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.

@Mokusspokus

The union is too politicised, and shot itself in the foot.. It was more about the evil tories than dealing with the here and now and the virus.

Rubbish. They were asking for safer conditions for their members.

I’m a teaching assistant in a secondary school. I cross bubbles all day. The (much much much higher paid) teachers stand safely at the front but TAs are in amongst the students. Some of these students can barely read or write. You cannot support from a distance so TAs are always much less than 1m away from students.
Teenagers do not like wearing masks. Enforcing it is exceptionally difficult. Maybe students who refuse to wear masks (unless medically except) in corridors etc should be sent home (for the safety of others).
It’s amazing how many teenagers say they can’t wear a mask at school due to asthma etc. But can happily wear a mask in Primark etc.
I 100% do not want schools to shut. My own kids can not afford to miss any more along with all the others. I just think that mask wearing needs to compulsory and enforceable.

I must add I think all people deserve to work in safe environments and there should be no excuse for this not being the case. Surely that's not a point to argue.

@NannyGythaOgg

If you won't do the job you are being paid to do by the taxes we are paying for you to teach and care for children why are you still claiming your wages?

Personally were I a teacher I would be quite happy to be furloughed and sit on my derriere with 80% paid by the taxpayer for doing absolutely nothing, many in oither jobs had a cushy ride since March, yes, I know not all, that's why I was careful to say 'many'.

but I've been verbally abused by parents calling me "fucking stupid" for not knowing when a child is lying.

Don't worry, this breed of thick breeder always has plenty of time for being abusive! Had you called their sprog a liar they would have been exactly the same, they're of a type.

@Elsewyre

So teaching one of the safest covid jobs there is...

That's a chart from late spring, when schools were shut. Show us the list from September onwards when schools reopened and if it's still the same, then you can argue teaching is still safe.

@MadameBlobby

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.

No they aren’t.

Other people who can’t work from home also need to go to work.

People are to stay home except for essential purposes. Education of children is essential. We should never have closed them last time.

And this is not why people are being asked to stay home. It’s to reduce numbers of infections by reducing social contacts.

Do you not realise how contradictory that is? Schools are a massive source of transmission.

It says a lot when the thread about keep schools open has over 300 posts this morning but the one named make school safer has 66.

Most people don't really care what schools are like for those in/working in them, so long as they are open.

Many parents don't see Covid as a risk to their child so aren't bothered about the guidelines being stronger.

This thread kind of highlights that.

It's a simple but uncomfortable truth tbh.

@Mokusspokus

The union is too politicised, and shot itself in the foot.. It was more about the evil tories than dealing with the here and now and the virus.

Utter bollocks they did nothing

There are so many simple and cost effective strategies that would really help and unfortunately very little seeps through, just endless dofe emails with dense information and sub headings etc.
Too much to assimilate and act on.
Headteacher seem to have vastly different interpretations of guidelines from sending entire year groups and closing schools whilst others just send home those around the infected person.

No clear information on ventilation, that was simply lost in huge tracts of text and information..
Masks on in classes, change class times two allow more breaks, masks off etc.
Blend learning for some year groups to thin out schools populations.

@saraclara

Imagine the volume of people supermarket workers serve. They have to scan and touch all the products that their customer has touched. Yeah there a screen but it’s the physical touching of the items that’s the problem.

Supermarket workers wear masks. Their customers are required to wear masks. They almost all hand sanitise before entering, and they will only have brief contact wiith staff.

School staff are almost all not allowed to wear masks. None of their 'customers' wear masks, their hand hygiene will be very patchy, and the staff are in close contact with 30 at a time for an hour at a time (or all day) in a much smaller space.

We were not wearing masks to begin with and I caught covid... simply for doing my job, ensuring that the public can actually buy food.

The real heroes are the NHS front liners!

@Aragog

It says a lot when the thread about keep schools open has over 300 posts this morning but the one named make school safer has 66.

Most people don't really care what schools are like for those in/working in them, so long as they are open.

Many parents don't see Covid as a risk to their child so aren't bothered about the guidelines being stronger.

This thread kind of highlights that.

It's a simple but uncomfortable truth tbh.

Absolutely spot on

I think to be honest you need to be grateful for a job. So many people are losing theirs and really struggling financially. We are all having to take risks..you have to suck it up or leave and let someone else have the job..I imagine it will be snapped up.

@Userzzz

God, not this again. If you’re so terrified to do your job, find another profession. It’s that simple, really. It’s fucking pathetic the amount of moaning teachers are doing. Most teacher I know only complain about their jobs and I find it hard to believe any actually enjoy teaching children. Lazy and entitled just like most of the public sector.

More generalised spite.

Elsewyre

Can you now find an updated version of your data?

That's the one that was knocking around from before the summer, when schools were open under very different rules, with half classes, SDing and increased outdoor time.

Because the data from the autumn term is somewhat different from what I've seen.

@Elsewyre

So teaching one of the safest covid jobs there is...

Yes, when schools are closed, which is when that data is from.

Have you got anything more up to date?

@loulouljh

I think to be honest you need to be grateful for a job. So many people are losing theirs and really struggling financially. We are all having to take risks..you have to suck it up or leave and let someone else have the job..I imagine it will be snapped up.

Your ignorance is breathtaking. Do you know how long it takes to train to be a teacher and what's actually involved? If you did you wouldn't make such a ridiculous comment. Plus there is an acute teacher shortage already - where are all these brand spanking newly qualified teachers meant to come from?

think to be honest you need to be grateful for a job.

Yeah. I'm really grateful that by going into work daily with no real protection led to me catching Covid, leading to me being admitted to hospital and will now mean I wil probably l be taking medication for the rest of my life. And yes, through the various tracing type questions it does appear that school, and most likely a symptom free child, was where it came from.

Sadly I will already be away from work for at least a month as I recover. Let's hope it's not longer. Let's hope I really do have some immunity for a whole now so that I can return to that job that I am grateful to have.

@Meowza74

Hang on, so are teachers not allowed to wear masks? What if they choose to?

The guidance... here

you have to suck it up or leave and let someone else have the job..I imagine it will be snapped up.

yep, everyone queuing up to take over the teaching jobs aren't they? There are no shortages at al across England is there?

Lol!

"You do know that visors do absolutely nothing without a mask?"

We are allowed to wear masks - SLT provided every member of staff with masks and a visor - but people have generally chosen not to wear the masks.

I really think that, if your classroom can be made 'safe' within the parameters of government guidance then we just need to get on with it like everyone else.

If your classroom can't be made safe, then that needs to be taken up with SLT. Some of them might be arses but none of them want dead teachers because they didn't sort the ventilation.

A number of my family members have worked in various factories throughout and conditions in every one of them considerably worse than in most classrooms. It's not ideal, none of it is, but I'd rather schools were open than closed for all sorts of reasons.

*What is rationale for teachers not being allowed masks?

Seems ridiculous.**

As a mum, I agree with this. Children are well used to seeing people wearing masks by now, so I really don’t understand why masks are banned in schools. If it gives teachers and other school staff some reassurance then it’s surely worth it?

Why not leave it to the discretion of headteachers and school governors?

‘Plus there is an acute teacher shortage already - where are all these brand spanking newly qualified teachers meant to come from?‘

There has been a massive increase in applications for teacher training. There is going to be huge graduate unemployment, so that is likely to be where the extra teachers will come from.

Obviously it isn’t ideal to have a huge number of new teachers and to demoralise the current teachers, but the Covid response in general
Is a shambles.

I'm confused as they are wearing masks at our schools. As they should.

I can imagine its a difficult time for teachers but no worse than for many other professions.

@WhyNotMe40

Link

That link does not state that we are not allowed to wear them.