Are you being told to clean toilets at work?

[noblegiraffe]

If cleaning toilets wasn’t previously anywhere near your job description?

It’s being claimed on another thread that this is just part of the new normal, everyone is pitching in. I’m not convinced.

YABU - I’m being asked to clean toilets

YANBU - I’m not being asked to clean toilets

If you are, are you ok with it?

@noblegiraffe

MN teachers, as far as I can see, are doing stuff that lazy teachers are supposed to be dodging like live lessons, phonecalls home, being in school teaching, cleaning toilets, planning and uploading resources as instructed by their individual schools.

It’s fucking insulting to the teachers of MN to paint them as ‘unwilling to roll their sleeves up’ when they have been doing precisely that.

So why the threads? I know the vast majority of teachers are hard workers, passionate and skilled, over worked and under paid. I have no criticism of teachers - or anyone - who grumbles about unpleasant conditions and it is particularly unpleasant at the moment. There is no resolution to this problem though. I said nothing about zoom lesions or whatever . I am specifically talking about cleaning. This is new to everyone. Has the government got it right? Hell no! Ultimately, we’ve never been in this situation before.

@CallmeAngelina

I said some and I specifically put in bold because I knew someone would pick it. I don’t think that is unfair, in the same way some non teachers seem to think we should all be in lockdown until a vaccine is found.

Name one. I'll save you the trouble of making a further arse of your yourself by listing me, by reminding you that I've been back in school for several weeks now, teaching the maximum number of children (Year 4) allowed by the government.
And it is highly unlikely there will be a vaccine any time soon, if ever. So no one's holding out for that.

Umm actually I don’t think we’ve ever interacted before. Apologies for not knowing your personal work schedule! I am not thick though and I’m fully aware most teachers have been in school. I don’t often comment on teacher threads because I think you get an unfair bashing. I do read.

I am specifically talking about cleaning.

Then why mention the threads on here and surmise that MN teachers don’t want to be back at school?

I don't know a single teacher, on here or in real life, who isn't desperate to get back to normal as far as possible, as soon as possible.
These last few months have been awful, on every level, but not least due to the bashing and undeserved accusations of laziness we've had to endure on here.

Because it was discussed within the bubbles thing?! Look, you’re not going to catch me out; I don’t actually think you should have to clean toilets but honestly, I can’t see any other feasible option.

This poll is skewed because many office workers have not returned.

haenow I don't know when during the day a secondary school teacher would fit in cleaning. I won't do the whole run down of how very busy we are & how much work we do blah blah. But if you have lessons 8.35-3.45 & perhaps break duty when would we fit it in? Would we leave classes getting on with work & pop out for 10 mins to clean loos - then go teach having cleaned loos in same clothing?

As a parent I would not be happy if my child had a teacher leaving the class and wearing the same clothes for teaching them as cleaning the loos.

I imagine there will be lots of catch up too at lunch/after school.

Slightly veering off topic but you cannot ignore the small proportion of individuals who are anxious and seem to want to be locked down indefinitely. This obviously isn’t about teachers but the whole point of all of us cleaning more is so we can get back to some semblance of normality.

don’t actually think you should have to clean toilets but honestly, I can’t see any other feasible option.

So kids have been without teachers and TAs for months and when they’re finally back in school the teachers and TAs should spend time daily engaged in non-skilled, non-teaching or pupil facing tasks instead of doing their jobs while millions is spent on catch-up tutoring?

In a primary setting with TAs it might be easier with bubbles. I don't think a large secondary school with 1500-2000 kids can have bubbles.

Most of us will not be cleaning kids' toilets, because we have sensible Heads who will not ask us to. The teachers on here who have said that they are doing this perhaps ought to think about saying no.
If it is not a "feasible option" to fund more cleaning hours for schools, then kids (and their wider families) will have to take their chances, I'm afraid.

@converseandjeans

I get it, I do. I will actually have a similar issue when I return to my job in August. What viable options are there? Believe me, donning my marigolds wasn’t what I expected to be doing this summer!

I don't want to be locked down & want to have my classes as normal. Maybe kids will have to chance it & parents accept the risk. Honestly it's bizarre that people think teachers have time to clean the loos. It's just not possible to be with a class and in the loos cleaning at this same time.

haenow what job do you do? Could you for example run a meeting, have a phone call, type up an email same time as cleaning? It's just not feasible to be in a classroom and also cleaning.

@converseandjeans

No one is asking teachers to teach and clean at the same time. What could and should happen is that teachers are provided with equipment and instructed to clean toilets at break and lunch times as well as before and after school.

@converseandjeans

My job is (usually) working with vulnerable individuals. I do a lot of court work and work in care homes and hospitals. Obviously less of the latter due to Covid.
No, being late to a virtual court hearing would not please a judge at all! However, if we don’t go to work, there is no service and apparently we need to clean! It’s not going to be for hours every day. If it’s 20 mins once a week, I’ll have to do it? Eat my sandwich on the run or whatever. I’m not under all illusion that this is going to be easy. My employer can not afford more cleaners though and I do usually love my job.

If any employee said they were expected to do a huge amount of cleaning and it was putting others in danger, that’s different.

fishy but if we have duty then we get prob 20 mins break all day. You honestly think it's ok to ask us to clean loos & return to lessons having had barely any time to eat, wearing the same clothes? It's sad you think this is ok for children to have teachers cleaning loos & heading back to class spreading germs. It's not about us - it's always what's best for the children. I personally don't want my children taught by staff who have been cleaning in the 20 mins they have all day. What a bizarre attitude you have!

Don’t respond to the obvious one. It’ll only encourage them.

noble agreed. Going to leave it now & just hope my head sorts something out between now and September.

This is one of the reasons why Covid has spelled the end of my teaching career. My ex colleagues have reported being required to clean classrooms and the toilets that staff share with pupils. This is extra work on top of their existing workload with no extra pay. I’m not willing to be an unpaid cleaner. Certainly not without PPE such as gloves, aprons and masks - and it appears that this is not being provided to staff who have been requested to clean.

Not happening before or after school . I have to meet my primary aged daughter who now has to walk to school and back due to her school bus not running. I'm unable to drive for medical reasons. I guess I've found another hill I'm prepared to die on.

Teachers are a resource that is already in school, so it costs nothing to put them to work cleaning

This thread is beyond unbelievable. Put to work. No cost. We’re not animals. There is huge cost - if I am cleaning during my lunch 20 minutes then I am sure as hell going to be paid for it. And you can provide PPE and you can provide the cost of laundering 2 sets of clothes a day because no way are children being put at risk with me wearing the same clothes and wafting around the building. And whilst you’ve put me to work cleaning and stopping me from eating, could you tell me when I’ll get the opportunity it’s to go the loo myself? Oh and if I don’t eat, as a type 1 diabetic, there will be consequences. Are you happy for your child to witness that?

We struggle to get some 🚺 staff members to flush the bloody loo properly after a 💩, no chance of getting them to clean it!!!!

Not even heard of this and no way will it ever happen at my workplace.

[quote FishyDuck]@converseandjeans

No one is asking teachers to teach and clean at the same time. What could and should happen is that teachers are provided with equipment and instructed to clean toilets at break and lunch times as well as before and after school.[/quote]
Your carefully chosen use of language gives away your desire to stir.

People, remember one of the first rules of the internet- don't feed.