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.

I give up. Another thread that will go the same way as so many.

As a clinically vulnerable member of teaching staff I'm really looking forward to be being back with the children next week, but obviously I have some concerns. I'm not being afforded anywhere near the same protection as my dh and our friends in their offices and businesses. I don't even expect to - but some understanding of the challenges we face would be nice.

And some of us really did work throughout. My school was open throughout with all but 4 members of staff in school full time, with full bubbles as well as work outside of this time, and in the holidays, The rest of us - as vulnerable - worked full time (and more) from home providing 5+ pieces of work daily.

Time to hide another thread I guess.

I don't know what the right answer is but the government have certainly been very unhelpful.

This is part of the problem, a lot of big changes are taking place. It's not an exact science, it never has been and never will be. Dealing with change is hard and challenging and those changes will evolve and adapt, sometimes quickly.
There is no magic formula to implementing these changes but you have to start somewhere and then adapt it as you go along as you see how it works. Everyone will feel unsure and uncertain at times but this is happening to everyone.
The government hasn't been perfect , but stating that they're unhelpful but not knowing what the answer is just shows how unhelpful society cam be when faced with change.
'I don't like what your doing, it's wrong and not right'
Ok what do you suggest?
'well I don't know do I'
Ok well at least we have come up with something, you just tell us where unhelpful and can't offer a solution.

I know who I think is being unhelpful here.

There is a plan, is it a good one? who knows, but its a plan. It gives people a starting point, productive members of society work with it and then either adapt it or make suggestions. They don't question it with out offering what they think is a more suitable alternative.

Life is unfair at the minute....for many professions and for many people. Teachers included

But can we stop the whining please and just get on and do the job your psid to do....like the majority of us.

Nobody is saying that teachers are not valued, or that they dont deserve x,y,z. BUT the whining is patronising. Loads of people have lost jobs, family...had their lives turned upside down.

Teachers like the rest of us...need to get on with it. And at some point things will settle and become fair. Unfortunately...weve a way to go before that happens

@Aragog as a fellow clinically vulnerable teacher, I hear you.

@Aragog

YANBU OP

I consider myself as one of teacher worshiper.But I can understand people who says it's not just teachers that are having hard times.
But yes, school setting is not thought after enough imo. Especially in secondary, teachers are in close contact with 100s of children, with interaction with many others. Their worry is definitely valid, nothing like other jobs.

Their worry is definitely valid, nothing like other jobs what about the police?

I appreciate this whole thing is a difficult juggling act.

I just wish we had a government which, when it talks about the evolving science actually mean “science” rather than “Dominic Cummings” (a bright bloke with controversial politics, and certainly no scientist).

We've been back 3 weeks....heads spinning with the amount of information and changes that continue to be churned out. PPE is in schools yes, but it's coming out of our already insanely cut back school budgets. Social distancing- what's that again? Staff on their knees already after months of working (like everyone else) and home schooling whilst spending their holidays changing and rechanging the school environment according to whatever bombshell NS/Swinney decided to drop next. Finding out information at the same time as everyone else via the TV then attempting to answer a zillion questions from parents immediately 🤦‍♀️. Our parental anxiety levels in our school are high enough at the best of times without chucking in a pandemic on top of it. Trying to have a Teams mtg with parents in school whilst pupils come in and out my room....wandering off topic but whilst it's good to be back and returning to "home working" ever again terrifies me, all the "suck it up" and "we had to so you have to" just doesn't help. We actually like children, it's kinda why we do the job - I'd hate to meet some of the posters on here at parents evening ~we're having phone calls this term as can't hold mtgs~ as I've no idea why you'd hand your dc over to the skiving workshy monsters I keep reading about 🤷‍♀️

If changes had been agreed two weeks ago and the say before starting, rate had significantly increase (with people coming back from holidays), there would have outroar that it had be changed again when so much work had taken place to put the guidance in place, teachers having to go back sooner for nothing and they should just have waited until the last minute.

Now that they've done that, people are moaning that they should have done it sooner.

It's tiring to deal with constant moaners who will always do so no matter what decision is taken.

Yawn. This has been done to death.

What do you do in the NHS OP?
Clinical?
Admin?
Management?

Yanbu. For months teachers and unions have been calling for clarity for plan B so schools can put appropriate plans in place to ensure effective distance learning can take place. The government have put this place with no time for teachers do anything. With the notice teachers had asked for they would have used their unpaid holidays to ensure good quality home learning education could be put in place. Now schools won’t have time to work on this because they will be busy teaching, planning and marking the work of their current classes.

to all school management, teachers and TAs on Mumsnet. As a parent (and I also work part-time in a secondary school) I am absolutely shocked and embarrassed at all the crap you get on this site.

STOP BASHING TEACHERS
I’m not a teacher but am disgusted at the teacher bashing. It’s the Govts duty to issue timely guidance. Midnight on a bank holiday weekend with kids returning on the Tuesday!! The changes aren’t highlighted or ‘track changes’ either.

I'm missing the point,but I'm irked that there is never any recognition of ALL the other staff that work behind the scenes in education. It's not just teachers!

Dislike a great proportion of Society I’ve realised as a result of Pandemic. Selfish, unempathetic “demanding” teachers work to educate kids, when in reality education should begin at home. Most don’t care about education in its true sense just want kids off their hands. Our Society in U.K. is an absolute mess and Pandemic is shining a light on it.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4008782-Work-emails-on-holiday Really interesting, so far not one person thinks it’s fair that this person should have to check their emails on holiday. They’re on holiday!

Yet lots on this thread think it’s fine that headteachers should Not only check their emails, but read 23000 word documents and rewrite policies during the last 3 days of their holiday. What’s the difference?

Onlyfoolsmothers exactly!

Imagine the crap red tape the police have had and have on a daily basis...

People who are working and caring for people.....

are all experiencing the same issues.

The difference is teachers get 12 weeks holiday Other folk get 4 weeks.

The clue is in the title - it's 'guidance' not mandatory so if the schools are happy with their own individual back to school plan then there should be no running around on Tuesday.

@ukgift2016

Boo hoo

Many of us have still worked through the pandemic. Teacher must play their in our society.

Teachers worked through the pandemic

Schools are in CHAOS at the moment.. you clearly have no idea...

Most don’t care about education in its true sense just want kids off their hands completely untrue unfounded parent bashing!!!!

YANBU OP, the goalposts are moving and changing all the time. Teachers will cope with it, they always do cope much to their credit.

My niece is returning from a year of maternity leave to her job as head of English and she's feeling a bit anxious about it all.

However she will go in and she will follow whatever guidelines are in place.

My son returns to his special school sixth form where they have organised bubbles and extra hand washing etc. He has to take in masks and hand washing stuff. It's well organised and the teaching staff are great.

The difference is teachers get 12 weeks holiday Other folk get 4 weeks nothing to do with it!!!!!