This week, we entered our fourth week of industrial action at Prendergast schools. Understandably, there is a lot of tension in the air. My NEU colleagues and I have been getting a significant amount of online and verbal abuse over our strike action. I therefore wrote the following statement to try to ensure people are more respectful of each other:
Dear parents/carers,
We all appreciate that this is a period of frustration and confusion for both you and your children. You will doubtless understand that this is an extremely stressful and upsetting time for all of the teachers who have chosen to strike over the MAT conversion issue. The hardest thing for us during this period has been not teaching your children, but the Governing Body’s proposal is anathema to our educational philosophy. We will continue to oppose it.
Obviously we cannot, and do not expect, everyone to share our position. That said we have really appreciated support from so many of you. We would like to stress how important it is that we maintain our working relationships. We welcome and invite discussion on the picket line – and all other opportunities for communication on the strikes - but there have been a couple of instances of personalised verbal/written attacks on individual teachers. This cannot be tolerated. Nor should Class Dojo be used to send direct messages to teachers which are intended to put pressure on them regarding the industrial action. Members have been advised not to engage with such communications on Class Dojo.
We really hope that this situation can be resolved so we can get back to normal.
Do feel free to talk to me personally on the picket line. I am always eager to engage in constructive discussion.
Best regards,
Alex Gwinnett
On behalf of Prendergast Primary NEU members
As I have mentioned before, we have not been able to use ParentMail (a system that schools use to communicate with all registered parents/carers). I have had members in tears the past couple of weeks. I freely admit that I have had several breakdowns. I cannot tolerate bullying and abuse. It is my duty to look after members. However, the next day I was pulled up on this letter that had been disseminated on social media. I was told that it was the school's responsibility to ensure the safety of teachers. I have been assured that a ParentMail will be going out shortly echoing my pleas made in the above letter.
It has come to my attention however that apparently some parents think that this letter was inappropriate: it was perceived by some as an attempt to gag parents. To put things into perspective, the reason I felt moved to post the communication was following an incident where one colleague was taken aside and verbally abused to the point of tears by a parent. This just isn't on! Some of us have received emotionally blackmailing and insulting messages (some of which have been anonymous).
Here is a quote from a particularly callous anonymous e-mail:
"If your principles and concerns are so at odds with the leadership of the schools, then please do the decent thing for yourselves and my child and move on. Take action that impacts you, not action that holds my child's education to ransom."
It was signed off from ‘a desperately concerned parent’.
In fact, this week, I did come close to handing in my resignation, such was my despair. But it isn't just me that is against academisation. There are hundreds, if not 1000s of us who are against it. I am aware there is a silent majority who have not fully engaged. However, the huge majority of staff (NEU and GMB) who voted to strike over this, plus the figures from the 'consultation' document, itself speak volumes.
Click here to read Warwick Mansell's perspective on the consultation.
To end this post, I'd like to express my gratitude to the many, many parents and members of the community who have reached out in support of our anti-MAT strike. Messages like the ones below and the support of my lovely colleagues have kept me sane.
No comments:
Post a Comment