To not want my child to return to a school full of reluctant teachers

[Heldupwithscaffolding]

Even if the Government endorses school reopening, who would want to send their child into an environment where the teachers clearly do not want them there ?

@CayrolBaaaskin - as I understand it they are not teaching the children in the schools it’s just childcare.
I have seen a post on here from a teacher saying that their school have said this. Other schools will be teaching.

And providing a daily worksheet is not really all I expect from my child’s teacher. So no, they are obviously not doing their jobs at the moment. I don’t really have any time for claims that they are working 12 hour days at the moment, etc. doing what?
Some teachers are working 12 hour days. Some are not. I'm sorry you're not having a good experience of online learning from your school.

Teachers jobs are to teach children in the schools. If a supermarket worker refused to do their job or was unable to, they would be dismissed. If it’s decided for schools to go back, the same should apply to teachers.
Shielding supermarket staff, or those who have other clinical vulnerabilities and sympathetic managers are not doing their jobs. They are being paid. I am very much fine with this. I hope you are too.

People on mn criticize everyone in society, my profession is widely criticized. Given this is mumsnet, mums are likely concerned about education. I don’t have any time for flowers or flouncing because someone can’t take any criticism.
Can't argue here. But the problem is you're assuming that all teachers are the same. As there are half a million teachers in the UK, this is a very flawed assumption.

I had very bad service at a restaurant once. I don't think this service reflects all restaurants. Please understand that the same is true of schools.

@CallmeAngelina - i don’t know anyone in a state school who is getting any more than that. My dds school is outstanding, etc. At the end of the day though, it’s not my job to ensure teachers do a reasonable job. Its not my responsibility that so many teachers are not providing any meaningful education.

I don’t see it’s relevant that you’re at school with children but not teaching (presumably much less than you would usually be at school tho or else where are your colleagues?). The question was should teachers do their job when schools go back. Yes, they should.

I’m continuing to work and trying to educate my children as well. No idea why you’re getting so offensive. It will be difficult for many to go back to work or to continue to work but that’s life.

The question was should teachers do their job when schools go back. Yes, they should.
Can't see anyone disputing that, actually.

@summerdown I think we all know the reason there’s so much pressure to open schools for the youngest children has nothing to do with their education and everything to do with childcare.

One of the teachers at my child's school put a post on the school parents' Facebook page about not approving of the schools returning and the date is the earliest, not the actual. It really annoyed me and made me feel the same way OP. Most of my teacher friends are willing to go back and are quite annoyed by their union, but obviously there's a lot who aren't. It has made me uncomfortable about sending mine back and if we, as parents, will forever by judged for it.

FWIW, I volunteer at the school in normal times and have offered to volunteer to help clean or anything if they need it on my day off (if both are in school).

@queryuiop - people are not going to be able to refuse to go back to work and get paid indefinitely. This is already happening to many supermarket staff (and many who can’t go to work as their children are not in school). Again that’s life.

As I understand it, schools are generally not teaching the kids who are in. This is the rule rather than the exception. I don’t know anyone in state school getting any useful education at the moment.

Things will be opening up in the next few months and those who are not at work will need to go to work. Teachers too. If they don’t want yo or can’t, we shouldn’t continue to pay them - this crisis has a massive financial cost (among others) and we can’t privilege one group over another.

but obviously there's a lot who aren't

Sorry, but you've based this on ONE post from a teacher on FB?

Where's the evidence that "a lot" of teachers are thinking like this?

As I understand it, schools are generally not teaching the kids who are in. This is the rule rather than the exception. I don’t know anyone in state school getting any useful education at the moment.

How many schools do you have direct experience of?

Also if I started complaining publicly about going to my work (on Facebook, etc) saying I disagreed with my boss I would be facing disciplinary action. It’s grossly unprofessional.

It should be the same for teachers. Enough is enough.

Why the hostility against teachers? They're doing their best to cope like everyone else.

Are you fucking joking OP??? I’m not reluctant to go to school and teach..... I AM reluctant to go to school and catch or spread a dangerous virus. I love my job, I’m not prepared to risk my health because other people don’t want to parent their own kids

See its posts like this that make me lose sympathy. The last line is absolutely disgusting. I desperately hope you don't teach my dc.

I came on to defend teachers but after reading this, and seeing no teachers pick up on this awful comment, I am out.

Ah yes. “Enough is enough.” The mark of a strong, rational argument.

I’m tired. It’s been a long day of marking, emailing students and parents, setting work, trying to justify GCSE grades in the absence of exams and keeping on top of my own children’s learning. Enough is enough. I’m off to bed.

You have seen teachers complaining publicly on Facebook about their headteacher or school?

@CayrolBaaaskin you are assuming that if you can't see what teachers are doing, they're not doing anything. That's not true.

At the moment teachers (as well as being in school for key worker children and setting work for those at home) are frantically rewriting the curriculum, resources and lesson plans for coming months, to accommodate learning that has been missed. They're writing reports, they're doing online training (a lot of heads are being proactive in getting staff signed up for that while they're not teaching) and all sorts of other paperwork based stuff that parents are oblivious to the existence of.

I’d like to know what sector you’re in, @CayrolBaaaskin, so that we can all have a good go at you for doing a shite job during a global pandemic.

Unless you’re actually Carol Baskin, in which case you have already had a fairly international pile on, so fair enough.

@CayrolBaaaskin I absolutely would get into massive trouble for all the things you’ve mentioned.
Today I have helped my 3 primary aged children with their school work, set, marked and given feedback to the GCSE and A level students I teach. I had a 2 hour video call with my head of department about allocating grades for our Y13s, wrote the newsletter for my whole-school responsibility, planned my lessons for next week, replied to emails from parents, students and colleagues..... and I’m NOT claiming this is special- it’s my job!!! I chose it, I love it. And I want to go back!!!

I know I shouldn’t engage but...
I am DESPERATE to go back to school, I miss teaching so much. But then I have to remind myself that this isn’t about me, it’s about keeping the children safe. And I’m not convinced the timing means they will be.
I’ve planned to return on 1st June and if it goes ahead I will be there and I will teach and I will do a damn good job of it. And every single child will be looked after and made to feel welcome. But it is perfectly reasonable and proportionate to discuss the children’s (& adults’) safety in the meantime.

@SallyLovesCheese I understand a lot of teachers feel uncomfortable to return from reading the news, social media and from a few of my teacher friends. Some of the things we read imply if we send our children back we don't care about the health of the staff or the children which just isn't the case.

I am worried about the teachers judging us for sending them back. I am not concerned about how they will treat my children as they are all lovely teachers and professional (though I hope the facebook post one doesn't end up being moved to my children's year groups).

It's not that we don't want them there. I'm sure there's nothing more us teachers would want than to get back to our classrooms at the minute. It's not a matter of what we want but a matter of doing what's right and safe.

Teachers would never express anything to a child that would instil fear or have them feeling uncomfortable. Well I wouldn't anyway! It's about trying to create normality in an awful situation but trying to do that is quite impossible in a school setting

I don't see a reluctance to teach. I do see a reluctance to work in conditions that do not meet the government expectations that other organisations are expected to meet.
Back in March, Sir Patrick Vallance was aaked whether and when schools would close. His response, when explaining why it wasn't happening at that point was

'Actually you’d have to do it for 13 to 16 weeks or longer,'
If schools re-open as suggested on 1st June, they will have been closed for ten weeks. And, as we have seen, those extra three weeks could make a huge difference to the rate at which this virus spreads. So it seems to me that despite apparently following the science, that doesn't apply to schools. Either that or they are saying their chief scientific advisor is wrong.

I've been in school this week. I've been closer than 2 metres to children of keyworkers, helping with work and comforting one who was injured. We have thrown ourselves into another packed week doing all sorts of activities with them. The children have had fun as have the staff. Have we social distanced? We've tried to in some situations but in others nope as it's just not feasible.
Can we social distance from 1st June? Well we can arrange the school so groups of 15 dont mix but within my bubble of 15 I will be the teacher I have always been.
Do I want to go back? Yes I do because that's my job and I want to support the economy, because that is the real reason we are opening schools so soon, to get people back to work. I accept that and will do my part in helping to allow parents to get back to work. I'm hopeful that those who don't need to go back understand that their children will not be returning to school life and learning as they knew it and will help to protect the health and safely of their school community by keeping their children at home if they can.
Oh and I will not be be sending my own children back to their school.

I am worried about the teachers judging us for sending them back.
Not at all, honestly. I think we appreciate what a difficult position everyone is in. Parents want children to be safe from the virus but also want them to have a decent education and to mix with their peers. It’s really tricky and I’m honestly not judging parents either way. Don’t forget our children will all be returning full-time to school when we do!

Feel so sorry for teachers in this position.
I work in a nursery and am dreading going back because at the moment it's not safe but the goverment don't care.
Some parents have admitted that they will be wfh but will still send their children in to get a break I do find that selfish as keeping their children at home would be possible.

*The flowers are a pathetic attempt to shut down conversation and not face any challenge>

Bless.

As has been pointed out upthread it's our way of telling goady posters to fuck to the far side of fuck and then fuck off again.

HTH :o