AIBU to say enough now?

[Enoughnowstop]

I am not sure I can take any more.

I am a single parent. I am over 50. My children depend on me to bring in a wage and keep a roof over our heads. One of my children is a type 1 diabetic and as such, vulnerable to this virus. I am without support as my parents are dead and I am an only child. I am a teacher and a good one. I love my job. I want to be in the classroom and I want to be supportive of the students I work with.

I have read thread after thread on here in the last 24 hours with people looking to find loopholes or claim to just use 'common sense' so that, for the sake of their mental health, they can get through the next 4 weeks. People who have every intention of meeting up with others, even if it is 'just' outside. People who want their children in school because they can't possibly cope with their children at home in lockdown and what about their rights to an education, a future and their mental health.

I have spent an hour this morning quietly sobbing in my room whilst reading this shit. The utter lack of social responsibility and refusal to see a bigger picture. Not one fuck given about either the physical or mental health of every single person now working in key positions knowing that potentially, things are worse than they were 7 months or so ago. When you want to push your child in the pram and don't see why meeting up with someone else pushing their child in a pram, despite the rules being 2 people not 4 people but it's OK because your mental health can't take any more, maybe just give a thought to those of us who are cramming ourselves into small rooms without ventilation with 32 people who refuse to wear masks because they're exempt and who are transmitting the virus with few.....statistics suggest that there will be anywhere between 5 and 50 students in my school tomorrow who will have that virus. A russian roulette of whether or not I will end up in a room with one of them. I mean how could we be anything but mentally unhealthy knowing full well that tomorrow might be the day we contract this virus and our lives change forever? Who is protecting the mental and physical health of keyworkers? Does anyone actually care about the mental and physical health of keyworkers?

Maybe just start thinking about the mental health of every single person and every single person's right to life and our children's right to have a physically and mentally well parent, capable of meeting their needs.

And please, feel free to professionally insult me some more, becuase that's what always happens on these threads, tell me we don't need teachers like you and if you're that bothered, get another job there are thousands of unemployed just waiting in the wings to take over. Well, no, you can't do without me and my colleagues, our experience, our skills, our professionalism. Just as you can't do without the medical professionals who are facing dealing with this shit again because your right to mental health negates our right to both physical and mental health.

Your rights don't usurp mine. I don't have much faith in this government, but they are what they are. They are making the rules. Follow them. Remember you are not the only one struggling. Be grateful that you're not the one doing the keyworking and be supportive of those of us who are by remembering we also have a right to be physically and mentally healthy. There is balance required. For all of us. We all have a right to a future. Let's make sure those who's future is taken from them in this pandemic number as few, not as many, as possible.

As for me, I think my resignation is on the cards. I think anything at all is better than this.

[FuzzyPuffling]

I hear you. My DD is a teacher and I fear for her. There is no safety in her workplace.

[SpeccyLime]

Your mental health is worth protecting OP. If resignation is what it takes, you shouldn’t feel guilty about it. Do what you need to to protect yourself, mentally and physically

[frazzledquaver]

I hear you. I hope you can find what is right for you. There are those of us (parents as well as teachers) who don't want it to be like this for you.

[x2boys]

I agree my Dh is clinically vulnerable and I have a disabled child at a special school , which was shut from march to September lockdown didn't do a lot for my mental health either but im following the rules because I don't want to put my family at risk

[Storyoftonight]

I'm with you OP

[confusedfeelingss]

I'm with you too as a fellow teacher x

[RickOShay]

I really do think that teachers need adequate ppe, and I’m not sure why it isn’t mandatory.
I feel for you. You have a lot on your plate

[Badgerstmary]

I’m with you too op. I’m dreading going back into work tomorrow. It’s impossible to be 2m away from the children.

[monkeytennis97]

Brilliant post OP. I'm with you

[CharlotteUnaNatalieThompson]

Well fucking said. I'm a doctor and this shit infuriates me too. At least I have PPE...

Those who aren't key workers are being asked to do one thing. Stay at home when it's not essential. One thing. I get it's tough, I really do but it will be a fuck of a lot tougher if we don't do as we're asked now.

Take care and stay safe

[HettyPain]

I hear you loud and clear. I feel incredibly grateful to all keyworkers. I feel equally frustrated that so many of you are having to carry on like normal while others are permitted to work from home. It feels so unfair and wrong. There's not a chance in hell that I'll be breaking any rules. I hope you and your children stay well OP. If you're really thinking of resigning though, maybe you should talk to your doc first?

[KarlKennedysDurianFruit]

Yep, there's a thread at the moment of people moaning they won't be able to see their boyfriend for a few weeks so they're going to anyway. Ridiculously selfish.

[ProudAuntie76]

Completely and utterly agree with you OP

[JustGiveMeTwoMinutes]

I'm with you OP xx

[Madhairday]

I hear you and agree with you OP.

[MacDuffsMuff]

Totally agree. I was shielding last time now I'm told I've just to 'be extra careful'. I'm a teacher too so not sure how I'm supposed to do that.

[1Morewineplease]

I hear you.
I'm just a TA but my husband is vulnerable and in his 60s.
All the children are facing you so that you have 30+ children's breath plumes hurtling towards you. And you have no mask or PPE.
I work with 5-6 year olds. They want cuddles, they forget to cover their mouths when they cough and sneeze. You have to get up close and personal when they've injured themselves.
I'm counting my days til I or my husband gets Covid.
Despite hand sanitising by the children or me, I still got a stinking cold in September, as did quite a few children and other members of staff.
If it was that easy to catch a cold, it'll be just as easy to get Covid.

[Doyoumind]

I don't usually spend much time on the 'should I be doing this' threads but I have the last couple of days and am also tired of the selfish rule breakers more concerned with themselves than those around them. It's shit for everyone. No one gets to opt out just because it doesn't suit them without it having ramifications on other people.

Someone said on a thread that people are capable of assessing the risks themselves. If that's the case why are we seeing so many cases? Did all those people who became infected expect to? Of course not. Sorry if I don't respect people's risk assessment skills.

[TheGinGenie]

@KarlKennedysDurianFruit have you ever gone 12 weeks without seeing another single person at all? Have you ever felt suicidal?

Why don't we all be a bit less judgey and a bit more empathetic to the fact that this is very tough on an awful lot of people for a lot of different reasons.

[Appuskidu]

Completely agree with you-people loudly proclaiming that they won’t be following the rules make a complete mockery of the whole situation.

Every nhs worker, teacher, carer, supermarket worker, delivery driver and all the other amazing key workers out there shouldn’t have to put their lives on the line for those who think they the rules don’t bloody apply to them.

[Mallemo]

Agree OP!!

[LINABE]

I agree with you OP. Take care...

[PenguinIce]

Completely agree with everything you said op. It’s also worth noting that many of your pupils and their parents will feel exactly the same. They will not want to get on public transport to get to school; they will not want to sit in a classroom with 32 others and they will not want to mix with hundreds of other pupils in the canteen and hallways. It is a tough time for everyone and we all need to think of others as well as ourselves 💐

[KarlKennedysDurianFruit]

@TheGinGenie the people on that thread live with other adults, if they didn't they could form a bubble with their partners

[StillCoughingandLaughing]

And please, feel free to professionally insult me some more, becuase that's what always happens on these threads, tell me we don't need teachers like you and if you're that bothered, get another job there are thousands of unemployed just waiting in the wings to take over. Well, no, you can't do without me and my colleagues, our experience, our skills, our professionalism. Just as you can't do without the medical professionals who are facing dealing with this shit again because your right to mental health negates our right to both physical and mental health.

So before anyone responds, you’re deciding everyone is against you? Not the best way to get people on side.

I’m not entirely sure what your argument is. Are you saying that schools should close? Or that the rest of us should grind to a halt because schools are open?