AIBU or are the lives of school staff worthless?

[Witchcraftandhokum]

I fully appreciate that the education and mental well-being of children is important but why does it trump the physical and mental health of school staff? The facts are simple, people are being told to stay at home because it is unsafe to do otherwise, unless you work in education or the NHS who are provided with effective PPE.

On a daily basis I am expected to supervise the diner where 150 students eat lunch (obviously mask free) if I wish to eat I am also mask free. I have to supervise the same 150 children in narrow corridors. For this pupils are supposed to wear masks but there are a number who refuse (not the students who are exempt) and we cannot enforce it. We hand out hundreds of masks per week to students whose parents don't ensure they have one with them.

We are not allowed to wear masks in classrooms but are given visors which aren't as effective. The children are not allowed to wear masks in classrooms. None of this are rules imposed by the school but are in-line with the government guidance.

We have students who say they have developed a cough knowing we have to send them home, we cannot make the decision as to whether they are lying or not, but I've been verbally abused by parents calling me "fucking stupid" for not knowing when a child is lying.

Before half-term we had 25% of staff off sick as they had tested positive (including myself). There are many experts stating schools should be shut but Boris has done a fantastic job of insinuating that school staff are lazy and don't want to work, and the early response to the unions concerns shows that this is working. I've never suffered with stress or anxiety but the thought of a return to school tomorrow is making me feel sick.

Talking to colleagues who work in other schools it appears my experience is not unusual. So AIBU to think that this government doesn't give a shiny shit about school staff.

Reading this thread has been somewhat demoralising, and in parts quite upsetting. After reading the post from Alldonein I felt what I realised were pangs of jealousy at the thought of her handing her notice in, this in turn led a a chat with DH and 20 minutes later my resignation letter was typed. I'm not sure what I'm going to do but after my 12 weeks notice I'll stack shelves until I get something. It'll be a struggle but we can manage and I feel nothing but relief!

@Witchcraftandhokum such a shame the country is losing great teachers, but don't blame you one iota. The job market is brutal at the moment mind, would you maybe consider online tutoring? My friend teaches English online and actually earns £££, sets her own hours, and finds it hugely rewarding.

My god - if you think that “stacking shelves” will make you feel better about your own personal safety then you’re not that bright.

Sincerely

A retail worker

InTheMiddle I understand about the transfer of time, I just dont think it would realistically happen.

It would end up being teachers working while schools were shut. KeyWorker Provision, yr 11, yr 13, catch up lessons, marking, cleaning, all unpaid.

@Witchcraftandhokum

Reading this thread has been somewhat demoralising, and in parts quite upsetting. After reading the post from Alldonein I felt what I realised were pangs of jealousy at the thought of her handing her notice in, this in turn led a a chat with DH and 20 minutes later my resignation letter was typed. I'm not sure what I'm going to do but after my 12 weeks notice I'll stack shelves until I get something. It'll be a struggle but we can manage and I feel nothing but relief!

What a bloody shame. You sound like a great teacher who cared about the kids in her care but understandably is now really alarmed about the rising infections in school. Now you've been bullied and harangued into resigning from your profession and your class is going to lose out hugely because you're leaving. I hope you reconsider after sleeping on it.

Look at the stats OP and you’ll find retail workers are far more likely to die from Covid 19 than teachers. So I think you need to give your head a bit of a wobble if you think you’re safer there.

Semperldem I can absolutely guarantee it will make me feel better than I do about my job at the moment, and it will only be if I need to. I've previously done some consultancy work and will probably pick some more up pretty quickly.

I get really fed up with teachers always moaning. And I was a teacher for years.
A lot of teachers did very little work during the last lockdown. No good telling me they didn't as some of them were my friends.

Teachers were not furloughed but were paid their full salary throughout lockdown.
I bet they wouldn't want the schools closed if they were not being paid.
I would hive teachers a choice...unpaid leave or go to work....

FuckedyFuck It's not about feeling safer, it's about putting myself at risk for people's kids who are actively attacking us as a profession. I'm worth more than that

‘My god - if you think that “stacking shelves” will make you feel better about your own personal safety then you’re not that bright.

Sincerely

A retail worker’

Well indeed. I hope you have relevant experience because it’s not that easy to get any job at the moment and there is some tough competition.

My SIL has loads of logistics experience and was still turned down for a basic fulfilment job at Amazon.

Come back to me if you ever do take up a retail job during this pandemic and let me know how safe you feel doing it. You’d probably only need to do a single full shift to give an informed opinion.

The post from yellowspanner is exactly what I'm talking about.

‘It's not about feeling safer, it's about putting myself at risk for people's kids who are actively attacking us as a profession. I'm worth more than that.’

I think you will find that all those people also go in shops and are also horrible in there as well.

Oh dear, as I've said it's more about job satisfaction than my safety.

All 6 supermarkets in a 5 mile radius of me are currently recruiting. As I've said I can get some consultancy work to tide me over, it won't be the end of the world if I didn't get a job straight away.

Witchcraftandhokum It's just nasty hiding-behind-a-keyboard bitchiness that you rise above. Teachers are the new City bankers and everyone sees them as an easy target. Don't let a bunch of MN posters torpedo your career.

Can't you just tell them your going to wear one?

@yellowspanner yes why should we have adequate PPE when you and your mates are lazy? That makes loads of sense, thanks for your contribution

You’re upset about being in a profession that isn’t being respected yet said you’ll ‘stack shelves until you find something’ implying it’s just an easy doss job you can do until you find something ‘proper’ The irony is strong with you OP! Enjoy it though, we’re actually in a recession with record job losses. My friend who lost her 80k P/a job got rejected at Tesco’s recently, it’s not that easy to get any job right now. Good luck though!

@Twistered

Teachers have a level of protection come on.

Now my job on the other hand ... I work all day children . I've no mask or ppe. I clean their runny noses and wipe their tears. They come for a cuddle when they are upset . They sit on their favourite workers knee for a story . That's the nature of the job and we do it because to deny this when caring for children would be detrimental to their well-being.

I am fed up with you teachers yapping.
You had plenty of time off. Nursery workers and child carers had none. They worked all through the first lockdown with no ppe and will continue to do so.
Children need their education. Schools and children's settings need to be open. Your risks are low . Just stop moaning please for god's sake.

Your post shows you know nothing of what schools are like. There is no social distancing in Primary and the younger children still require the level of care you provide. Schools were also open throughout lockdown. first for keyworker/vulnerable children then for certain age groups. No teachers are saying close schools, we just want them to be safer, or they're going to close anyway, due to staff shortages and isolating bubbles.

@Witchcraftandhokum if you want to feel safe then a job at the supermarket isn't the best idea. You'll still be exposed to people and on top of that the verbal and physical abuse is horrendous. It's not just stacking shelves unless you go for a night shift when the store is closed.

FuckedyFuck thank you.

Thanks for the advice Jakobabear, I've actually done it before so I know what's involved

Op, I couldn’t agree more with you. However, people don’t want to read your post because they all want their kids out and at school. Even the most sensible people I know don’t seem to spare a thought for that staff risking their lives and wellbeing. It’s too unpalatable.

‘All 6 supermarkets in a 5 mile radius of me are currently recruiting.’

That doesn’t mean you will get a job! They are inundated with applications. And they prefer people who usually work in a team, are physically strong, have a forklift qualification and have product knowledge. I work in retail and I don’t think I would get a replen job in my own store!

@PheasantPlucker1

Coronaiswatching can you name one other workplace where staff are being told not to wear masks?

Just one.

Childminding we aren't allowed as it impairs the children's speech and language skills. They cough, sick, snot all over and lick us yet childminders are always forgotten about. Teachers, nursery staff and other school staff are in the same boat as us except we have to have the multiple families in our own homes, and not once has that ever been taken into account in any of the guidance