To sod SD as when I return to teaching in Sept it isn’t possible?

[motherrunner]

I’m a secondary school teacher. Despite all the ‘guidance’ my desk will be less than 1m from the classes I teach (Yr 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13). I will not be wearing protection as the guidance tells me my workplace in ‘Covid secure’. Come Sept I will have one 20 minute break a day as I am required to do a pre-school duty, a morning break duty, a lunch duty and an after school duty it’s every day. I can wash my hands once a day in those times. 5 times a day a class of 30 will be breathing at me.

Up until now I have followed the ‘rules’ religiously. I haven’t seen my mum (who is in a nursing home) since early March. I have turned down play dates for my children.

AIBU to think sod the SD and enjoy myself for the rest of the summer break? I was hoping for a sliver of hope from the dfe today with the promised revised guidance that hasn’t materialised. Come Sept I’ll be faced with over 200+ over 11s in close, unventilated spaces in 3 week so shall I just sod it?

Must be nice for them to know that no matter what their jobs are safe.

Yes, it is nice. One of the reasons teachers have great overall job security is that we are in high demand because there aren't enough of us. So it's generally pretty easy to keep your job or find a new one.

It might be a better idea to reflect on why there aren't enough teachers, rather than slamming the ones who go into and stay in the profession, benefiting from that lovely job security, and of course the holidays, neither of which seem sufficient to attract people to teaching or keep them there.

I'm a largely self-employed peripatetic teacher, haven't worked (or been paid) since lockdown started and 3 of my 6 schools have ditched me due to funding and Covid. I'll be doing supply from September- I expect I'll be in huge demand due to the usual teacher shortages, plus the inevitable absences due to Covid and self-isolation.

@AnneElliott

Many workplaces particularly retail don't allow toilet breaks (for the posters saying that this is unheard of).

When I worked for M&S we weren't allowed to leave the floor without permission. And using the loo was for break times only. If you were desperate you had to ask the (male) supervisor who would grant you permission if you weren't a regular asker, then he'd time you and any longer than 5 mins you had your pay docked.

Plus no drinking on the floor. I often did 6 hours without a drink. Which helps with not peeing obviously.

Lots of places are like this - I was astonished snr. I joined the civil service to find I could wander off to the kitchen and make a tea any time I wanted!

That's appalling. Are you suggesting therefore that it's reasonable for schools bit to allow staff time for a wee?

Not to

@lazylinguist, totally agree. I'm going to take the job security, the reasonable pension and the holidays and revel in them as the crumbs of comfort for the general contempt for teachers on Mumsnet (though I do genuinely enjoy my job anyway).

@Goingprivate2020

I think there is more effort into making schools safe than any other individual sector, with strong unionS With their teeth bared. I think you’ll be ok. As I’m sure we all will. Positivity is the key here. Some of us might get it, most of us will be ok, the odd one or two of us might Be really ill, a tiny minority will die. Just like when we all cross a road.

I really wish this statement was true.

But I'm more worried about people like you are being sucked in to believing it's true.

The government fucking over schools isn't new.

The hatred towards teachers is topping even previous scary levels.

itsgettingweird

I agree.

Must be nice for them to know that no matter what their jobs are safe.

Tell that to my (now ex) Teacher colleagues that have been made redundant!

I work school admin and my hours have been cut (I expect I’ll actually still be doing the same hours in reality otherwise things won’t get done). I know that most of the offices in my local schools have either cut man hours and/or made people redundant There are NO school admin jobs being advertised in my borough whereas there always used to be a few to look at...

Must be nice for them to know that no matter what their jobs are safe.

Yup... I love knowing I’ll always have my job, and if I am unhappy I can easily change schools

It will be interesting looking back at threads like this when the infections spike by October half term as a result of schools going back.

If/when this happens, I've no doubt that the government will not attribute this to schools re-opening (unless they try and blame teachers), as it will not fit with the 'schools are safe' narrative that they have constructed.

And, if/when the schools close as a result, teachers will once again be labelled lazy for 'refusing' to work (even though we have absolutely no say on whether schools are open or not).

@NebularNerd

It will be interesting looking back at threads like this when the infections spike by October half term as a result of schools going back.

If/when this happens, I've no doubt that the government will not attribute this to schools re-opening (unless they try and blame teachers), as it will not fit with the 'schools are safe' narrative that they have constructed.

And, if/when the schools close as a result, teachers will once again be labelled lazy for 'refusing' to work (even though we have absolutely no say on whether schools are open or not).

No they'll blame the school. They have already set the ball in motion for saying if their are covid deaths HSE will go in and advise schools on how to do things better and may even find the school liable

www.gov.uk/guidance/steps-to-take-following-the-death-of-a-colleague-in-childrens-services

I would beg the care home to find a way you can see your DM before September.

It's going to be a long winter and I doubt post-sept (especially as you work in a non-Covid secure environment) you will get to see her for the whole winter.

The teaching unions must be spineless to be allowing this to happen, years ago if this had been implemented they would have been calling for strikes.

Just logged back in after a hard slog today with my HoD about how we should prepare for tomorrow. Not looking forward to dealing with the pupils but I’ll put on my game face and do my best to make them feel like they can conquer the world.

I’ve seen a few posts deleted so glad I wasn’t around to read those, am already on the edge!

Thank you to everyone who has been kind in respects to my mum. I will call her nursing home but I don’t hold much hope. They are not even keen on me doing a ‘window visit’ as it means a hoist to put my mum in a chair, support her, extra carers to hold her and her equipment etc and when she’s tired to be moved she will scream bloody murder as it’s distressing.

@Nat6999

The teaching unions must be spineless to be allowing this to happen, years ago if this had been implemented they would have been calling for strikes.

The thing is that no matter what the papers etc. say about the unions being obstructive they have very little power.

and they have been vilified in the media by the media itself, politicians and various parents and parent lobby groups that they are hated.

But it does prove that you can't teach stupid.

www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-do-people-feel-returning-workplace-emily-spaven/

Just under a quarter (24%) of UK workers surveyed by LinkedIn said they would willingly return to work as soon as they are allowed to do so

I know any survey is only as good as the info it surveys, but I thought this was an interesting counterpoint to the “everyone else is getting in with it, except moaning teachers” narrative.

“Concerns include:

[...] 60% said they were worried about exposure to others who don't take safety guidelines and precautions seriously.

The second biggest concern was not too dissimilar – 42% said they were worried about working in close proximity with other co-workers or customers.

Other concerns included:

Commuting (34% of respondents said they were concerned about this)
Eating or rest areas in public/shared spaces (28%)
Large meetings/gatherings for work (26%)
Lack of workplace sanitisation/cleanliness (19%)
Lack of protective tools and equipment (eg masks, hand sanitiser) (18%)
Lack of safety guidelines and precautions (from government or employer) (16%)
Lack of support from employer’s sick leave and remote work policies (11%)”

All sounds quite familiar, doesn’t it!

And OP Your timetable sounds so hard. I’ve only been teaching in a secondary for 5 years, and it’s the most “have to be switched on all the time” job I’ve ever had. (I’m sure primary is the same!) I really value any time I have to get my head together at lunchtime, but if a student needs help I always prioritise them even if I means I end up not eating - especially if they’re in tears or stressed! (I’m sure I’m not the only teacher who gets students popping their heads in your room every morning before registration/break/lunch!)

I’m worried for your (lack of) toilet breaks, and all the stress your school are giving you. I hope it somehow improves for you and slt realise it’s unworkable

@FrippEnos

VanGoghsDog

So why not post just about them instead of "teachers".

Your friends are workshy lazy fuckwits, we get it.

You need better friends.

But don't tar us all with the same brush.

Yeah, they were just examples.

I also know many many parents who say their kids had zero support or even contact from the schools they go to.

But I don't see what any of this has to do with the OP wanting to stop social distancing. How will that help her situation? Does she hope she will catch Covid and be able to stay off work perhaps?
How is rubbing up against people in the supermarket going to make her life better?

But I don't see what any of this has to do with the OP wanting to stop social distancing. How will that help her situation? Does she hope she will catch Covid and be able to stay off work perhaps?
How is rubbing up against people in the supermarket going to make her life better?

If you’d read any of the OP’s updates, you’d see she was venting. She was upset, pissed off and was hoping for something more from the promised government guidance which never actually materialised.

VanGoghsDog
I also know many many parents who say their kids had zero support or even contact from the schools they go to.

I suppose if they all have kids that go to the same school then the would.

But I could say the same about the many parents that have allowed their children to do no work. But everyone seems to have an excuse.

But I don't see what any of this has to do with the OP wanting to stop social distancing. How will that help her situation? Does she hope she will catch Covid and be able to stay off work perhaps?
How is rubbing up against people in the supermarket going to make her life better?

Maybe its to do with the fact that as she will be going to work with no preventative measures in place and so many people think that she doesn't need it, why should she have to bother outside of school?

As for the snide staying off work comment, in your own words

"How will that help her situation?"

Many of us have had to risk our personal safety in order to carry on working. That's the nature of Covid.

I really feel for you wrt your mum. How about her carers- have they felt at risk at all? The care workers that I know definitely have, due to the close nature of their work and lack of PPE. They haven't thrown caution to the wind wrt social distancing though- thank god.

My attitude is that I'll do all that I can not to catch covoid, so that if I do it will be despite my best efforts, rather than due to a risk that I deliberately took. However my job carries some risk that can't be fully mitigated and I accept that.

Children now need to be back in school. Teaching as a job carries an element of risk. If that feels too difficult, which no one would claim is unreasonable, then it's time to walk away and not get paid. Sadly I think so many teachers will walk away that schools will be facing enormous problems.

@Chaotic45

Many of us have had to risk our personal safety in order to carry on working. That's the nature of Covid.

I really feel for you wrt your mum. How about her carers- have they felt at risk at all? The care workers that I know definitely have, due to the close nature of their work and lack of PPE. They haven't thrown caution to the wind wrt social distancing though- thank god.

My attitude is that I'll do all that I can not to catch covoid, so that if I do it will be despite my best efforts, rather than due to a risk that I deliberately took. However my job carries some risk that can't be fully mitigated and I accept that.

Children now need to be back in school. Teaching as a job carries an element of risk. If that feels too difficult, which no one would claim is unreasonable, then it's time to walk away and not get paid. Sadly I think so many teachers will walk away that schools will be facing enormous problems.

I’m not so sure many will walk (unless at pension age). There won’t be many other secure job opportunities available in this severe downturn.

KnobChops

I know many that have walked, No entirely due to the virus but due to peoples attitudes to teachers, the effect on family, or just having time to reassess what is important in their lives.

Unless things go well in the first half term I am expecting more teachers to leave at Christmas.

Teaching as a job carries an element of risk. If that feels too difficult, which no one would claim is unreasonable, then it's time to walk away and not get paid.

How many school staff do you honestly think are in a position to simply "walk away and not get paid"?

What element of risk does teaching carry?

I’ve been teaching 23 years I’ve never felt this ‘element of risk’

I wondered that too!