AIBU in agreeing with the NASUWT that masks should be worn in schools by over 11s?

[DomDoesWotHeWants]

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/28/unions-call-for-teachers-in-england-to-be-able-to-wear-face-masks

Given that they have to be worn almost everywhere else indoors by over 11s it would be the right thing to do. Adults working in schools have as much right to be protected as bus drivers and shop workers.

So AIBU in agreeing with the NASUWT that masks should be worn in schools by over 11s?

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss

I think it’s less important for primary pupils to wear masks because schools are small and they have one teacher, so the teacher can be in a “bubble” with a small number of kids

Those 30 children may not be adhering to the guidelines due to their parents decisions, may have travelled abroad etc. The word ‘bubble’ doesn’t make it safe, it’s just for track and trace. The teacher, children with health issues and all family members will be at risk. What other workplace expects this of their staff?

Absolutely. It would be interesting to see what people’s views we’re if the government has not used the word ‘bubble’ for schools (as people associate it with the small family groups if was originally used for) and instead named them ‘tracking groups’. Doesn’t feel so ‘safe’ now.

@Xenia

Shop workers do not have to wear them so I don't see why children should be forced into them.

But shop customers do (except in Wales). Your analogy would have pupils but not teachers wearing masks - which is actually nit a bad idea as it deals with the issues of hearing impaired students being able to understand the teacher. I don’t think that was the point you thought you were making though...

30 plus adults gathering in a tiny space isn't happening anywhere without protections
But I can teach a group of thirty 18 year olds with no PPE? No thanks.

@PineappleSquosh

30 plus adults gathering in a tiny space isn't happening anywhere without protections But I can teach a group of thirty 18 year olds with no PPE? No thanks.

That's my point.

As a parent how do you feel about this. My DD is working in a hospital in v close contact with patients. Sometimes Covid ones. She comes home and we are as careful as we can be. But we all live in the same house. I go into school and stand less than 1m away from many many students each day, breathing over them. My germs will be in the room. Students go home, taking my germs with them.
Would you prefer me to wear a mask to protect you and your children ? And if so, do you not think I deserve the same consideration of your children protecting me ? It's so simple. If your child passes it on to me (& let's face it, I'll never know where I get it from) and I'm off then your child will get no education as I'm not here. There are not spare teachers hiding in the woodwork waiting to save the day. Schools will just shut. Keep us well, and schools will stay open.

The poorly educated?
The irony of a teacher posting THAT

And you think kids education isn't suffering right now?
But then you can just sneer and call them thick too as adults when they say you're being totally out of order.

@Iamnotthe1 @PineappleSquosh & repeat that with 4 other groups of 30 students every day. How can anyone with a brain think this is going to end well.

@PineappleSquosh

30 plus adults gathering in a tiny space isn't happening anywhere without protections But I can teach a group of thirty 18 year olds with no PPE? No thanks.

This is why I am so concerned about my sixth former, and worried for their teachers.

It's just not right, what else to say!

I felt when they carried on with Cheltenham, when they stopped testing, and this is making me feel the same.

I think 'bubbles' in schools is equivalent to the 'protective ring' they put round care homes

[quote DomDoesWotHeWants]@runbummyrun

Sheeple? Is this the gammon forum?

In a series of daft posts that's the classic.

Sheeple.

[/quote]
You really come across as a smug snob you know OP.
I dread to think how you act around kids from disadvantaged backgrounds, or with learning disabilities.
I genuinely would hope you do leave the profession as the idea of someone so rude teaching kids fills me with horror at how horrible you might be to some of them who struggle.

@LadyofTheManners yes education is suffering through all this. There is a lot of suffering going on at the moment. But opening in Sept with current blase attitude will bring longer term effects than opening carefully. Because schools will close again pretty damn fast if staff get ill.
And traumatic is not wearing a mask, it's burying your teacher. Or parent. Or having life changing long term effects as a teenager.

@labyrinthloafer bubbles is pure bollocks. You are totally right.

And if you believe the numbers released there then I feel for you.

Seriously, I was literally sobbing because I was afraid to go back to work in an unventilated classroom with no PPE, and laughing teens purposely “corona coughing” in each other’s faces, spitting at me when I try to discipline them, spitting on door handles for a laugh, etc. No other sector is being put at risk like this. So DH borrowed money to cover the bills and told me to quit 🤷‍♀️

Iminaglasscaseofemotion

Not completely wrong, just a bit off, but whatever makes you feel like you are "winning".

Yup, completely wrong in my case.

As for winning. There is no winning its the internet.

Everything’s suffering right now, Lady (except Amazon and Netflix). I don’t know if you’ve noticed but there’s a global pandemic going on and however much people might wish things were normal, they’re not.

@PineappleSquosh. I hope you’re now in a better headspace.

I think about three of us have been recommended to leave and find another career on here - if we all did I wonder how that would impact on our schools? I'd rather leave though and be off due to illness (or worse). Keep us all safe(r) so that doesn't happen, why isn't that the first option?

PineappleSquosh. I hope you’re now in a better headspace
Yes thanks. Obviously we’re in debt and I no longer have a career. But I’m not afraid any more. It makes me wonder though, if they keep pushing that schools can’t have PPE, how many other teachers will do what I did and just quit to protect themselves? And where will that leave the education system and parents who rely on schools for childcare?

@noblegiraffe

Everything’s suffering right now, Lady (except Amazon and Netflix). I don’t know if you’ve noticed but there’s a global pandemic going on and however much people might wish things were normal, they’re not.

That's it, join in with the "I'm so clever, look at me patronising you as you are beneath me" attitude Is it any wonder people on here display a lack of respect to teachers? The attitude of some of you is disgraceful, like you're better than everyone. I guess the idea of no longer logging in for 20 minutes a day to post a bit of work copy pasted from the internet providers and then sitting in the garden on a healthy wage is a lot to give up, but the rest of us have managed with no PPE in place.

[quote mumsneedwine]**@Iamnotthe1* @PineappleSquosh* & repeat that with 4 other groups of 30 students every day. How can anyone with a brain think this is going to end well.[/quote]
It's a huge amount of cognitive dissonance. Many of the people making these decisions, or insisting on no PPE in schools, would not put themselves in positions like these.

I teach the final year of primary with children that fall into the group that transmit the virus like adults. I will be working with them, in close contact when giving support and marking work, for at least six hours a day without a single piece of PPE.

Bless you OP. Have you seen the creative ways the kids are "wearing" their masks?

It would be another futile thing for teachers to have to enforce when I'd really rather they were able to get on with closing 4 month gap in education.

@Iamnotthe1 good for you. And well done. I've lost 2 colleagues who did the same so hope your luck holds next term.

@Iamnotthe1 sorry ! Tagged wrong person. To you I say I hope you are allowed to wear PPE. I will be or I will be off sick with stress.

The teachers in this thread who want masks are disgracefully scaremongering. No doubt the same type of dementors on here who screamed second wave on beach goers. On shops reopening. On VE Day. On pubs reopening. On holidays happening. All of which resulted in no increase countrywide and a few notable exceptions of areas where a language barrier has meant local restrictions being re-enforced.
What will you all do when kids go back minus masks and the second wave doesn't hit again?
I worry what they will all do when we are all back to normal and they can no longer enjoy mystic meg levels of declaiming everyone as a potential super spreader. Will it be flat earth theories?

@TSSDNCOP they wear a mask properly or they leave my room. Same as any other rule. My students have not missed any education (if they bothered to turn up to our lessons - some didn't). We will plug any gaps but not at the cost of lives.