to feel beyond annoyed every time someone says 'schools have never been closed'

[thisisthebestoftimes]

Because to the vast majority of children they have been. I feel it completely dismisses how serious this is for most dc and their families. Schools may have been open to 15 or so keyworker dc throughout this, and now to a couple of years worth of dc in years which seem completely illogical (except for the few hours years 10 and 12s have been afforded which is essential).

I wonder why it's worth me sitting up in the small hours to make sure every pupil gets some individual feedback when so many posters on here talk about teachers like dirt on their shoe.

I totally understand that many teachers have been working hard.

That doesn’t negate the fact that many haven’t and that parents are angry that their children have been let down so badly. And yes, they absolutely have a right to say so.

LaurieMarlow really>

Dentists, opticians, hospitality sector, live art, music, drama, museums, exhibitions, restaurants, cafes, pubs, non-essential shops....

These are just some of the sectors who were told not to pull out the stops to deliver. They were told to close. Because it was not safe for them to be open.

Sorry if you're not happy with the provision from your child's school, but if you care to peruse the many threads about this, you'll find detailed explanations from teachers as to what they have been doing.

And yes to damaging the mental health of teachers. Yes, they could just not read the threads (and I often think they would die off quicker if everyone just agreed that what's happened to education is a 'disgrace' or whatever) but many are parents too, so have two or more horses in the race.

[quote Cookiecrisps]@GazeboParty you’ve made a statement about all educators. I have suggested people on here might be able to help you but you haven’t asked anything. Perhaps you just wanted to have a pop at educators rather than seeking help or solutions?

What solutions would you suggest schools adopt to getting all children back? If we go back to how things were before lockdown that means the end of social distancing in schools. Either social distancing is an important measure in controlling the spread of the virus or it is not.[/quote]
You cannot help -sorry! I get that you may be a good educator, you may care about the kids you teach, have provided them with support, feedback etc but we have received one email a week, some looms included in that, often no feedback, no teachers asked my dcs how they were coping (well 2 did send an email to the whole class and when my dd responded she got radio silence) in 12 weeks. I have contacted their school several times - but the bullshit response I get is typical of politicians and I can't believe I didn't see it that way before. As long as the school think they have defended their case adequately the actual point the parent raised is irrelevant - and certainly there is no way they would ever admit to a parent that they had a point!

These are just some of the sectors who were told not to pull out the stops to deliver.

Because they physically couldn’t.

There’s no reason why schools couldn’t have provided decent remote learning. We know that because many of them did.

And then there’s the ‘email a worksheet’ brigade, who did the bare minimum. And I gather some didn’t even do that.

Oh well, best start planning to home-school then Gazebo.

@SlipperSwan

A fair few of my teacher friends are giving up soon. Know of a couple of headteachers leaving too. No one to replace them of course. Well done nasty mumsnetters, you got what you wanted.

We are responsible for all the teaching staff you know to decide to give up teaching, really? They all hang out on Mumsnet?

This thread is ridiculous. So much defence from the teachers about how schools have been open. It’s funny because I other threads always stating how teachers can’t possibly go back to work because many are shielding. Can’t have it both ways. I have to say teachers don’t come across well on Mumsnet.
I agree, the majority of pupils have not been to school as it Is not open to them. The school near me has remained completely closed since March.

@averysuitablegirl

Oh well, best start planning to home-school then Gazebo.

Pretty much what is happening now anyway!

Being pissed off with school seems to be a full time job for some people. Honestly if you spent as much time educating your children as you do whining about teachers they wouldn't be doing so badly.

While I appreciate the huge role parents play in their child’s education ...

I haven’t heard a single other profession during this crisis suggesting that someone else take responsibility for delivering their job.

@Downton57

I think *@BonnesVacances* saying that there's a fricking pandemic and school buildings have had to close and it's awful, but in the long term the children will be okay, because the teachers will work their butts off to make it so. Parents do need some perspective. They need to remember that this is an unprecedented global emergency. It hasn't been arranged to inconvenience them.

Yes this. I'm not a teacher, so my attitude isn't appalling. In fact, my DD has missed 4.5 years of education because of illness and actually missed taking her GCSEs. So in terms of perspective, I pretty much have it, and those handwringing over 4 months don't.

@SuperMumTum

Being pissed off with school seems to be a full time job for some people. Honestly if you spent as much time educating your children as you do whining about teachers they wouldn't be doing so badly.

Suggest how I teach my dc A level French when I didn't even do GCSE in the subject. Or any of their other subjects - I have A levels and I have a degree but they don't overlap - are A levels that easy to teach? I thought teaching was a profession that required skill and knowledge hence why my kids need teaching from a teacher rather than a textbook to learn.

@gazeboparty you have no idea how it feels to be constantly insulted when you are working very hard and doing your level best. I left teaching last summer, and the constant disparaging comments on Mumsnet and in the media was a factor. It didn't matter how hard I worked, it was constant, and it's hard not to take it personally. @siennabear It's appalling that you should find the fact that some teachers are vulnerable health-wise funny. And try being called lazy and workshy by total strangers on a daily basis and see how well you 'come across'. As for: "the majority of pupils have not been to school as it Is not open to them." Well, yes...the UK has been in lockdown, but started too late. The government fucked up and that isn't teachers' fault either.

The gap between the hard working and the bare minimum has been large.

Hats off to the hard workers. It’s tough if you receive the latter, very frustrating and you see the impact on dc.

Yanbu!! Some people saying this mean that the teachers have been working throughout which is true. However, others on this site are using 'schools have never been closed' to shutdown/dismiss anyone who expresses concern for children are currently not allowed to attend school because either the school cannot accommodate them with the current guidance in place, or the government hasn't allowed their year groups back yet. The other one I've seen is 'let me see your stats on this' Because if there's no stats published and available to mumsnetters within 3 hours of the event, it obviously didn't and isn't happening There's a lot of children affected. Potentially hundreds of thousands. Shouting 'Schools have never been closed' isn't the answer for the children who cant currently attend

Re the op I agree but moreover the congratulatory statements about the children in from politicians annoy me more as there’s no osmosis going on. Other children receiving a full education doesn’t help those not.

I spoke to a mum in my town. She knew a teacher at one of the secondary schools and they had estimated on having 10% of children in, in actual fact there were 15 children....which is about 1%. DS school (junior) has around 250 pupils, there have been between 2 and 12 kids each day.

The sector needs to start taking its responsibility to deliver quality education to ALL children seriously.

The fact that some teachers have worked hard and some children are in classrooms doesn’t address that key point.

Yeah, jog on ... the schools have been closed to most pupils while remaining g ‘open’...

Aren’t most people getting a bit hung up on terminology. School is closed to most children- surely that’s a fact, just like school is closed to children on inset days. But that doesn’t mean teachers aren’t working hard to deliver education.

My dcs school and teachers have all been amazing, but school is still closed to them. I couldn’t go to my place of work because school is closed. Teacher bashing needs to stop- but I’m not sure that statement is necessarily teacher bashing

I don’t have any problems with a parent asking why they haven’t received adequate support from their child’s school (and no, I don’t know the answer as we’ve had lots of contact at my school and have provided plenty of work and feedback). I also don’t have a problem with a parent expressing frustration that their child isn’t currently in school. I was desperate to get mine back in as keyworker children.

I do however object to any comments along the lines of:
Teachers are lazy
Teachers don’t want to go to school
Teachers don’t care about children
Teachers are as bad as politicians
I don’t trust teachers anymore
It’s made me rethink the entire profession

I know most parents have been reasoned and balanced, but some haven’t and it’s horrible to read when you’ve been working your bloody socks off. We are on the same side. We want the best for your children and (all the teachers I know IRL) are doing our best under shitty circumstances.

The reason there has been widespread criticism is because many of our kids have and are receiving zero education. Dd2 primary teachers vanished. Questioning that is not criticising the whole profession 🙄. If you’re a teacher working hard it’s not you being criticised is it so don’t get the histrionics.

The sector needs to start taking its responsibility to deliver quality education to ALL children seriously

Are you talking remote learning or education in general?

If you’re a teacher working hard it’s not you being criticised is it so don’t get the histrionics

Possibly teachers feel criticised because thread after thread after thread after thread after thread after thread after thread after thread after thread after thread on MN is about criticising teachers and teaching.

Not the police
Not doctors
Not even politicians

So many threads where a parent ( if they are one ) has a particular problem then generalises from it. My personal favourites are the ones who piss and moan about what's wrong with the provision for their child and have done nothing about it.

You can't get histrionics by the way.

YABU OP