Schools used as polling stations, why?

Doom · 23-05-2014 03:02PM #1

So the teachers get another day off, parents struggle to cope with childcare, using up their holidays etc....:mad:

Why are schools used for this? Another day of education wasted, as lots of schools around the country close, why not use community centres?

I suppose the teachers will be double jobbing at these centres too

Are politicians looking after their grass roots again, as most of them are former teachers

Turtyturd · 23-05-2014 03:03PM

Why not?

fleet_admiral · 23-05-2014 03:04PM

So teachers can get a day's overtime.

ben.schlomo · 23-05-2014 03:05PM

Dont see any issue, parents have known for a long long time when the election was taking place, hardly takes that long to sort childcare. Schools are locally based, easy to get to and have parking for the most part, not every community has a community centre.

Chips Lovell · 23-05-2014 03:05PM

They use community centres too. I voted in my local one.

Specialun · 23-05-2014 03:06PM

sure wont there be a kettle and bikkies there

whisky_galore · 23-05-2014 03:07PM

Meh

meoklmrk91 · 23-05-2014 03:07PM

There is primary schools in nearly every community in the country, if there isn't one then you don't have to travel far to get to one, it means that voting is easily accessed by those who can't travel far due to illness, lack of transport etc. etc.

I Heart Internet · 23-05-2014 03:07PM

My traditional polling station, a primary school, is not being used this year as there is major building works going on. So we're using a nearby (relatively) boxing club instead.

Makes me wonder....why couldn't we just use the boxing club every year??

23-05-2014 03:08PM

Doom wrote: »

So the teachers get another day off, parents struggle to cope with childcare, using up their holidays etc....:mad:

Why are schools used for this? Another day of education wasted, as lots of schools around the country close, why not use community centres?

I suppose the teachers will be double jobbing at these centres too

Are politicians looking after their grass roots again, as most of them are former teachers

So you were reading the journal and decided to steal their article as your thread basis and then added in an incorrect assumption about teachers and school days to round off the rant!

Bravo Sir.

http://www.thejournal.ie/why-are-schools-used-as-polling-places-1112804-May2014/

folan · 23-05-2014 03:08PM

there is no community center near me. only a school. there are no other public offices nearby

Raging_Ninja · 23-05-2014 03:08PM

Simple - there are schools everywhere and there might not be another suitable building in the area.

Ghekko · 23-05-2014 03:09PM

Often wonder this too. There is a hall right beside our school which could easily be used.

ArmaniJeanss · 23-05-2014 03:11PM

Doom wrote: »

So the teachers get another day off, parents struggle to cope with childcare, using up their holidays etc....:mad:

Why are schools used for this? Another day of education wasted, as lots of schools around the country close, why not use community centres?

Fairly sure the schools in question will do the same amount of teaching days per year, the number as set out by the department, so not an issue.
Also don't see why you think the community centre is a better fit - why should it have to stop its normal business for 2 nights and a full day - football training, keep fit classes, bingo etc.

Doom wrote: »

I suppose the teachers will be double jobbing at these centres too

Are politicians looking after their grass roots again, as most of them are former teachers

I'd agree with this - fairly disgraceful the way some people, often otherwise permanently employed, seem to have these roles sewn up for 30 years +.
Should be strictly limited to 2, max 3 turns at it just to spread it around the local community.

Turtyturd · 23-05-2014 03:11PM

RobbieTheRobber wrote: »

So you were reading the journal and decided to steal their article as your thread basis and then added in an incorrect assumption about teachers and school days to round off the rant!

Bravo Sir.

http://www.thejournal.ie/why-are-schools-used-as-polling-places-1112804-May2014/

What goes around comes around....'writers' for The Journal have been plagiarising AH for years, stealing all the funniest comments.

Wordless · 23-05-2014 03:12PM

In my old town we used the library but in towns with larger populations schools have many rooms which makes it easier for large groups to votes.

Aongus Von Bismarck · 23-05-2014 03:14PM

RobbieTheRobber wrote: »

So you were reading the journal and decided to steal their article as your thread basis and then added in an incorrect assumption about teachers and school days to round off the rant!

Bravo Sir.

http://www.thejournal.ie/why-are-schools-used-as-polling-places-1112804-May2014/

Seeing as the "journalists" who write for the Journal generally just rehash news contents from other sites, I doubt they mind too much.

Stheno · 23-05-2014 03:16PM

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

They use community centres too. I voted in my local one.

Same here, though it's the first time they have used the community centre, I have no idea where it is

23-05-2014 03:18PM

Aongus Von Bismarck wrote: »

Seeing as the "journalists" who write for the Journal generally just rehash news contents from other sites, I doubt they mind too much.

Oh I dont care about him stealing from the journal more just that topic wasn't nearly enough to justify rage so he added extra public sector angst (incorrectly) to justify the outrage!

Doom · 23-05-2014 03:22PM

RobbieTheRobber wrote: »

So you were reading the journal and decided to steal their article as your thread basis and then added in an incorrect assumption about teachers and school days to round off the rant!

Bravo Sir.

http://www.thejournal.ie/why-are-schools-used-as-polling-places-1112804-May2014/

I don't rate the Journal very highly as having any original material, they're more of a news scrapping site, normally getting stuff from boards.ie imo....,I haven't looked at it in quite a while...any how,thanks for the heads up...you wonderful keyboard warrior...power to you, Sir (Robbiethekeyboardwarrior):p

Doom · 23-05-2014 03:23PM

RobbieTheRobber wrote: »

Oh I dont care about him stealing from the journal more just that topic wasn't nearly enough to justify rage so he added extra public sector angst (incorrectly) to justify the outrage!

this is just for you.....grrrr, grrrr....i'm so angry grrrr....happy:D

ComputerKing · 23-05-2014 03:24PM

I agree that school are easy to use as there is one everywhere in the country but when another building is available such as a community center they should be used instead.

Doom · 23-05-2014 03:25PM

Point is Schools are for learning not political voting, how come we don't use them as community centres so, instead of wasting our money:rolleyes:

D1stant · 23-05-2014 03:29PM

I agree with the OP. Churches should be used for voting

B.A._Baracus · 23-05-2014 03:33PM

Just had a chap knock on the door with the usual "Have you voted today?" ... he was from/supporting/whatever of Sein Fein. Bit of a douchebag actually. Conversation as follows:

Him: Did you vote today?
Me: nah, mate. Not interested.
Him: Why not, did you get your voting card? (shocked look in eyes)
Me: Yeah. Just don't vote mate.
Him: Give me your voting card and i'll vote for you (cheeky half messing way but actually serious)
Me: you're alright mate (with a smile and wink)
Him: Proceeds to ignorantly turn around and walk away.
Me: Cheers anyways mate.

Cheers anyways mate?!? :pac: I am a fool (pun intended, lol)
Like its funny, you can be polite. Open the door rather than being ignorant. But met with the "whats wrong with you" type of thing.

Next one that knocks is gonna get it. lol.

23-05-2014 03:36PM

Doom wrote: »

So the teachers get another day off, parents struggle to cope with childcare, using up their holidays etc....:mad:

Why are schools used for this? Another day of education wasted, as lots of schools around the country close, why not use community centres?

I suppose the teachers will be double jobbing at these centres too

Are politicians looking after their grass roots again, as most of them are former teachers

Right to address your points then.

A school day is not lost, schools will still have to open the set number of days in a year!

Schools in Ireland are obliged to open for 183 days per year at primary level and 167 days per year at post-primary level. At one time, schools had a good deal of flexibility about the start and end of school terms. This meant that there was considerable variation about when students returned to school after holidays such as Christmas and mid-term breaks.

Since 2004 school terms have been standardised under a series of agreements made between representatives of schools, teacher unions, parents’ organisations and other relevant bodies.

The dates for the start and the end of the school year are not standardised so schools have some discretion about when students finish school in the summer and when they start school in the autumn. All schools are closed for July and most (or all) of August. The dates for the Christmas, Easter and mid-term breaks are standardised.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/primary_and_post_primary_education/attendance_and_discipline_in_schools/school_terms_in_primary_and_postprimary.html

So what is the problem with using schools OP?

STADEdeLUC · 23-05-2014 03:36PM

Wish we'd bring in compulsory voting like in Aus, fines for the pillocks that don't vote as well! Yup sally

D1stant · 23-05-2014 03:37PM

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

Just had a chap knock on the door with the usual "Have you voted today?" ... he was from/supporting/whatever of Sein Fein. Bit of a douchebag actually. Conversation as follows:

Him: Did you vote today?
Me: nah, mate. Not interested.
Him: Why not, did you get your voting card? (shocked look in eyes)
Me: Yeah. Just don't vote mate.
Him: Give me your voting card and i'll vote for you (cheeky half messing way but actually serious)
Me: you're alright mate (with a smile and wink)
Him: Proceeds to ignorantly turn around and walk away.
Me: Cheers anyways mate.

Cheers anyways mate?!? :pac: I am a fool (pun intended, lol)
Like its funny, you can be polite. Open the door rather than being ignorant. But met with the "whats wrong with you" type of thing.

Next one that knocks is gonna get it. lol.

I didn't think Australians could vote here mate

Doom · 23-05-2014 03:38PM

There are 3 suitable venues within 2km of local school here...all empty today.
Think of the extra cost of teachers been off and extra child care costs to parents..

folan · 23-05-2014 03:49PM

Doom wrote: »

extra child care costs to parents..

schools are not there to mind your kids.

as already pointed out, the kids still have access to the school for the same number of days per annum. they are not missing out on any education. teachers will still work the same number of days per annum. they will not miss a days work.

what exactly is your issue?

folan · 23-05-2014 03:52PM

oh, and the local schools here open themselves in the evenings for adult education and the sports facilities can be booked and used too. Great for communities to have such an additional resource available

Schools used as polling stations, why?

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