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?

[Yorkshiretolondon]

Jezzzzzz that inhumane .... I couldn’t manage with one toilet break a day never mind in covid times .... I teach in a PRU ... smaller numbers... yeah! Smaller rooms...eek! No 2m possible ...eek! Kids really not likely to be SDing, inside/outside school
Feel your pain ... go with your gut xxx
Take care x

[Lovebeingmama]

I used to be a Social Worker in children’s services for over 15 Years.
Chip on your shoulder much?

[FrippEnos]

@Lovebeingmama

Yes, about the same size as yours.

[2teenagegirls]

Social distancing is not always to protect u, but to protect those u come in to contact with. Don't put your mum at risk.
That said, in the summer, have play dates supervise them and ensure they sanitize/eash hands regularly. Go see your mum if you csn/while you can as you might want to be more careful come September.
Lastly, one 20 min break per day seems very harsh. As well as the loo, what about lunch??

[D4rwin]

YABVU to ask. You are a teacher you should have a grasp on the notion of risk and be able to understand the guidance.

[Vinomummyinlockdown]

I’d like to know what makes being a teacher LESS covid dangerous than retail etc??? My kids are I primary ... every friend has been overseas, on sleep overs, at BBQs, at clubs, at beach, dining out, in shops, with friends etc etc etc....!!!! Then in Sept they allllll mingle in class with no social distancing or masks and my kids who have been home since March PROPERLY isolating as I’m vulnerable etc will be mixed with their covid crap! I’m afraid for me and staff at school😡

[CallmeAngelina]

It's an interesting one, what you say about needing regular toilet visits during menopause/very heavy period (or, say a urine infection).
I wonder if there's ever been a court case brought, regarding an accident involving a student whereby the teacher was out of the room on such a personal duty. I'd love to see how anyone could say that a woman was being unreasonable to expect to be able to do that? Surely it's a basic human right?

[pollymere]

I'm lucky to have a long classroom so can push the desks back (no one will be able to see the board mind). But all the kids will walk within cm of my desk to leave the classroom as it's by the door. You also have to walk through hoards or kids to get to the toilet or staffroom. I'm not convinced it will go ahead yet.

[Onebabyandamadcat]

Sorry I've not read the thread but just wanted to add I'm a primary teacher in Scotland. We've been back two days. It's utterly impossible to do this job and social distance. The rooms are too small, the kids don't remember, laces need tied, lunches need cut, the P1s need knees to sit on and hugs to reassure them and parents seem to have completely forgotten that adults need to distance at pick up and drop off.

The Scottish Government has announced teachers can get a test if they suspect they have been at risk of covid rather than if they have symptoms - I'd be as well booking a slot on my drive home every evening.

[Frazzledmum123]

YABU. Sorry your situation sounds shit and I get it must be scary but half the country are having to deal with working through this and if you honestly think their workplaces are covid secure you are very nieve. DH is a postman, he's worked throughout and there is no physical way they can stay 1m apart in the office. People think its ok as they work outside but they spend several hours crammed in like sardines sorting first. They can wear a mask but you cannot do the job in gloves, its impossible so he is handling metal frames and post from around the world all day every day. BIL works in a food shop and masks are only just being used now, he has had no PPE throughout and again is handling tins and packages that a lot of people are frantically wiping down when they get home, no choice for him to do the same. Other BIL works with adults with learning difficulties and so has been working throughout, no PPE. Sister owns a small business that had to keep going to pay her mortgage and she comes into contact with a lot of people every day dispite having an auto immune disease. Friend works in a hospital but not a part where full PPE is offered, another friend is a heating engineer going into peoples homes daily dispite his wife shielding. Thats just in my close circle and not one of them has had the attitude of sod it, im not going to bother, why should I. If they did imagine how many people they could have infected, my husband delivers to thousands of different houses in a week, he could have spread it to an entire town ffs. Yes its shit for you, for all teachers, but you aren't the only ones and no, despite what you may see in the news, hardly anyone working throughout has been properly protected, yours is not a unique situation and many of the above were doing so during the absolute height of it all

[CarrieBlue]

@Frazzledmum123 it’s not a race to the bottom

[hibbledobble]

Honestly, I'm a doctor who worked long shifts with covid-19 positive patients with minimal PPE. I don't put much effort in social distancing out of work, as it seems a bit rediculous, given the risk at work. I have already had it too, which was somewhat inevitable.

Working with well teenagers is a relatively low risk activity. If you want, is there anything stopping you from wearing PPE?

Additionally, were you not working until now, at least with key worker children? Surely this is not a new issue.

[Mistressiggi]

Key worker children - on a rota for this so not daily and groups of around 6 per teacher. Only small number of adults in building.
Normal school - every day and groups of around 30 per teacher. Large number of adults in building.

[MrsHamlet]

@hibbledobble the DfE guidance specifically says no ppe to be worn by staff or students

[CallmeAngelina]

@Hibbledobble, It has been explained many times on this and other threads that many schools are not allowing staff to wear PPE.

"Additionally, were you not working until now, at least with key worker children? Surely this is not a new issue."
There were very small numbers of KW children, and social distancing was much easier to implement, along with lots of time spent outdoors in the sunshine. The "new issue" is that there will be many, many times more children in confined spaces, going into Autumn/Winter, when we move indoors to small, poorly-ventilated classrooms. Plus, community mix is far more widespread now than during lockdown.

[Swelteringmeltering]

Op I've not waded through the thread. I can't understand why on earth, we can't at least wear visors. No they are not '' perfect '' but they ARE better than nothing.

It's very scary. I want pupils to return but this is not safe, nonsense.

[Swelteringmeltering]

Hibble, just today I saw article saying that actually unlike primary age children, teens bodies act like adults and they do pass covid on.

[mumda]

Ask for a copy of the risk assessment.
Should there be hand sanitizer units for everyone not just teachers?

How often are classrooms being cleaned?

[maisie123]

From page 48 of teachers' terms and conditions contract:
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/832634/School_teachers_pay_and_conditions_2019.pdf

52.2 no teacher may be required under their contract of employment as a teacher to undertake midday supervision.

My school 'told me ' a few years ago that teachers would be expected to start lunchtime duty. I referred them to my contract and they dropped it. They can ask you but cannot force you (however SLT can be ordered to).

I refused because my lunchtime was already taken up with sorting stuff from morning and preparing for afternoon. If I did the lunch duty, I would have no break.

By the way, if you do agree, the burgundy book says you are entitled to a free lunch.

[motherrunner]

@maisie123 I work for an academy so the burgundy book pay and conditions do not apply for me.

@hibbledobble Interesting to hear a doctor’s view. In answer to your question I wasn’t in school supervising KW children as I was home teaching live to timetable.

[phlebasconsidered]

I'm the same. 32 year 6's, no space to be more than a metre away, 20 minute break, supervising their break every day, eating with them and cleaning their pissy toilet in my 20 minute lunchbreak.
I can't leave the room any other time as I have no TA. I just can't wait to menopausal flood everywhere in front of my year 6's before catching covid from them.

I'm honestly dreading it. I care for my mum who has alzheimer's. I am having nightmares about keeping her safe - she will now be exposed daily to my bubble, my secondary kids huge bubbles and a daytime carevisitor ( if I can find one - no joy so far!)

[motherrunner]

@phlebasconsidered I’m so sorry in regards to your mum ☹️ My mum’s nursing home is still in lockdown so try to take solace that means she is safe as can be. Sending every sympathy 💐

[BelleSausage]

@hibbledobble

The key here is that you shouldn’t have been working in a Covid positive ward with minimal PPE. That is a disgrace.

Was that a policy decision at your hospital?

[Kitty100]

I’m in the same position as you and teach more students - I guess it depends on your age I am an older parent and want to keep the 2 m for my own safety - on the odd occasion that I have been out there have been many people not social distancing or wearing masks

[Frazzledmum123]

@CarrieBlue Exactly, so let's not try and get their faster with selfish attitudes of 'If I have to do whst half tbe country have been doing all along, then I'm going to say sod it to all the rules'. My point wasn't that her situation isn't shit, I acknowledged that, it was that if everyone took that attitude then we would have been in an even worse place than we are right now. A lot of people have it shit, doesn't mean you feel sorry for yourself to a point where you put others at risk