School headteacher bans my bike from school ground-I am the only cyclist from 270 mums

[fossyant]

Stick to your guns. Don't get angry - she's already lost one battle getting shouty on the phone.

Ask for a letter, then approach the governors. Oh and take photo's of all the illegally parked cars.

Our Primary once got the police in for about a week due to inconsiderate parking. Some of the mums and dads insist on getting their cars as near to the school as possible, despite living round the corner. One morning a taxi dropped a child off (the child was in care from outside the area) and the taxi was parked at the school gate, as the driver took the child in. One or two parents, who live 5 minutes walk away, found they struggled to turn their cars round, so off they went shouting racist abuse at the taxi driver, in front of Infant children !

 

[s7ephanie]

what do the other mums think of this ? could you arrange a cycle protest with other mums cycling in for the day. That would make a great local news story !!

 

[Yvette Obertelli]

My plan was to take lots of picture today about all the cars blocking sidewalks around the school also take a picture about the amount of buggies scooters , dog in handbags on the school ground...I am not planning to get other mums into truble with their parking style all I want to be treated normal - it seems cycling for them is abnormal. It would also be great if the school finally start to get involved in the BIKEABILITY SCHEME.

 

[Dusty Bin]

...well, at the risk of an inverse-Godwin, a great many reforms have come from simple disobedience. Gahndi's march to the sea to illegally extract salt, Rosa Parks on that bus, and so on...
Overturning a silly rule on bikes should not be too ambitous for direct action.

You're right - this could make the Watts Rebellion look like a vicar's tea party. Or maybe not...

 

[Yvette Obertelli]

what do the other mums think of this ? could you arrange a cycle protest with other mums cycling in for the day. That would make a great local news story !!

Most mums drive to school about 70-75 per cent according to the council, rest is walking- I have lot of mum friends who find this issue absolutely ridiculous however they don't want to get involved as obviously they worried more about their child in the school. Everybody wants to be in the goody books of the headteacher. according to the head- she had 3 complaints from parents about me bringing a bike into the school.

 

[Archie_tect]

I'm sure you could get far more than 3 complaints about parents' car parking and turning.

 

[steve52]

burn the head she not fit for purpose, i only say burn as its nov 5th and i have o guy

 

[siadwell]

I'd steer clear of drawing parallels between the parking outside the school and whatever goes on within the grounds. The head has no jurisdiction outside the school, so there's no point making a fuss about others' parking.

 

[Profpointy]

If that's her argument, then it can be easily defeated. Ask to see a copy of the guidelines which specifically outline acceptable sizes for pushchairs and baby carriages on council property (answer = there won't be any). The same document should also outline the technical studies which concluded that the the level of risk increases with size (answer = there won't be any).

Trouble is, there isn't going to be a neutral arbiter here, Catching the head out as it were, then appealing to same head to over-rule herself by a barrack room lawyer style argument isn't going to get a result. Even a "higher authority" is at best only going to ask the head to produce a policy or risk assesment, which said head can write in such a way to rejusitfy the original rule - more likely they will just delegate back to the head.

Sorry for seeming to knock your posts - I do agree with the sentiment - but I think you've misjudged the power psychology thing here

 

[4F]

Stick to your guns, if you are not riding in the school but pushing your bike then you are classified as a pedestrian. If she ever does come up with a letter then that is the time to take it to the governors and it that does not get the required result then the local paper / CTC etc etc

 

[booze and cake]

From what you say there has been no H&S incidents involving your bike so far, any idea why this has come up all of a sudden? Any complaints from any other parents or staff? I can imagine the concern if you were cycling around the playground pulling wheelies and doing skids but this is not the case. Maybe the head is a bad driver and got shouted at by a cyclist at the weekend

If there is no cycling provision for you at school what if you stated that they must come and meet you at the gates the collect your child and deliver them afterwards, I'd guess the minute it implies more work for them the resistance will evaporate pretty quickly.

And as for the bike being bigger makes it more of a safety hazard, what rubbish. I'm sure some of the other parents are obese, what of the H&S risk if one of them fell on a child? Are they banned from the playground just in case?

In fact cycling can contribute to reducing obesity and if more children did it the school may have better results on the National Childhood Measurement Programme. You may not feel like it at the moment but you are indeed a positive role model for other children and parents, and are being penalised for setting a good example. You are infact contributing towards a number of national and local government targets by chosing cycling, this is not the kind of thing thats going to help the uptake of cycling, agreed the press and even cycling organisations may like to hear about it.

Good luck and let us kow how you go, dont send the letter straight away, sleep on it and read in the morning and maybe try and reduce the outraged nature of it and just convey it in simple well thought out terms so you can't be branded a troublesome parent.

 

[Roadrider48]

That's what you get for encouraging your child to lead a healthier lifestyle. Far too many children are driven to school, which quite often is just around the corner. Then they all fight with each other for the best spaces outside the school gates. No wonder so many kids are obese these days! You are a good role model for your child, advocating a healthier lifestyle. The school should congratulate you on your efforts, not put petty rules in your way. I hope you get a result here....

 

[Dusty Bin]

Trouble is, there isn't going to be a neutral arbiter here, Catching the head out as it were, then appealing to same head to over-rule herself by a barrack room lawyer style argument isn't going to get a result. Even a "higher authority" is at best only going to ask the head to produce a policy or risk assesment, which said head can write in such a way to rejusitfy the original rule - more likely they will just delegate back to the head.

Sorry for seeming to knock your posts - I do agree with the sentiment - but I think you've misjudged the power psychology thing here

No worries

You may be right, I honestly don't know. But that would be my suggestion at least - and as a first course of action, it's probably not a bad one. If it doesn't work, then we will all have to re-think..

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

I was looking for an address for you for the board of Governors which I was unable to find...

Here is the Board of Governors. I would probably start with the Councillor who is supposedly on the Board, Lynden Thorpe, especially given she is on the environmental committee...

You can certainly raise publicity, but there might also be advantages in keeping the powder dry and use it as a leverage to "encourage" the Governors to do something about it (including a letter of apology from the Head, a clear commitment and actions to change etc.).

 

[4F]

I note that in the October newsletter it states:-

"Scooters and bikes - Scooters and bikes must not be ridden on the school site! Thank you"

If you are not riding it then I would ignore her