TBH cremeegg it sounds to me more like you are trying to justify your contempt with this argument than vice versa. First and foremost in these decisions would be the welfare of the children so I personally would have no problem with the decision to close schools in a red weather warning. The argument that it is inconvenient for parents is not the responsibility of schools and nor should it ever be used in decisions over whether the school should be closed or not.
Fair point Sunny, hard to argue with that alright. I wouldn't necessarily agree with your first argument though. I think a lot of parents would send their children in to school to avoid having to deal with the problem of having to mind them or get someone else to mind them even if the conditions were as they are in the West today!Or if it is really unsafe for children, why don't the teachers go in and use the day for one of their staff days?
Most of our local schools are closed today because of the non event of a storm.
In my opinion it was irresponsible of the department of education to suggest to schools that they should close.
The closure means disruption to the lives of working parents, (tax individualisation), missed days in the children's education, and a general erosion of respect for the serious matter of education.
It seems to me that closing schools like this is merely an opportunity for a teachers day off and hang the consequences to anyone else.
Our local primary school, where teachers earn from €32,000 to over €60,000 and have a state guaranteed pension with children aged from 4 upwards, is closed to day.
100 meters down the road, at the local play school, where childcare workers earn from €8.65 to €10.50 per hour and no pension, with children aged from 4 downward, is open as usual.
This is the kind of thing that creates contempt among those who have to work for a living towards the public sector.
Schools will have to make up for the days closed.
This will take place either during Feb mid term or during the Easter break as per Department of Education guidelines on school closures.
http://www.education.ie/en/Circulars-and-Forms/Active-Circulars/cl0016_2014.pdf
Marion
I kinda feel for you as no one is giving you much sympathy with regards to your post.Kinda like a catch 22 post.
But what would you say if a school or classroom with kids in it was flattened by a large falling tree during the storm.Or if the roof was ripped off and a wall was blown in on top of a classroom full of kids and there was death as a result.
Kinda like a catch 22 post.
Most of our local schools are closed today because of the non event of a storm.
In my opinion it was irresponsible of the department of education to suggest to schools that they should close.
The closure means disruption to the lives of working parents, (tax individualisation), missed days in the children's education, and a general erosion of respect for the serious matter of education.
It seems to me that closing schools like this is merely an opportunity for a teachers day off and hang the consequences to anyone else.
Our local primary school, where teachers earn from €32,000 to over €60,000 and have a state guaranteed pension with children aged from 4 upwards, is closed to day.
100 meters down the road, at the local play school, where childcare workers earn from €8.65 to €10.50 per hour and no pension, with children aged from 4 downward, is open as usual.
This is the kind of thing that creates contempt among those who have to work for a living towards the public sector.
That's ridiculous. What if my house that was beside the school was flattened by a large falling tree through the storm and killed my child who was only there because the school was closed for the day. Meanwhile the school escaped any damage. What would the school say then? We can all do what if scenarios but what's the point. If people can go to work in local shops, post offices etc, why can't teachers go to work in schools? We all hear about all this work they do out of the classroom. Why weren't they in school doing it?
In my school yesterday (it didn't close for snow) only about one third of students turned up in most class groups.
Marion
Another unfounded public service bashing post that seems to be norm on this forum from the "fit" from jumping to conclusions brigade. Even somebody with very limited education could see that the teaching staff had no choice in this. Now lets say the weather deteriorated as predicted and the playschool opened and as a result the children and staff suffered injuries. I bet there would be posters on here shouting for legal proceedings to be started against the playschool organizers.
Like I said its a catch 22 post as in there will be people who will be for it and people who will be against it.The teachers had no say in this,it was a decision from the Department of Education who made the call and I think they were more concerned for the safety of the children,based on weather forecast red alerts and the NECC.
Its a catch 22 so you cant please everyone.
I have no problem with the decision to close schools for the safety of students. My question is that if the classroom only represents part of a working day for teachers as it often said and which I fully accept, why weren't the teachers in school doing the work that is done on a daily basis outside the classroom such as marking papers, preparing classes, staff meetings, training etc etc. It should be the perfect opportunity to catch up.
If a school had to close because it was unsafe then fair enough but if it was logistically able to open why were some teachers not expected to attempt to get to work like every other employee. This isn't public sector bashing. Nurses still went to work. Guards still went to work. ESB employees went to work. Why are teachers different? Why is it more dangerous for a teacher to go to their place of work than it is for a shop worker in the same village?
Tell you what,go and call the Department Of Education an ask them for an answer to your question.
They made the decision so go ask them instead.
Someone will probably call Joe Duffy tomorrow to complain about it.
"Its a disgrace Joe"
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