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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Headteacher has posted this to facebook

580 replies

NameChangeAgain111 · 12/05/2020 23:52

The headteacher at my DCs school has posted this to Facebook. He says that social distancing is impossible and unless we would be happy to let our DC play in a supermarket for hours to 'not even think about' bringing them to school. I have 2 expected back on June 1st. AIBU to keep them off after this?

m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10222994594279008&id=1403891361

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
nothingcomestonothing · 13/05/2020 02:49

colouringaddict your head sounds a bit dramatic, is she also 'worrying herself to the point of being ill' that a member of staff or pupil will get run over by the bin lorry? Or choke to death on an undercooked school dinner potato? Or electrocute themselves with a dodgy kettle making a cuppa in the staff room? All much more likely dangers than covid, unless said staff member/pupil is on chemo or has had a transplant or something (in which case they should be shielding anyway).

HathorX · 13/05/2020 03:01

Everyone has been told they don't have to send their kids back if they don't want to, so YANBU. From polls I've seen, about half of parents will not send their kids back so, there is your problem solved regarding classroom capacity.

I fully appreciate the HT's passionate reaction and I do think the Government could have done a much better job selling this new approach. Dumping the news on everyone just before bedtime was bound to cause stress and confusion.

I do think there needs to be a much more orderly, planned and documented approach to getting schools back. They should have done some simulations in real schools, and published notes to schools explaining how to handle staffing issues, whether to have a week on/week off model, what to do about lunchtimes, what to do about drop off and pick up (if you stagger it,.parents with kids in different years will have to hang around which could be dangerous as people will cluster together), what to do if a child gets I'll- fo you close the school or the child's class and do you inform the parents etx.

There is a huge amount of detail missing and it is INSANE to expect schools to develop this detail themselves, and unfair to tell schools to prepare to go back to new normal without letting schools know how and when they will receive clear advice and instructions regaring best practice policies and "showstoppers" which need special help.

I think it has been handled very badly by the government.

It makes me very fearful about Brexit, as the Government simply isnt competent.

mathanxiety · 13/05/2020 03:11

CrazyTimesAreOccurring Tue 12-May-20 23:59:56

Well written and he is obviously rightly fuming and totally bemused at the government putting him and especially children in this ridiculous position. No clarity, no extra classrooms, yet expected to social distance.

THIS ^^

Children, teachers, and their families including vulnerable people are being thrown under the bus in order to get the economy up and running again.

Josephinah · 13/05/2020 03:37

It bothers me that he hasn’t checked his spelling and grammar, being that he’s an educator.

croprotationinthe13thcentury · 13/05/2020 03:56

He should be fired for gross misconduct. End of story.

Mumsnetters trying to somehow justify this idiot completely overstepping his professional boundaries, give your fucking head a wobble.

Sandybval · 13/05/2020 03:59

If he really is a headteacher then he's going to be in big trouble with his LEA and governors.

He will be aware of this, but obviously felt it worth it because the government will never be honest about the risk or the reality of trying to make schools safe. I wonder who cares more about the children? Good for him.

Sandybval · 13/05/2020 04:01

He should be fired for gross misconduct. End of story.

There's already a chronic shortage of teachers, but sure, let us start firing those who speak the truth. Sad thing is he probably will get fired, but there's nothing in his post which seems to be a lie. I am glad he is thinking of the children but also his staff.

Sandybval · 13/05/2020 04:03

your head sounds a bit dramatic, is she also 'worrying herself to the point of being ill' that a member of staff or pupil will get run over by the bin lorry? Or choke to death on an undercooked school dinner potato? Or electrocute themselves with a dodgy kettle making a cuppa in the staff room? All much more likely dangers than covid, unless said staff member/pupil is on chemo or has had a transplant or something (in which case they should be shielding anyway).

But there are mitigations in place for those scenarios, fuck all for covid. Unless you count mysteriously producing more staff out of thin air to meet the ambition of smaller classes spread out over classrooms, or to wash hands more regularly or throw away tissues.

Durgasarrow · 13/05/2020 04:04

It's crazy to open up schools right now.

EveryLifeHasASoundtrack · 13/05/2020 04:06

Mumsnetters trying to somehow justify this idiot completely overstepping his professional boundaries, give your fucking head a wobble.

Do you really think that Headteachers should stay quiet if they feel like they are not going to be able to keep children and staff safe? Just keep their head down and say nothing? I think it’s those that go along with something, not speaking up when they think there’s a huge potential danger that are more of a problem. I’m very glad that some Headteachers are willing to speak up. People keeping their gob shut and covering up things hasn’t exactly led to very many good things in the past has it.

Poetryinaction · 13/05/2020 04:08

He shouldn't have posted his knee jerk reaction before consulting with SLT, governors, the LA. His spelling and grammar are dreadful and he is unnecessarily worrying parents. I would be furious with him as a parent.

echt · 13/05/2020 04:11

He should be fired for gross misconduct

You don't understand what gross misconduct is do you, croprotationinthe13thcentury ?

Read this:

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/752668/Teacher_misconduct-the_prohibition_of_teachers_.pdf

While wobbling your head.

Stelmariah · 13/05/2020 04:22

No one goes into teaching for the pay, the work-life balance or the holiday
Sure, we all go to work (any work) because we love to put up with crap all day and we don’t care if we don’t have long enough breaks from above-mentioned crap and paid peanuts for it.

There’s no need for sentimental bullshit about why we work. Yes, money.

tvbracket · 13/05/2020 04:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HannaH021 · 13/05/2020 04:35

so many shit comments on this thread. Never knew a headteacher with a personal FB account cant share his concern with his FB friends because apparently he's less of a human than other ppl.
if parents in that school still want to bring their children thats up to them. He was clear on how the guidelines dont solve the problems, and if parents think it will magically happen, they need a reality check. Every single parent knows asking children to social distance with their best friends and in corridors just wont happen. Take ur children to school at ur own risk, who's stopping you? But set ur expectations right. There is nothing new here.
The level of poor comprehension on PP is astonishing.

Jenasaurus · 13/05/2020 04:52

I think its a brave and honest post from the HT, if I had DC at his school I would be pleased he was being so open and sharing the plans in place for the return to school.

He is putting as many measures in place as he can but he also wanted to give parents the option to make their own choice based on the arrangements in place.

Cherrybakewelll · 13/05/2020 04:53

It’s not allowed in many jobs tbh. When you sign your contract you are told about situations like these. That work matters should not be written all over FB and other social media. I think even teachers would be in the office also if they were to do similar Blush

MyOtherProfile · 13/05/2020 04:55

The government aims to have every child back in school by mid-June.
Really? I've missed this. Please can someone post a link? I understood that most secondary kids won't be back til September.

Sorry op didn't realise you were qualified and knew better than the scientists giving advice!
Would love to know what this means. I've not seen any scientists backing the government lately, despite their talk about following the science.

I just don't understand!! Why are teachers so petrified? Is it their union that is whipping them up in to a frenzy? Hasn't it been proven that young children are unlikely to transmit the virus to adults?
No it hasn't. Worth looking at the actual science unlike the government because there's a lot of doubt over this.
www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-01354-0

echt · 13/05/2020 04:56

But excuse my ignorance

Educate yourself, tvbracket loads of thread about this, or hey, look around.

Oh, and welcome to MN.Hmm

Reginabambina · 13/05/2020 05:03

I do t understand why people think schools will resume on June 1st. Surely it’s oretty obvious by this point that they won’t?

ThePawtriarchy · 13/05/2020 05:03

Virus aside, I wouldn’t want my child at a school with a headteacher who thinks being a Stonewall training partner is a selling point.

Reginabambina · 13/05/2020 05:05

@HannaH021 if I went on Facebook posting information about my work like this I’d loose my job. No job with real responsibilities would leave scope for this kind of thing.

EveryLifeHasASoundtrack · 13/05/2020 05:05

Virus aside, I wouldn’t want my child at a school with a headteacher who thinks being a Stonewall training partner is a selling point.

Oh ffs.... not relevant here at all.

ThePawtriarchy · 13/05/2020 05:12

Oh ffs.... not relevant here at all.

Using other evidence to decide on validity of somebody’s opinion is relevant. But whatever, I wasn’t looking for permission to comment 🤷‍♀️

OhTheRoses · 13/05/2020 05:14

In my huge Sainsburys the checkout staff (and the others) continue to be there week in week out despite dealing with 100s of people daily. Evidently two of them since Feb have self isolated. So yes, I would be perfectly happy for my dc to play in my local supermarket.

Going to read the Facebook post now.

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