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Original poster

"most teachers are women, if they go back to work who will look after their children?"

66 replies

StealthPolarBear · 16/05/2020 16:55

Someone has seriously just asked gavin Williamson that

OP posts:
morethanmeetstheeye · 16/05/2020 22:36

@StealthPolarBear
Thank you! We are all trying so so hard to keep everything as normal as we can for our classes!

It's really hard, though! I've been teaching live audio lessons in my car/shed/garage to avoid my children adding to them...

My daughter gleely 'helped' me teach algebra the other day... Hmm

morethanmeetstheeye · 16/05/2020 22:33

The status quo does need changing but it's a reality that many many people live with.
I dislike the man intensely; I find the push to return to education disgusting when the science isn't there to back it up but I begrudgingly admit he has done kind of seriously screwed up point.

Sending me back as cannon fodder to a virus with no PPE isn't going to aid my childcare issues, though

Original poster
StealthPolarBear · 16/05/2020 22:33

Thanks for what you've been doing (and you a woman and everything!)
My children's teachers have been fantastic. Nothing has been too much trouble and I've seen no suggestion that their own children or elderly parents have impacted on how effectively they've worked.

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morethanmeetstheeye · 16/05/2020 22:31

Whilst the comment he made annoys me intensely, unfortunately it resonates with me.

I'm a teacher.
I've worked bloody hard over the past couple of months either in school looking after keyworker/vulnerable children or via online live teaching/marking/assessing etc
It's been pretty relentless.
Absolutely no Easter break.

And I've been doing all this whilst somehow also looking after my own two young children and homeschooling them whilst my ex husband to be hasn't really covered that much extra at all.

Yes, he should pull his weight more but why is it my job to get him to do so? It's hard and will be actually far harder if I have to return to work as my children are both in the vulnerable category so I will not allow them to go into school yet.

Original poster
StealthPolarBear · 16/05/2020 22:19

And you see no issue with a harmful status quo being perpetuated live on TV?
You honestly don't see why this is an issue for feminist chat?
If not I no longer wish to discuss this with you really.

OP posts:
siring1 · 16/05/2020 22:17

But that is the staus quo.

Original poster
StealthPolarBear · 16/05/2020 22:16

In fairness to Williamson his response talked about teachers who were parents.

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VaTeLaverLesMains · 16/05/2020 22:15

If someone said, 'most construction workers are men, who's going to look after the children if school are off?'

That would be interesting. And refreshing.

Original poster
StealthPolarBear · 16/05/2020 22:13

He assumed that was the status quo and made no suggestion that that wasn't acceptable.
Similar to if he'd said "if the women o back to work, who will cook the men's lunches"
Do you really not see the issue here (with apologies in advance if my use of italics isn't up to scratch) or are you just looking to fight?

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siring1 · 16/05/2020 22:05

StealthPolarBear

Ah menthose people who can work effectively with dedication and unencumbered by responsibility

This person clearly thinks the responsibilty of childcare falls on women and that creates issues with work.

But you disagree.

Original poster
StealthPolarBear · 16/05/2020 21:36

I'm not aware of a transcript but thanks for the patronising comment.
He did not ask how teachers who are parents would manage with childcare. He pointed out many teachers are women, fine, but then asked who would look after their children. Making the sweeping assumptions that most women have children and childcare falls on their shoulders.

OP posts:
siring1 · 16/05/2020 21:14

How will women (who make up most primary school teachers) go back to work if there’s no childcare available?

OP please learn to use quotation marks correctly.

If you use them you must put the exact words spoken between them . To not do so is a lie.

siring1 · 16/05/2020 21:00

He said most primary school teachers are women. He's right.

He implied childcare has kanded disproportionally on them in recent weeks. He's right

Original poster
StealthPolarBear · 16/05/2020 18:15

Missed that one, should I write in and ask them to raise it :)

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MockersxxxxxxxSocialDistancing · 16/05/2020 18:09

....finish at half past three?

Original poster
StealthPolarBear · 16/05/2020 18:07

I think they also squeezed in a "long holiday" quip too

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MockersxxxxxxxSocialDistancing · 16/05/2020 18:06

Telegraph Woman appeared to think all teachers were sat at home on furlough. Excellent Primary teacher also on Sky patiently pointed out that she had been at work every day since lockdown, mostly in school, that there was room in her classroom for at most eight socially distanced children, and that four year olds find social distancing a challenge.

DrDavidBanner · 16/05/2020 18:00

On radio two the other day someone pointed out that teachers were all happy to queue outside tesco to buy wine.

What?!?!?

I'm not a teacher, but I feel really sorry for all the stick they're getting from all corners, they're damned if the do and damned if they don't. School teachers are not responsible for government policy or for the Coronavirus outbreak.

Gncq · 16/05/2020 17:59

Devlesko

When there are people out there seriously asking "who will look after children if women are at work?" It is blindingly a feminist issue.

ByGrabtharsHammerWhatASavings · 16/05/2020 17:58

Dev, you're confused in just so many ways. Seriously, there's too much wrong with your posts to even start untangling it. Have a nap, reread the thread, then try again.

Original poster
StealthPolarBear · 16/05/2020 17:50

On radio two the other day someone pointed out that teachers were all happy to queue outside tesco to buy wine. Not sure how he'd found out such specific information just by looking at them.

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MockersxxxxxxxSocialDistancing · 16/05/2020 17:41

Mad woman from the Telegraph on Sky now accusing teachers of cowardice.

Floisme · 16/05/2020 17:37

I think there are several feminist issues here, one of which is that getting men to pull their weight in their own home is yet another job which seems to have been assigned to women.

Original poster
StealthPolarBear · 16/05/2020 17:36

Dev I seriously think you've misunderstood. The title is in quotes, this is not my opinion.

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Original poster
StealthPolarBear · 16/05/2020 17:36

Oh OK. I thought there was another guy on the wind up

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