot.

FatAndy

voiceofreason wrote: »

Why?

Seriously?

I have to say that I'm bit disappointed. My post last night was obviously a bit of a wind up, although I do believe that there's something in the idea. I had hoped to elicit a bit of a reponse but all I get is one reasoned response, one bit of childish name calling and most disappointing of all this two word reponse from the so called 'voice of reason'.

To answer you questions - Why not? Seriously?

Charities rely on fund raising activities to continue their existence. Charities exist to improve all our lives and our society would be much worse off without them. That's why people jump of aeroplanes, sit it baths full of cold baked beans, run marathons and so on. Other people just hand over money. I've suggested a way that you could make a donation to a worthwhile charity which a) requires no effort whatsoever and b) won't cost you a single penny. I think most people would think that was a good idea.

So please so called 'voice of reason' could you provide a reason as to why this isn't a good idea. Perhaps I'm missing something so please exercise your voice and communicate that reason to me. The problem I have is that the only reason I can than as to why you would be opposed to this idea it that you are seeking to make a personal financial gain. That clearly isn't the case so I can only assume that there is another reason (or perhaps more than one) for your opposition.

I await your reasoned response :rolleyes:.


rea·son - A declaration made to explain or justify action, decision, or conviction

wallbash

I think I'm down for the quote ' one bit of childish name calling'

Thats the problem when you start on a bit of a wind up :rotfl:

Oblivion

My wife, a teacher, left at 6.30am this morning for the usual 20 mile drive to the school, which was expected to be open. What she hadn't bargained for was that the snow here in north Surrey would be much heavier than was forecast.

I got a phone call from her at 9am to say it had taken her over 2 hours to get there in the most treacherous conditions, and a short while after arriving, an announcement finally went out on the Clarion system to her mobile phone that the school would be officially closed today. By that time, plenty of the pupils were arriving too, so my wife and the other teachers who have struggled through the snow have had to stay there whilst arrangements are made with parents etc. to get the children home again safely.

I am absolutely fuming that her life has been put at risk by a warning system that clearly doesn't do what it is supposed to. :mad:

I've just had another call from her to say that she is about to set off for home again ... the fear was apparent in her voice. I'm just hoping and praying she gets back without an accident.

I wonder if FatAndy's charity will be paying her compensation for the physical and emotional turmoil she is being put through unnecessarily? Worrying about her isn't exactly doing my health any favours either.

Dave.

FatAndy

Hi Dave,

My 'plan' specifically referred to teachers, and indeed anyone else in any profession, who could have got to work but chose not to.

I'm sure your wife has had a difficult time and I hope she gets home safe and sound. She has most certainly earned my respect because unlike others, and I'm not by any means referring exclusively to teachers here, she has made an effort and just not given up without even trying.

However could I just ask if your house caught fire today and you phoned the fire brigade would you be happy to told the fire station had closed for a couple of days because the firemen hadn't made it to work? Or that your local hospital had to close because all the doctors and nurses were at home. Suppose your lights go out and you phone the power company, only to told all the power stations will closed until the weekend because none of their staff had been able to make it to work.

If we all took the easy option and stayed at home the country would be in an even worse state than it is now. Thankfully there are enough Mrs Dave's around to prevent the country completely grinding to a halt!