To be really angry on behalf of teachers

[Jessicabrassica]

I know mumsnet loves a bit of teacher bashing.
I'm really angry that once again the Department for Education has put out guidance for schools in a Friday night before a long weekend with some schools having already started and others back next week.
I cannot imagine how many iterations of risk assessments have already been completed to make schools as safe as possible given the constraints of staff numbers, building size and requirements to get every child back in school.
They are getting enough PPE to tick the box that it's been issued to all schools but not enough to be useful.
Teachers mostly haven't stopped working since the pandemic began. They have continued to teach, to support vulnerable learners, provided meals and good parcels out of school funds in lieu of FSM, they remained open through school holidays for key worker provision.
I really feel that they have been well and truly fucked over, left massively vulnerable and will be left to carry the can for community outbreaks.

I'm a parent and work for the NHS if it's if any consequence.

Yanbu.

Unions, HT and teachers have been calling for this guidance since they announced re opening from 1st June.

For 3 months plus they have reached a way against them accusing them of blocking opening.

So whilst I'm glad the penny has finally dropped I think the timing was punishment for them being right.

It ain't about the kids education. They've been cutting funding for that systematically for 10 years.

It seems you need to add 'shit at their jobs', Miles (excellent work on this thread btw)

@Isthisadaggerisee

If only teachers put as much energy into re-opening schools as they seem to complaining about how unfair it all is on them.

but we never closed! Honestly, it's like trying to play chess with a pigeon.

StaffAssociationRepresentative

@Isthisadaggerisee my school's DT dept made 400 bits of PPE. Any chance we can have the cost of materials refunded to our school budget?

I’m not sure what I said that got this response? The local authority would be the place to approach?

Armchair Ofsted have arrived I see.

@CayrolBaaaskin

If only teachers put as much energy into re-opening schools as they seem to complaining about how unfair it all is on them.

^This.

They closed?

Why didn't someone tell me.

Now I am going to complain. I've been in the whole time and it appears I didn't need to be

We were open for key worker children. That includes the children of NHS workers

staff done schools did close.
Some teachers did fuck all to support when the most vulnerable kids (my foster kids for a start).

Teachers denying experience feels properly gas lighting.

If only teachers put as much energy into re-opening schools as they seem to complaining about how unfair it all is on them.
but we never closed! Honestly, it's like trying to play chess with a pigeon‘

Fine, fine. Our school had around 20 key worker kids in each day - the school
Was essentially CLOSED to all other kids. Teachers saying we’re never closed’ is being disingenuous at best and parents aren’t idiots.

@Isthisadaggerisee - they local authority no longer has a say in our budgets.

And our county stores have all their santitiser to the NHS on instruction from above.

So they sourced more at much higher cost.

Because being open daily everyday from March 23rd to 20th July including holidays and BH - they needed it!

I see this thread had descended into the usual snarkiness.

I don’t see why it’s so hard to understand that:

Teachers want to get back to work

AND

Teachers think the government are incompetent wankers

can both be true at the same time.

I work in retail. Just imagine if me and my colleagues had refused to work. Yes some of my colleagues have screens but not those working on the shop floor and not when we actually needed them
but no one said we needed protection.
Guess we're just not important.

@modgepodge

Children have to go back to school. Most teachers I know want this (or at least accept it). The point the OP makes is, when this decision was made months ago, why wait until there are 0 working hours before schools open to release the guidance? Boris announced in May we would go back in June (and there was a similar situation with guidance being published the Friday before half term then), and all through the summer term and summer holiday it’s been known we will be back, almost normally, in September (or the end of August in some school). So why wait until 28thaugust to release the guidance?

The whole thing has been a shit show so is it really surprising?

@hexmeginny

Really, I don't understand you. Some people just seem to want lockdown to last forever. It's time the schools went back.

Really I don’t understand how you have managed to read the OPs post and jump to this conclusion?

Criticising the Government’s actions in this instance doesn’t mean she or he wants lockdown to last forever. Where are you getting this extremely weird idea from ?

Foster children should have been in school,no?

Openly having hobbies and not having the decency to feel ashamed' (I'm paraphrasing), 'teachers need to play their part in society' Moaning', 'crack on', 'snowflakes', 'whining', 'get a grip', 'paid with our money', 'don't live in the real world', 'teachers just love to sodding moan', ‘Thank goodness nurses and doctors carries on without the same fuss.’, ‘our teAchers will close the school again at the drop of a hat.’ ‘If only teachers put as much energy into re-opening schools as they seem to complaining about how unfair it all is on them.’ ‘There has been no particular spreading of COVID in schools and no reason to be concerned ‘ ‘Shit at their jobs (and parents can do it better but we still want teachers to do it even though they’re shit).’

Also lots around the theme of ‘I’ve been treated really badly at work, so why shouldn’t teachers be?’

Phew. Lots to think about.

@HelloMissus

staff done schools did close. Some teachers did fuck all to support when the most vulnerable kids (my foster kids for a start).

Teachers denying experience feels properly gas lighting.

Schools closed and transformed in to hubs for keyworkers. Teachers from all of those schools were in. (the exception being those that were shielding)

Some parents also did very little from the start

Posters denying experience feels properly gas lighting.

Do you see how this works both ways?

@Isthisadaggerisee - you are not reading ..... We were open for key worker children AND I delivered a full suite of lessons (on-line) following the curriculum. Plus I did assessments and reports. And sorted out subjected CAGs

Forgot to add that I physically was in school in June teaching year 10 and 12.

I know you are not an idiot but I know what I did

@Isthisadaggerisee do you think people who are on furlough shouldn’t be paid?

State schools weren’t allowed to furlough staff just in case you suggest that.

Teachers have been/will be working hard to get schools ready for opening. Ironically the teachers people have been bashing on here could be one of your DC’s teachers. I bet you won’t know if they have had concerns about the measurements put in place for schools when they welcome your DC back.

@HelloMissus

staff done schools did close. Some teachers did fuck all to support when the most vulnerable kids (my foster kids for a start).

Teachers denying experience feels properly gas lighting.

Well you could read upthread where the shit provision by some schools was discussed and acknowledged? Or you could not read the thread and just rehash old points.

@HelloMissus

staff done schools did close. Some teachers did fuck all to support when the most vulnerable kids (my foster kids for a start).

Teachers denying experience feels properly gas lighting.

And that's a failing on the part of the schools your foster kids are at. But it wasn't every school and it wasn't every teacher. The last minute shifting of the lines yet again affects every teacher in every school and will only make it worse for everyone. That's what we're angry about.

How about we ask the DfE, OFSTED and OFQUAL what they did? Other than to screw up results days bit time