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 ?

Sorry that should read that staff have a right to be safe at work.

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.
It is nearly to impossible to wfh with nursery-aged children in many cases. Mine are 4 and 6, and I was up at 5 am today to write a piece of code needed urgently - but I am totally exhausted and cannot concentrate on the task.
If you work in the nursery, surely you can see how disruptive small children can be?

I really appreciate all the teachers' concerns about safety. What I find a bit distasteful is the attitude of
of some of the schools' management. Someone shared a letter from their headteacher in the parenting group on facebook, and among the long list of "new world" rules they warn that they will not be able to give first aid in case of injury due to the social distancing protocol (infants + nursery), and expect the children to deal with it themselves or parents to come. FFS, if you don't feel it is safe to return, just say so, but don't try to manipulate parents.

We all have a right to feel safe at work not only teachers

I didn't want to go in when it was announced we'd still open for key workers. It didn't stop me from being the normal teacher or the kids being the normal kids they are. I for one think it's utterly unfair we have to go in!

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.

Are you kidding me? I doubt that "get a break" means that they are going to be sitting there doing their nails and having coffees. I think it's more likely that they mean that they will actually have a chance to get on with their work efficiently and without their stress levels going through the roof. You can't work efficiently with a small child around, or while having to haphazardly homeschool an older one. Toddlers are not getting properly supervised, school aged kids are falling behind with their education, parents are distracted beyond belief and going insane.

I agree you can't work from home if you have young children. I used to work in a nursery and you need eyes in the back of your head. Parents can't do that and work and home school their 5 or 6 year old.
I'm sure some teachers don't want to go back, fair enough but everyone feels like that. Unfortunately we all have to return to work or give up our jobs.

Thanks everyone for replying.

I will be very grateful to all the Teachers who return to work when the Government says to do so, and then we can all start trying to get back to normal however scary that may be.

Let's see how things pan out between he Government and the Teachers Unions. Hopefully the teacher who posted I’m not prepared to risk my health because other people don’t want to parent their own kids! is a one off.

Why do you think teachers do their jobs? It’s not for the money, it’s not for the respect and it’s not even for the holidays (contrary to popular opinion, it’s only the summer that isn’t allocated a purpose, e.g. reports, assessments). It’s for the children. Of course we won’t treat them in any way other that welcoming and being delighted to see them.

We have been diligently following govt advice to wash hands, stay in, go out once a day, work from home, go into work if necessary etc.

Now if the government reopens schools and tells us it is safe to send child in, we will follow that advice too. We’re not scientists or doctors but we have to trust the experts that are are advising our government who are. We don’t really feel we have choice not to.

Comms from schools don’t seem helpful or reassuring to parents in our situation. Reads more like a long list of all the reasons why you shouldn’t send your child in and openly belligerent about current situation in places.

Doesn’t recognise or try to acknowledge difficult situation parents are in too, wanting to do the best for their children and follow govt advance. Even a simple ‘We know this is a troubling time for you and your child’/‘We know this is a difficult decision to make’ would go a long way.

As would a list of all the things they will do to to make feel children safe and settled despite situation, in the same way they have listed all the safety measures that are completely necessary but will end up unsettling some children.

Can never fault school comms usually so can only assume it is because they are letting their personal/Union’s views about situation guide what they say without putting themselves in parents’ shoes.

And yet whenever the NHS unions provide guidance for safety returning to work rather than blindly following government advice, it is deemed sensible. Has everyone forgotten the advice the government gave over care homes?

Genuine question.. How come other eur countries have sent children back and there does not seem to have been the same angst from their teaching staff?
The comparison between several Danish teachers interviewed this week on radio 4 and their English counterparts was stark.
The countries were children have gone back so far have not seen an overwhelming increase in infections and no signs that teachers are suddenly being disproportionately infected.
So what is different here?
Why do the UK teachers feel less safe?

I'm working from home, my year 6 child won't be gone g to school - my school are continuing to send work online so we'll carry on as we have been - apparnetly only half the parents are my school are sending their children back, the other half have said no thanks it's not safe

@CostaCosta When do you think it would be fair for you to work ? I’m just wondering how fair this pandemic is for any of us.

Theredjellybean Firstly they may well have been angst from teachers in other countries - highly unlikely our would report that. Secondly, teachers in Denmark are probably far less worried because they've got very low numbers of infections there compared to us. Also, government's there seem to actually be expecting social distancing to take place looking at pictures if the classroom. It would be interesting to see the government guidance for schools opening in other European countries - I bet it's somewhat more comprehensive than ours.

our media

Genuine question.. How come other eur countries have sent children back and there does not seem to have been the same angst from their teaching staff?

There has been angst from other teachers from countries going back. From Cyprus and Denmark is where I have family and friends who have had teachers responding to better safety measures and they have largely succeeded. I’d assume France and Germany have too but why would any of them be reported on by the British media and why would you expect it to be?

The comparison between several Danish teachers interviewed this week on radio 4 and their English counterparts was stark.
The countries were children have gone back so far have not seen an overwhelming increase in infections and no signs that teachers are suddenly being disproportionately infected.
So what is different here?
If you are using Denmark as a comparison, they don’t have separate primary and secondary school buildings like we do, so because only small numbers of primary have gone back (remember they closed completely to all, not even open to the keyworker and vulnerable children like we have) they have utilised the Secondary classrooms do they have for room to socially distance. The govt there have also paid for extra wash facilities in all playgrounds to be installed and their numbers in each ‘group’ is less than 10 (why has our government gone for 15 when every other country going back is far far lower, I wonder?)

Why do the UK teachers feel less safe?

Because we have seen and researched what other countries have done when they have gone back (you know, the countries with far fewer cases and deaths as the UK) and none of what they have been provided with by their governments has been considered by our government. The government has not even pledged any extra funding to help schools put measures in place, unlike other countries. Why is that I wonder? Are they even going to pay for the bins with lids that they have advised all schools purchase (the only measure the government has actually suggested)

Teachers (and unions) would be far more comfortable returning on 1st June if the government would put in basic safety measures and funding to do so (like they did when reorganising the NHS). I mean, is providing thermometer machines, extra wash facilities and products, support in preparing classrooms (the BBC showed last night a teacher reorganising their own classroom and removing all excess furniture and resources themselves, I mean even Cyprus funded extra people to help with that!) and closer and better testing and tracing. All measures ‘other countries’ have put in place but not ours currently...

Ive said exactly the same to DP tonight. Like fuck do I want to send my kids to school before September to a bunch of angry, disenfranchised teachers who don’t want them there. That will be the reason I’ll say no and I plan on making that clear if the school gets in touch.

There are some fucking shameful comments on here about teachers.

The “distasteful” comments by some heads:
They know they can’t meet the guidelines set out by the DFE. They know the children won’t be as safe as they would want. They know they are going to have to call on older, BAME, asthmatic or otherwise more vulnerable teachers to come in. They are caught between the government, parents and teachers.
I’ve heard one mention taking legal advice in case a parent or teacher decides to sue over future illness/death. Imagine the responsibility.

In addition to this, the DFE sent out guidance for schools at 7pm on Weds. Heads had already made plans (mostly started weeks ago) and have had to alter them. If the DFE don’t know what guidance to give, what confidence should we have?!

@justanotherneighinparadise Genuinely worth reading the whole thread. We’re frustrated but not with the children. It’s completely fine for you to keep them at home but honestly, we can’t wait to teach and spend time with the children. It’s been hard to only have phone contact / contact with key worker children. We love our job and love our classes. We want them to be safe, that’s where the frustration comes in.

They know they are going to have to call on older, BAME, asthmatic or otherwise more vulnerable teachers to come in

Our neighbouring trust school has half the staff in the vulnerable group. The government advice is still that those in vulnerable groups should work from home but they wont have enough staff unless they call vulnerable members to come in.