A letter published on the Sentinel website, struck a cord with me, as I am sure it will with many parents.
Primary school teachers I think regularly have double standards on time keeping for children.
If you are late dropping your child off at school or late in picking them up, even by a couple of minutes, you are often made to feel as though you are a bad parent BUT when the shoe is on the other foot & children are not allowed into school on time or released on time or even allowed into the cloakroom when the weather is awful, that is fine & no explanation is ever offered.
As a parent I was often kept waiting for my eldest child to be released from school whilst waiting outside when the rain was lashing down, wind blowing a gale or snow storms occurring, was any thought given to parents & younger siblings? Answer - NO!!
So when I read this letter
http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/letters/t-school-supportive/article-387582-detail/article.html
I thought this was a good topic of debate to see if this practice is widespread.
I am sure there are many schools that do/would help if asked & be only too happy to do so but whichever this school refers to (& I do not know which it is), surely a little help would not be beyond you? You are supposed to be caring professionals who have chosen to work with children (not something I would choose to do) & helping a mother who is working & has a genuine reason for her child not being picked up at 3pm everyday a little help is all that is required.
If this parent was one, who just could not be bothered to arrive on time, perhaps because they are too intent on watching the last few minutes of a daytime TV programme & think, 'oh they'll be fine if I arrive 10 minutes late', then I would have every sympathy with the school & think that involving an outside organisation was valid.
Teachers, come on have a little thought on occasion for parents, stood outside waiting in the cold & rain, whilst you are dry & warm & have a little compassion for those parents that need it.
This mother is a parent you should be supporting & helping not worrying her & threatening her with outside agencies.
One last statement before I hand over to you for your thoughts & comments.
J Bloor - What a wonderful caring person you sound, I wish there were many more people like you around, you should be applauded.
2 comments:
Helen, fortunately, my two are at college and university now, and those days of waiting around in the school playground are over.
However, I do have a few friends still on the school run, and are always complaining about having to wait around, 10 minutes after the bell has gone.
Like you say, if they drop them of 2 minutes late, they are in trouble.
Oh the thought of standing on that playground in the middle of January, picking one up from nursery, then having to wait 15 minutes for the other one to come out. I'm coming out in a sweat, ha ha.
Having read the letter in the Sentinel, it's shocking that this mum has been threatened with social services, when there are many, many less caring parents who never get a knock on the door from social services!
This poor hard working lady sounds like someone who's brought up a smashing set of kids, and it looks like she's found a great friend in J Bloor.
If the school took the trouble to find out what this mum and her kids have to do each day to ensure they are all in school, perhaps they would be more sympathetic. Or then again - maybe not!
I hope the school(s) mentioned in the letter know who they are and make changes to address this situation.
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