Our children have the right to an education.

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So many posts about whether schools will be safe when they reopen but I’m not seeing this point made. Lots of discussion around the childcare that schools provide and the importance on children socially.

My 11 year old has lost all interest and I can’t get him to do anything significant. We’ve had one zoom social with his teacher and classmates. So pretty much zero learning going on.

We know children are less susceptible and there is some discussion around whether they’re transmitting less. The children of key workers (i.e. the ones more likely to catch and spread it) have been at school the whole time and as far as I know there haven’t been massive outbreaks in schools.

So I think I just want to loudly shout: our children have the right to an education.

So what are we paying the teachers for then?

@MaryQuaint it might be worth trying oak national academy if you want a more structured way of learning for your dc? its free and follows the national curriculum but includes video lessons etc.

I keep seeing teachers demanding that the government makes their working conditions ‘safe’ for a return in September. But I’m left wondering what constitutes ‘safe’ and whether this can ever be compatible with providing a genuinely well-rounded, let alone enjoyable, education for our children.

So our schools are overcrowded - I get this; I’ve worked in them and it can be a logistical nightmare. But what’s going to be done about this between now and September? Are we going to rebuild/expand all the schools in three months so children have more space? Or are children only going to be able to spend one day a week in school on a rota basis? And if the latter is the case, will teachers simultaneously be teaching classes and delivering online content? As for PPE, how will this impact on small children who are still learning to communicate and need teacher modelling, or who have any of the myriad hearing or learning difficulties that mean they won’t be able to follow muffled speech through a mask? Let alone the damaging social and developmental impact that insisting on indefinite social distancing for small children will inevitably have.

I agree that it’s complicated, but it seems the unions and many teachers are bluntly saying ‘no’ to everything the government proposes, instead of considering what might just work. If these things genuinely are unworkable now, surely they’ll still be unworkable in three months’ time?

60hrs a week is far more than normal. That IS a lifestyle choice at some point.

Standard in many industries.

If these things genuinely are unworkable now, surely they’ll still be unworkable in three months’ time?

I agree, and I think that is why this is a problem that is going to have to be solved over years, not weeks or months.

Meanwhile, someone else is getting full salary to fulfil this function. Yet I’m being told it’s my responsibility now. How does that work?

How does a teacher who is paid full time manage this without better support from somewhere. Thats government and parents.

Teachers are not trained in how to educate at distance. They are learning what works and what doesn't.

Its about better technology and better understanding of what works and doesn't work.

Teachers are being beaten with a stick about things beyond their control and how they are being asked to go above and beyond to do their jobs too.

Direct your frustration and anger in the right direction.

Really interesting post @Lostmyshityear9
Thank you.

I keep seeing teachers demanding that the government makes their working conditions ‘safe’ for a return in September. But I’m left wondering what constitutes ‘safe’

Also, why isn’t the sector itself working out the details of how to protect themselves and others, rather than demand the government do it? That’s what everyone else had to do. I didn’t see supermarket workers refuse to work until the government made them ‘safe’.

The sector took responsibility for itself.

Op, you will (only) find all of the teachers that are supposed to be teaching our kids on here being paid to argue why they should have even more time off. Those that are dedicated to the children will not be on here, they will be spending their time actually teaching children (as they are paid to do). So I guess we just have the worst of teaching on the thread, hence your skewed voting percentage.

Parents meanwhile are doing two full time jobs, their own paid job AND that of the teachers posting on here, and no time to vote or post!!

You really could not make it up.

if you applied the same logic that the teachers have about risk to everyone, we would run out of food in days, doctors would refuse to care for patients and the entire country would grind to a halt in hours.

If we all downed tools the teachers would be up in arms about the lack of food/electricity/healthcare. Thankfully not everyone has the same work ethic as the workshy posts on here.

I shall never support another lockdown whatever the risk, you can not get the teachers to work again! I am old enough to remember the not too distant past when they would strike for any reason whatsoever, it seems nothing has changed.

I agree that it’s complicated, but it seems the unions and many teachers are bluntly saying ‘no’ to everything the government proposes, instead of considering what might just work

They have considered it and their no means it doesn't work.

Or had that not occurred to you?

Teachers are not trained in how to educate at distance. They are learning what works and what doesn't.

No sector was set up for this kind of working. For most of us, the reality is that we’d go under if we don’t figure it out quickly. Our small business migrated to cloud working in just over a week. It was a nightmare, but it happened because otherwise we’d be bust.

Not so teachers, because there are no consequences for them.

Parents meanwhile are doing two full time jobs, their own paid job AND that of the teachers posting on here, and no time to vote or post!! You really could not make it up

Except you just did. Parents are not teaching. Not all parents are doing another job.

Since the government have put money towards the national academy and the BBC are also providing content, I’d imagine any court would see them as having provided education. Especially since most vulnerable children can go to school.

this is lovely middle class statement. Think about it. Then think about single parents with minimal resources and possibly education themselves. Or people struggling to wfh and keep their jobs in sectors which are decimated

Everyone can do something. And pinning it all on teachers to endanger themselves ISN'T the solution either.

This is about better support for online learning and better resources being made available for teachers to help with that, as well as parents giving kids a kick up the arse when they can't be arsed.

Even parents who lack an education can do things in terms of making sure kids do the work and asking for support for online learning rather than kicking teachers who are in an equally difficult position.

Sorry but wtf do you expect?

Miracle work from teachers? Whilst you simulataineously demand leeway for your own personal circumstances?

I would fully support the gov if they decided enough is enough and stopped paying perfectly healthy teachers that refuse to work. If you can't work fine, resign, we will find someone to replace you. As we would in any other sector.
This country has been far too soft for too long. Lazy, entitled, bloated public sector with a union trying to justify its membership costs will be the undoing of this country.

They do but they also deserve a future.

I would fully support the gov if they decided enough is enough and stopped paying perfectly healthy teachers that refuse to work. If you can't work fine, resign, we will find someone to replace you. As we would in any other sector.

I think a lot of people would at this point.

Teachers are working - and in school.

Might be wise for some of the better off parents to consider £10k a year private schools with wrap around care and/or hiring someone to look after the children - nannies can operate in your house. Lots of students are currently looking for jobs or will be by June when they finish exams and can be good at coming into your house to look after children, supervise music practice, mark their maths and English, give them some work each day.

Without clear testing if someone falls in - in a classroom and pretty instant testing results returned, I cannot see how it can be done.

Also the slow and clunky way new symptoms emerge doesn't help. So I have seen some DC get sickness and D as covid.

What if another parent has not read the same thing and does not get their child tested but they infected mine the day they were in school ?

Sloppy slow information, no testing in place yet!

With proper testing and clear symptoms listed yes, I feel schools will be safer but without - How?

Not so teachers, because there are no consequences for them

What would you like to happen to workers who are locked out of their place of work, given no IT equipment and told to re-invent their entire pedagogical methods they were trained to do in a matter of weeks?

Everyone can do something

If only. Tell that to the children of the junkies living in the high rise flats in Glasgow.

Teachers are indeed working in very varying degrees.

Some teachers are managing a full time table and curriculum in secondary school. Others are not teaching but pushing out PP and then marking.

Some primaries have slick things in place to keep dc learning - others are giving out wishy washy nonsense...