School Closures

http://www.education.ie/en/Schools-...-Health-Issues/Schools-and-Severe-Weather.pdf

Status Red Weather Warning for Wind
Schools should note in particular Status Red weather warnings where strong winds or storm conditions are forecasted. Due to the high degree of unpredictability as to the impact of the weather associated with such a Status Red warning on local conditions schools should use the following guidance to assist them in making their assessment.

Advance Warning of Status Red
Following consultation at a national level with the Office of Emergency Planning and the management bodies for schools, the Department of Education and Skills’ advice to schools is that they should consider not opening where a Status Red weather warning related to wind is forecast to coincide with the period/s during which students and staff would be expected to be travelling to and from school.]
(my highlight)

I strongly suspect that any local decision that would not take cognizance of the above strong advice would leave school management open to serious litigation claims in the event of injuries or death as a consequence of the status Red warning.

Marion
 
Is it not better to close the schools and ensure that the teaching time lost is made up under the contingency plan? This is where the students benefit most.

Also, of course, it's not beyond the bounds of possibility that a number of teachers took the opportunity during the Red Alert day and snow days to prepare school work in the comforts of their own homes. This would be no different to other employees in the public and private sector who work from their homes. One doesn't have to be physically present in the school to prepare school-related work.

Marion
 
I agree Marion , as the teaching time lost is to be made up as per Department guidelines does it really matter as to how teachers utilised their unexpected time off ?
 
No, it doesn't matter how the time was utilised on that day or those days.

Work that has to be done has to be done. A lot of non-teaching work doesn't have to be done in the school building and in reality it isn't.

Marion
 
Deiseblue said:
I agree Marion , as the teaching time lost is to be made up as per Department guidelines does it really matter as to how teachers utilised their unexpected time off ?
Click to expand...

Of course it does. Every time there is a discussion about teaching hours, the amount of work done by teachers outside the classroom is quoted. And rightly so. Of course they do work outside the classroom. My question is why they are not expected to turn up for work even if classes are suspended?

I have been in positions where due to system or other issues, I have been unable to work. My company doesn't tell me to stay at home until it is fixed. My wife is airline cabin crew. During the volcanic ash cloud when the planes weren't flying, those stuck in Dublin were brought into work every day for training and workshops.

Is there really nothing productive that a school could have done with teachers today if classes were suspended? No training? No meetings or discussions? No work on timetables? No team bonding?
 
The reality is that teachers are not able to teach. They are still able to work at non-teaching activites. This doesn't mean that they are unable to work at home when their students are not available and as mentioned I'm sure a number took advantage of the non-school day(s) to do this.

This was an unexpected event. Many teachers were only informed late last evening by phone (11.00 pm for some of whom I am aware) that their schools were to close today.

Personally, planning and preparation (which mostly is done at home) would be a lot higher on my agenda that attending a series of unplanned meetings or training sessions or bonding sessions just for the sake of bringing teachers into a school building when the students are not present.

Marion
 
Remembering the storm last February, I was relieved to get a text this morning that our school was closed and had been waiting for it. Frankly I couldn't care less if the teachers were at home with their feet up and a cup of tea watching day time tv and if they were, they well deserve to be. They had nothing to do with the school being closed and will have to make up the teaching some other time. Meanwhile at work I heard of lots of people in the private sector who were told to stay home, go home early etc.
 
It was not left to the school principal to make the decision. Because of the "urgent" warning schools were forced to shut. The Department made the decision for the areas involved. The rest of your post does not deserve an answer.
 
Sunny said:
Is there really nothing productive that a school could have done with teachers today if classes were suspended? No training? No meetings or discussions? No work on timetables? No team bonding?
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Sunny you're making an assumption that all teachers did indeed treat yesterday as a holiday - how do you know what the teachers did? As Marion said, it's very possible they were doing work from home. It's best not to take a hard stance without knowing the full facts so personally I'm happy to give them the benefit of the doubt here. Also, how can you guarantee that no school will make up this day by shortening a holiday period? This has happened in the past so what makes you so sure it won't happen this time around?
 
I must try that; "I won't be in tomorrow lads but I still want to be paid as it's quite possible that I'll work"
 
I don't now about Status Orange warnings but I've been on 4 small aeroplanes in the UK and Ireland this week and there were a few status brown trousers situations!
 
Purple said:
I must try that; "I won't be in tomorrow lads but I still want to be paid as it's quite possible that I'll work"
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If you get the workload on your plate cleared I wouldn't personally care less if you did it in the first part of the day and went golfing/shopping/whatever Purple! Not sure what your point is there. You've never heard of an employee saying "I'll be working from home today"?
 
No, not if they usually work from home and certainly not of their own volition.
 
I'm not sure where this is going Purple tbh. To take an alternative angle on it, if your employer says "the office/place of work is closed today, don't come in, but you will have to make up the hours at an alternative time", is it really that unfair if the employees take the day off? I fail to see how it's the teachers fault here so not sure why some of you are expecting more from them. I do take Sunnys point that the Dept of Education could have asked teachers to come in to catch up on non teaching work but not sure where you're coming from Purple with your argument - no teacher rang in to say "I won't be in tomorrow lads but I still want to be paid as it's quite possible that I'll work" as you put it.
 
The employer didn't say that the place of work was closed. They said that the schools could tell the children not to come in if they thought there was a risk to their safety. There is no reason why the staff couldn't have come in.
I'm not saying that teachers don't work hard and I fully accept that they have significant hours to do outside their teaching hours. This is simply about the specifics of the question that Sunny asked.
 
Won't someone please think of the children?

Can't we just support our teachers instead of all the digs and nit picking? I'm fed up of it. I want my childrens' teachers to be happy, fulfilled at work and to feel supported. That way I think they will be in the best position to give best education.
 
Schools close for 1 day due to storm and with regards concern for kids safety.

On to the radio and social media come the rabble rabble crowd to go off on one against the teachers.

"Its a disgrace Joe"



Seriously people,its over and done with so just move on.
 
Having started this thread, I was somewhat surprised by the direction it took. I would just like to re-emphasise a point I made initially that didn't achieve much traction.

I think closing schools because of bad weather sends a poor message to young people, it suggests that the correct response to adversity is simply to give up. "Its stormy, better stay at home."

I would much rather a, "how can we overcome this problem" approach.

Further, I do think that there is an issue with public sector mindset here. Teachers won't loose out financially from the decision to close schools, if they did I suspect they would be objecting to school closures.

If I don't go to work on any given day I don't get paid and I don't get the chance to make up the hours at a later date, this is the case for many people in the private sector.
 
1. Your initial post was the usual public service bashing that seems to be accepted as the norm here.
2. The schools were closed because of the threat of serious bad weather which could have led to serious injury or death. Fortunately, this did not happen.
3. Are you saying that no matter what the threat that schools should be kept open? I hope not.
4. Your fourth point is of little consequence here. If you think the teachers have a better deal than you, then become a teacher or better again start at the lower end of the civil service.
 

How could that specific problem have been overcome?
 
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