"I work in a school surrounded by kids but cannot see my family" - anyone sick of hearing this?

[coffeeforone]

It's totally unfair - everyone gets it! It's shit for most people. But this line/situation obviously affects all who work in education settings (a lots of people I know) and is really starting to irritate as it's being spouted much more often than most other complaints.

True I know, and it doesn't make sense to lots of people...but what's the solution? Close schools so everyone can see family instead?

[MyTwoLeftFeet]

A lot of rubbish being spouted without any knowledge whatsoever here. The viral load in a crowded class room is high. Of course it's frustrating for key workers who are in a much more dangerous situation daily at work yet can't gather in a private garden with seven relatives. If you don't understand why that's annoying is quite frankly a bit of a moron.

Some people like to keep quiet about frustrating situations others like to talk about it. If you can't even listen to people venting genuine frustrations without starting a thread about it then why do you think key workers would put up with the situation without having their own chance to vent.

[coffeeforone]

OP I hope you haven't spent all day worrying about this. If you have and are looking for something to do, I have 31 exam papers to mark this weekend so I would appreciate some help.

No I have spent all day working and getting on with things, but with a constant flow of WhatsApp messages moaning about how it all "makes no sense"....etc etc.

Close friends, (most of the group happen to have different roles within school settings )so I wouldn't ever ask them not to have a moan or try to be more positive...but it's just the same lines over and over since June.

I just wondered if anyone else was over all the complaining or is it just me.

[starrynight19]

I have loved school being back open and seeing my class to.
I’m thankful my dc are back in education also.
However I’m struggling with 11 confirmed cases in my dd school.
And with that the heightened risk being back at different school brings for us to meet my grandparents who are 96 and 98. The phone calls aren’t the same and I have cried whilst on the phone to them as I don’t know when we can see them again and they miss us desperately.
For now I’m hoping the 11 cases don’t spread into our immediate home.
Forgive us for having feelings op.

[Hercwasonaroll]

No one was saying much in June because only Keyworker and vulnerable kids were in. Classes were tiny and social distancing measures could be maintained.

Now its a different story.

Why can I mix with hundreds weekly, but not see my family at the weekend? I don't understand the logic. Nor do the kids. Sixth form planned a party in the hall at 3pm Friday because they are a bubble so could all be together in school. The minute they leave the site, they cant be near each other because we are a local lockdown area. It's illogical.

[EffYouSeeKaye]

@Barrowmanfan22

You clearly have no idea the pressure we are under and the fear we are feeling working in conditions that are not socially distanced.

Be glad that you don't. And try and be kind. And mind your own business. HTH.

Reposting this again because it is perfect.

Walk in their shoes or just be kind.

[MitziK]

@BritneyS

Don't be a dick, @SunshineCake. Of course I'm wearing it. After all, it's a disposable mask and a pair of gloves. As long as the disposable mask that doesn't fit my face properly works miracles and if somebody does have it, they don't cough or exhale whilst I'm taking their temperature - or at least only cough or exhale over my gloved hands.

I'm still a massive infection risk compared to somebody who, like DP, has proper PPE that everybody has to wear, including the large numbers of members of the public who come in every day.

Woah woah, no one needs to be called a dick. You didn’t say “I’m more of a risk because my PPE is shit”, you said “I’m more of a risk because my PPE is only optional”.

It's optional because the employer is tactically ignoring the government edict that said not to wear PPE unless you're directly in contact with somebody with Covid symptoms at a distance of less than two metres for over 15 minutes and saying you can choose to wear it outside those times - contradicting the government 'guidance' that says not to because a thousand young people are magically unable to transmit it when they're only moving in herds of 1-300 at a time in the exact same spaces where six other herds have travelled in the last hour.

That's what makes me a risk to others. The contact I have to have with charming, stroppy, annoying, giggly, talkative, surprisingly thoughtful and caring young people. Maybe you would be happy if I knew you to sit at the same table in Spoons, assuming that I'd managed to get every scrap of virus off my person - because the government says it's safe - but it absolutely isn't.

Which is why it seems ridiculous. I'm obviously not a safe person to be around anybody vulnerable (vulnerable myself, by the way), but in the same breath, it's all OK, take the vulnerable relatives out for a meal and a drink, everything is fine.

[SaltyAndFresh]

So OP, you're moaning about your own friends having a view on the inconsistency of school life vs home life on WhatsApp? Just tell them directly what you really think and stop being so fucking two-faced. You'll soon find you won't have to read it any more.

[BritneyS]

@MitziK pubs and bars are a £21bn industry, we can’t just shut them down indefinitely. You may not “be a safe person to be around” but the guidance is very clear that you should not be within 2m of anyone outside of your household in a Wetherspoons. So no one should “be around you”. What more can any government possibly do?? They sure as shit can’t say “everyone but teachers can go to the pub”. Interestingly, the OP even addressed that the school situation is shit but she queries what the alternative is.

Look, everyone has it shit. It’s shit! No one is safe. This is lose lose. But what the fuck can we do?! OP has clearly had enough of her professional circle spending months moaning about it. She’s venting, that’s OK. They’re venting, that’s OK.

I stand by my initial point on this thread.

[IndiNile]

Teacher bashing is alive and well!

[user1471500037]

Just don’t obey the rules simple

[Rhine]

@IndiNile

Teacher bashing is alive and well!

This!

Same old Mumsnet

[VashtaNerada]

I’m a teacher and I’ve not heard anyone say this, most of us are able to see family if we want. However if someone did say this I’d be very sympathetic. Presumably if someone can’t see their family it’s either because they live a long way away or are vulnerable. Either way it’s okay for them to feel sad.

[Pikachubaby]

Personally I am sick of people who lack empathy, but I think it’s because there are 2 kinds of “understanding” of the pandemic:

• people like OP who think others should not make a fuss, as we’ll soon be back to normal. We just have to put up with it for now but it’s no real hardship and the end is in sight
  

• others are coming to the realisation that we will never go back to normal, that this is the new normal, civil liberties are gone , possibly forever, as we will need to learn to live in an overpopulated world with new viruses causing pandemics and restrictions for... ever. This group is going through a bit of a grieving process and need to rant a bit at times
  

It’s hard, this new life. There’s quite a price to pay

[Hercwasonaroll]

most of us are able to see family if we want.

Local lockdown you aren't.

Family of 5 can only see one other person.

[Biscoffscoff]

Not a teacher, but haven't seen my family since march. Our local lockdown kicked in before many of the national restrictions started to lift.
My job involves going into people's homes on a daily basis and it's a very stressful/emotionally intense role. The simple fact is, there's only so long that I'll be able to cope in the job whilst living with the restrictions (which are significant where I am - can't socialise with anyone outside of my household).
At the moment teachers are doing an extremely tough job. Not having the chance to do the things outside of work that presumably keep them going is hard. For the OP to be eye rolling that people express it is just cold.

[Funkypolar]

Well for the next few years or indeed rest of our lives, we will just be going to work and going home again. No socialising. All the pubs and restaurants and anything cultural will be closed permanently.

[borntobequiet]

There are many good reasons for not using WhatsApp and this is one of them.
OP, delete it and enjoy the relative calm.

[Tddnamechanger]

. The teachers of course included (maybe not full time and more remote working but definitely still a lot of contact with Zoom lessons etc).

I would like to know what you think full- time is for a teacher?
During lockdown, we had 60 key worker children in and provided school resources for home. During this time, I worked a more 9-5 job which was a good thing since I have 5 children, 3 of which needed home schooling.

Now I am back to my "normal" school hours, 7am-5pm with 25 minutes for lunch because it is not possible to keep up with covid restrictions. I then work 2 hours a night and most of Sunday.

Working conditions have been terrible. No air conditioning and my room was 28degrees by 8am this week. With 31 in a tiny room, the air has been stinky and stifling.

I can completely understand why some teachers need to vent from time to time. In my opinion, teaching is not something that you do for financial gain as it is not worth it.

PPE is also a plastic shield in my school which is open at the bottom and does little to protect.

[Barrowmanfan22]

@PinkSparkleUnicorns

Bloody teachers! Moaning all the time. They don't think the rules apply to them and so clearly just want the economy to crash.

Miserable bastards, the lot of them. In at 9, home at 3 and paid for all that summer off.

I once had a teacher who played videos every lesson, didn't do any work.

They just shouldn't get paid at all.

I bet they started covid on purpose, just so they didn't have to go into work.

Except... unlike many other professions they haven't stopped working. They didn't get a chance for full pay to be furloughed at do bugger all for months. ....but yeah it's clearly all the teachers moaning now and it's all their fault.

[Barrowmanfan22]

[quote Monkeynuts18]@BelleSausage

I know SOME teachers worked throughout (I live next door to one that worked right through her Easter holiday).

But given that we know that around half of parents and children didn’t hear from their teachers at all during the lockdown, it’s not unreasonable to conclude a lot of them weren’t working.[/quote]
Do we? I'd be interested to see your statistics.

[coffeeforone]

I would like to know what you think full- time is for a teacher?
During lockdown, we had 60 key worker children in and provided school resources for home. During this time, I worked a more 9-5 job which was a good thing since I have 5 children, 3 of which needed home schooling.

I'm saying that they didn't work full hours during lockdown compared to before, they went in on a rota to cover key workers and then when working from home they still had time to home school their own children a bit during the working day. Which, as you say is much less than normal for teachers during term time,

I know that teachers work long hours and weekends but so do a lot of professionals. Just saying it was reduced for them during lockdown. I didn't have any reduction in hours during lockdown so still had to work very long days, evening and weekends (like i did before). When I say full time I mean 'same as before'

[Cakemadeoffruit]

Maybe people are moaning because they need help and hope someone is listening.

But OP you sound so far up your own self righteous arse you aren't hearing people's panic and hurt.

Jog on.

[Lolaloveslemons]

My father lives with us
over 70 several high risk health conditions including diabetes

I was talking to my colleague yesterday about her father who lives alone 20 miles away from her.
He also has diabetes, is a cancer survivor and is also over 70.
Her sibling is his ‘bubble’
She cannot see him to support him because she is working at school and transmission risks are too great.

Aren’t you fortunate OP that you get to see and support your father every day?

How would you feel if you couldn’t.
Primarily because of the job you do?

[Lolaloveslemons]

But OP you sound so far up your own self righteous arse you aren't hearing people's panic and hurt.

THIS.

You sound narrow minded and a bit dim at best OP. (Or a nasty piece of work at worst.)

[morethanmeetstheeye]

Right, OP.
So I'm not allowed to be immensely pissed off and upset that I (as an extremely clinically vulnerable teacher) have to work in a room full of children with no PPE to protect me.

And as a result of that I cannot go and see my very ill, very old parents who live a long way away from me and really haven't got long left. They're in a lockdown area, so I'm not meant to go into their house plus I wouldn't want to infect them anyway.

But it's ok for me to keep being amongst 30+ families and their germs at work.

Fuck off.