Teachers give poor marks to 'gung ho' snow plan

Teachers have reacted angrily after being asked to undertake snow-clearing duties during bad winter weather.

The scheme was devised by Sheffield City Council to keep schools open when it snows.

A plan passed by the council's cabinet says that teachers who cannot get in to their own schools should offer their services at the nearest school and even undertake snow-clearing duties.

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But Bev Marshall of the National Union of Teachers in South Yorkshire blasted the council for not consulting teachers over the plan.

He said: "This is an idea which has not been properly thought through and not discussed with the teachers of Sheffield.

"I don't think it would be practical or realistic. The mechanisms of it would be difficult to organise."

He said: "It is totally impractical and contractually cannot be delivered. Teachers work for their own schools and it is only those schools which can decide.

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"I genuinely don't think it is practical. If they are seeking to amend people's terms and conditions of employment then it should be done following consultation and should not be imposed. It is not practical for it to happen at the drop of a hat and has not got the support of teachers."

But Councillor Shafiq Mohammed from Sheffield City Council criticised the teachers for their lack of a "can do" attitude.

He said: "Clearly we are going to discuss it with them. It is not insisting but we should look at the possibilities of teachers who can't get to schools help out in their local schools. It is a can do attitude. It is for the people of Sheffield to judge whether we are on the right side of the argument.

"Surely we can find out from teachers which school is close to you and what do you teach. I think people can do it. I am really disappointed that the teachers unions are putting barriers in front of it rather than saying we can do our bit."