To think it’s about time @MNHQ stepped up and did something about the teacher bashing.

[SachaStark]

This evening has been AWFUL here on the AIBU board.

@MNHQ, at what point do you actually plan to intervene and do something about the sheer number of teacher bashing threads, and individual posts? Should we expect any kind of moderation?

Or, is this in fact, “all in the spirit of Mumsnet”? Because at the moment, you’re making it look a darn sight like you agree by proxy.

Maybe when MNHQ do something about the prevalent Rascism, sexism, disablist comments, class divide bashing and transphobia that are all very present on Mumsnet they will get around to the teacher bashing?

LolaSmiles, yes I do understand that. And I don't agree with generalisations.

My point is that people generalise about ALL professions on here, teachers are disproportionately talked about yes but it's not surprising when as I say, their job is linked to the target audience of MN.

Oh come on, teachers are NOT working or if they are, it's a greatly reduced work load

And again, I am teaching a full day every working day (I am part time). No reduced workload. Constant rejiggimg to existing resources to make them fit online learning. More marking than ever because we would usually do some as a class but that doesn’t really work now. 3 children to manage in my home. Single parent.

As someone else has pointed out there are loads of professions being slagged off, not just teachers. Including the police who are at a higher risk. Teachers aren’t some unquestionable profession. Lots of people are having to work during the virus with worse risks, pay and conditions.

Lots of people are having to work during the virus with worse risks, pay and conditions.

Exactly. It's crazy that this will be seen as controversial.

but nobody is bitching about millions of people on furlough receiving 80% of their salary to not work

Erm yes they are!! Lots of threads about furloughed workers 'sitting on their arses at home all day' I think someone even added 'playing video games' to that sentence in one I saw the other week

Are you truly a teacher? It is worrying if so

This is the shit we are talking about. Trying to win an argument by insulting someone’s professionalism. Yawn. So fucking boring.

but nobody is bitching about millions of people on furlough receiving 80% of their salary to not work

Well my DH and a good portion of his company who were all put on furlough are going to be made redundant. People who get furloughed are at risk of losing their job and I'm certain they damn well don't chose to be forced out of work so stop your fucking moaning and get a bit of perspective.

Lots of people are having to work during the virus with worse risks, pay and conditions

With the exception of health professionals and prison staff, who else is expected to spend 7 hours a day in a poorly ventilated room with the same group of people without any form of PPE?

Please avail yourself of some of the science which explains how this virus is spreading.

I think most furloughed workers would leap at the chance to return to their jobs, knowing their employer wasn't going bust and getting full pay.

I can say I havenet really picked up on the teacher bashing but I have seen some pearler threads bashing Health Visitors, maybe were are sensitive to our own professions

Tbh I couldn't care less if teachers wear Ppe. If they want it, fine whatever. But am I right in thinking the masks protect everyone else from the wearer and don't actually protect the wearer?

In which case you'd need children to wear masks which equally wouldn't be very successful.

I think the issue is there's lots of screaming and shouting about what teachers don't want to do. There's no solutions being offered other than "wait until September" which isn't a solution at all really because nothing will have changed.

@cologne4711 the unions have checklists for reopening schools on their websites. The Headteachers one seems interesting and focuses on a lot of practical measures.

And about the furloughed workers, it's usually said like 'yes I'm pissed off, I've seen someone posting on Facebook about how they are enjoying the sun in their garden whilst I'm still working for the same amount of money. So I don't feel guilty for feeling resentful and I think it'll cause a real divide when people return to the office'

Again... Generalising because they've seen a couple of people on Facebook 'boasting' about being furloughed and so they are then resentful of the thousands and thousands of furloughed employees throughout the country who, mostly, are probably just spending their days worried about whether or not they'll have a job through no fault of their own. No one listens when you point that out though because a friend of their friend's, cousin has been furloughed and he's loving it and doesn't even need the 80%.

Just another example of generalisation you see day in day out on here.

@TrustTheGeneGenie

Masks do protect the wearer. That's why hospital staff wear them.

Presumably that's only certain well fitting masks though? Like I say tbh if teachers want ppe and it means they're willing to actually go into school then give it to them.

Why can’t you go to work? I a nurse and working, see colleagues and clients. Key workers in supermarkets, care homes, post men. Why are you so different?

Nurses and care home workers should have PPE and other measures in place to reduce the risk of infection, and the fact that this hasn't always been the case is a bloody scandal. Staff in supermarkets have screens and social distancing can be applied and, the last time I looked, neither post men or supermarket were getting up close and personal with the public or changing the public's pants when they piss themselves.

Social distancing and PPE might be feasible when teaching older kids, but not younger ones. No-one should have to put themselves at risk to do a job which, while very important, is not essential.

It’s not teachers, it’s that teaching unions that have brought the criticism upon themselves. Selfish, bizarre, hard-left, point-scoring obstructions to education. They deserve all the bashing they get. The teachers at my children’s schools have been fantastic and gone above and beyond during this time so I have no complaints at all. But we need children back at school and most right-thinking people know this.

@trustthe

No. They are only wear fp3 masks for aerosol generating procedures.

So if masks protect the wearer why are people still catching it? Hcps included?

As a teacher, I’ve finally had enough of this. A poster up thread actually suggested my wages are stopped. I’m WORKING. How dare they?

I’m actually working harder than I ever have before. I’m marking constantly. I’m calling the 28 year 10 student in my form every week and talking them through work where I can. Listening to their fears and issues. I’m planning. I’m in what feel like constant Teams meetings. All to the detriment of my own two primary aged children. It’s my JOB so that’s fine but don’t you dare tell me that my wages should be stopped. How totally ignorant.

I’m not a hero but I am doing my very best and to come on here, a place that has always been so supportive and has felt like ‘home’ for so long and read what is being said about me and my professional is actually detrimental to my mental health. It’s ok to say that we shouldn’t take it personally but there are constant sweeping statements and goading.

Not that anyone will care, but I have made the decision to leave Mumsnet, at least until I feel I can come on here without being made to feel so awful. I truly cannot stand it anymore.

To all the teachers who have supported each other on here, and to the parents who have done the same, thank you. This is a terrible time for everyone and I cannot wait to get back in the classroom and teach my students properly and safely.

Teachers are saying contact your school due to the fact that you may be right and your school have done very little. In that case put in a complaint to YOUR SCHOOL. Don't attack ALL teachers ffs.

You might find out that your school has been providing work, but it's on a platform you haven't accessed. Or they may be shit. But why attack ALL teachers.

I teach in one the biggest London boroughs. Anecdotal again - but every teacher I know of is working their arse off.

I posted this on another thread, but I'll post it here for all the people who think we are doing nothing whilst the schools are "shut".

Due to teacher shortages and departures, I have ten classes that I am responsible for setting work for, keeping in touch with and providing feedback for. That's well over 200 students. And that isn't all of my own students, as I share some groups, but I still want to be available for them, so we can up that figure to nearly 300.

Most of my day is taken up communicating with students, offering support and directing them towards good websites, or yourtube videos. If any student needs more help than this, I respond by calling them, and talk them through the work they are struggling with. This can take between 5 - 20 minutes for each student. These parts of my day where I am actually helping students with maths are absolutely my favourite.

If students or parents don't communicate with me or don't ask me for help, then no, they are not getting very much from me. They could well be on here complaining about the provision they are getting. Do you think, with those numbers, this means I am not doing much work? Do you think I have time to do zoom classes and still be available to offer support to the ones who don't have PC access, considering that's a good half of my students (more of the top set students have access to computers, so it would be the ones who needed support the most, who got the least).

On top of that, I also have to attend school as part of the keyworker rota, do online training courses, re-organise schemes of work, grade students for GCSEs, create resources for next year. Oh, and support my own two primary aged kids. As always, they end up being an after thought.

If and when I do end up going back in to school, the provision for everyone but year 10 will be even worse, as instead of being available to help out all day, I will no doubt have to provide support to the still well over a hundred students who will not yet be in school but will now have to squeeze it in after school and at the weekend. And people will probably still be complaining about how crap the provision is. At the same time, I really hope that the students who are engaging with me more fully will have a completely different perspective.

We had a serious staff shortage in my subject before this started. We were already having to set work for cover teachers on top of our own jobs. Now we are having to cover those students as well as our own. When people say, "If teachers are not prepared to work, they need to hand their notice in," I wonder if they realise how few of us are left already.

I dont think teachers cover themselves in glory either (I am one). Some very childish behaviour.

Anyone who works in schools knows that most staff are completely committed to their students, some are very anxious and some are just plain lazy (as in any other profession). We also ķnow full well that some schools and teachers are excellent and others let students down every single day.

It doesn't help anyone to insist that all teachers are hard working fully committed angels. It would be unrealistic in any profession so no wonder no one believes it.

@TrustTheGeneGenie

You must be being facetious now. Because, like most safety procedures in the world, they are not 100% effective. The fact people still die in car crashes doesn't mean seat belts aren't protective - they just don't remove all risk.