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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be really angry on behalf of teachers

789 replies

Jessicabrassica · 29/08/2020 07:51

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.

OP posts:
peoniesandfreesias · 30/08/2020 09:36

@MilesJuppIsMyBitch 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

I m definitely NOT in real world either. Almost 30 years shirking sorry teaching, a DH who is a key worker and 3dcs two of whom are ASN means I live on a fluffy cloud of niceness......

....interestingly all the posters who wailed about "the vulnerable kids" "kids who need free school meals" "kids who live with an abuser" during the lockdown seem to have just reverted to "stop fucking whining and get into a classroom....Covid doesn't exist in schools" - like teachers need told about these kids FFS. I drove half an hour to my catchment at least twice a week to deliver food, IT, jotters and often toiletries to families. I also took dogs abuse whilst I chapped on doors and tried to lay eyes on children whom we know to be in awful situations.

Quite when schools became the answer to all societies problems, I'm not sure, but why people aren't directing their anger at government for cuts in benefits, social work and other agencies , rather than spewing vitriol at teachers - who have fuck all power or say in anything - it escapes me. They'll still send their kids in. Then usually I've to phone to them tell them that their dc is being disrespectful in language and demeanour to staff 🤦🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️

bumblingbovine49 · 30/08/2020 09:39

@toomanypillows

I teach year 12, 13 and 7(so 3 bubbles) the guidance previously stated that children up to the age of 14 were not hugely impacted by transmission or serious illness due to covid. One of the questions we were asking was about how we manage 350 over-16s in the same space as presumably they are adults, in physiological terms, which previous guidelines did not acknowledge.

Last night's update has now quietly changed that upper age to 19. 19! Now classed as a child, which cannot possibly be based on biology and is instead massaged to simply include ALL students because they couldn't make the guidance fit any other way.

My 6th form students are fairly sensible and my 6th form is also fairly sensible. But as I teach across three bubbles I'm still not sure what happens if one of those bubbles is asked to isolate, given that I will be a common factor. It simply hasn't been addressed and, as OP said, there is no time left.

Even SWEDEN closed schools/education centres for 16+ year olds. ( Something people seem to ignore) Universities are planning for A LOT of online teaching

Saying 16-19 year old are physiologically children and therefore are ' v.v low risk' in terms of spreading Covid is risible

However the most worrying thing is the confusion on what a secondary school teacher is supposed to do in case of a significant outbreak in a ' bubble' they teach in.

NotDonna · 30/08/2020 09:43

I thought everyone knew this peonies and were thankful. I thought teaching was a well respected profession. I’ve never met anyone in real life who is down on teachers. MN has been a shocking eye opener. And huge disappointment. I’m actually disgusted at the lack of understanding.

Isthisadaggerisee · 30/08/2020 09:47

‘ I’ve never met anyone in real life who is down on teachers. ’

Pre-COVID I agree with you, but you should take a quick survey amongst the parents of school aged kids now, particularly primary school, and see what the responses are. You’ll be surprised I think.
And I do work in the education field.

Piggywaspushed · 30/08/2020 09:51

We don't need to : various proper surveys have been done.

Funny how you suddenly say you work in the education field. Care to be more precise?

Piggywaspushed · 30/08/2020 09:53

Quite when schools became the answer to all societies problems, I'm not sure,

Round about the time when the Tories came to power.

Actually, Maggie would have had a fit. She thought schools were for learning and learning only.

Piggywaspushed · 30/08/2020 09:53

Why does everyone say educators now?

Isthisadaggerisee · 30/08/2020 09:59

‘Why does everyone say educators now?’

It’s an America thing, covers more than just teachers and reflects the other people who influence schools, colleges and children’s education. As the big education companies go more and more global You’ll hear it more.

SmileEachDay · 30/08/2020 10:02

but you should take a quick survey amongst the parents of school aged kids

We have.

And I do work in the education field

Doing what?

derxa · 30/08/2020 10:04

teachers are being targeted with a particularly nasty campaign of trolling.
Try being a farmer on MN and then you'll know about bile and vitriol.
I've been a teacher and I know what a difficult job it is but it can be a bit of a bubble. To say that teachers should be free from criticism is a bit childish tbh. Every job has its challenges and especially now. I wouldn't work in a covid ward for any money. Many NHS workers have died- let's not forget that.

NotDonna · 30/08/2020 10:06

@Isthisadaggerisee

‘ I’ve never met anyone in real life who is down on teachers. ’

Pre-COVID I agree with you, but you should take a quick survey amongst the parents of school aged kids now, particularly primary school, and see what the responses are. You’ll be surprised I think.
And I do work in the education field.

Yes, why the heck is that though? COVID has been tough for everyone? Don’t they know that teachers have DC too? They’re also trying to juggle wfh, helping their own kids, have elderly parents etc. Have mental health issues. Same as the rest of us. I do struggle to understand why some parents think teachers should be super human.
Kidneybingo · 30/08/2020 10:10

I just think that if the Government and some parents and commentators think this is going to get the best out of teachers going forward, they are mistaken. It's basic surely, don't make people feel like shit if you want them to go the extra mile and feel motivated.

NotDonna · 30/08/2020 10:11

No one expects farmers to be super human derxa

SmileEachDay · 30/08/2020 10:14

Try being a farmer on MN and then you'll know about bile and vitriol

So if I advanced search “farmer” I’ll find a gazillion threads saying how awful the entire profession of farming is, will I?

noblegiraffe · 30/08/2020 10:14

Try being a farmer on MN and then you'll know about bile and vitriol.

Ok, point out this weekend’s anti farmer threads and I’ll have a look.

SaltyAndFresh · 30/08/2020 10:14

And no-one underestimates the risk of working in a Covid ward (except the UK government when they were lying about PPE).

What's that got to do with expressing anger about being asked to go back to full classrooms with no protection and fighting back against teacher bashing @derxa?

EducatingArti · 30/08/2020 10:15

@Spiderseason

To be honest, I think the safest thing for secondary school would be to have them in part time on a rota and teach them half on line. Unfortunately I do think schools who made no effort at all to get on line shot themselves in the foot.
Until the most recent guidance, the government had told schools specifically that they should not plan for a rota system!
Piggywaspushed · 30/08/2020 10:16

We all agree that NHS workers (and care workers, and bus drivers)have died and that many of those deaths were avoidable. You won't find any teacher on here saying a bad word about NHS workers and we are quick to offer solidarity, support, anger and empathy. Sadly, the converse is not always true.

StaffAssociationRepresentative · 30/08/2020 10:17

[quote peoniesandfreesias]@MilesJuppIsMyBitch 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

I m definitely NOT in real world either. Almost 30 years shirking sorry teaching, a DH who is a key worker and 3dcs two of whom are ASN means I live on a fluffy cloud of niceness......

....interestingly all the posters who wailed about "the vulnerable kids" "kids who need free school meals" "kids who live with an abuser" during the lockdown seem to have just reverted to "stop fucking whining and get into a classroom....Covid doesn't exist in schools" - like teachers need told about these kids FFS. I drove half an hour to my catchment at least twice a week to deliver food, IT, jotters and often toiletries to families. I also took dogs abuse whilst I chapped on doors and tried to lay eyes on children whom we know to be in awful situations.

Quite when schools became the answer to all societies problems, I'm not sure, but why people aren't directing their anger at government for cuts in benefits, social work and other agencies , rather than spewing vitriol at teachers - who have fuck all power or say in anything - it escapes me. They'll still send their kids in. Then usually I've to phone to them tell them that their dc is being disrespectful in language and demeanour to staff 🤦🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️[/quote]
@peoniesandfreesias - doing that trip is a real opener, it gave me a real understanding of what goes on in their home life when I used to do the later/non-attender run.

A lot of MN do not really understand vulnerable students but they have read a newspaper article or watched a programme or there is a ‘naughty’ child sat near their child. The angst amongst parents when they thought vulnerable kids were getting more than their kids was shocking - lots of faux concern.

Imsosorryalan75 · 30/08/2020 10:18

Teaching isn't the place to be if your lazy or work shy. I don't think half of the posters here know what a typical teaching day involves. Most on average starting at 7.30 and finishing around 5.30 with limited breaks, to then go home and work in the evenings and sundays. I'm sure there are many other jobs that do these hours but the point is - they're not lazy or work shy.
Do it yourself if you think you can do better. Let's see how that goes.

derxa · 30/08/2020 10:21

No one expects farmers to be super human derxa You think people expect teachers to be super human? There are never enough hours in the day for a teacher I grant you. I hope the pressure on teachers to produce endless -useless- reams of planning and three colour pen marking will ease off.

dontdisturbmenow · 30/08/2020 10:21

I support teachers100% in agreeing that they have a tough job, that working u Der constant pressure must be draining and that they deserve the holidays to recharge.

But I'm tired of the moaning since Covid that would led you believe that they have it worse than any other group. You don't hear nurses going on about similar issues as teachers do.

It's time to accept that kids need to go back to being educated, that it was nice being at home but it was never going to be long term, that the risks remain minimal and that yes, things are going to change and initially going to be confusing and stressful but so is it for the majority of working people.

StaffAssociationRepresentative · 30/08/2020 10:23

@Kidneybingo

I just think that if the Government and some parents and commentators think this is going to get the best out of teachers going forward, they are mistaken. It's basic surely, don't make people feel like shit if you want them to go the extra mile and feel motivated.
Yep absolute cock up.

Punishment will come at election time. Lib Dem were punished for supporting introduction of tuition fees. Conservatives will be punished for incompetence - all those young voters impacted on result days chaos plus school staff (and of course, Brexit). How anyone can vote for Gavin Williamson shocks me

Piggywaspushed · 30/08/2020 10:26

Did you read the bingo card before posting dont??