I’m not a teacher but......

[Comefromaway]

I think it’s time you went on strike.

The government clearly don’t give a toss about you, our kids & subsequently our families.

My daughter is so stressed about the school/college environment. Everywhere she’s being told that she can’t do this that and the other because people are dying. But she’s expected to go into college and have her normal classes with overcrowding and no effective mitigation.

Medical officer woman has clearly not been into a school. The teachers & students are dropping like flies.

my colleagues and I all feel it's a case of when not if we catch it

It's the same in my school. We know it will happen eventually, but I agree strikes aren't going to help the situation.

Thank you OP for thinking of us teachers OP. It is really scary and I do feel very anxious working in a school. However, I teach in a deprived area with really vulnerable children. They need to be in school and can't or won't access online learning. They just don't have the equipment or the money. During the first lockdown I made umpteen teaching videos and uploaded them onto Youtube and the school website. Only about 4 children in a school of just over 200 looked at the videos. Many vulnerable children just dropped off the school's radar and were uncontactable.

What would really help is parents not arranging playdates, parties and sleepovers during lockdowns/Tier 3/4. This regularly happened at my DC's school last term. Parents justified it by saying it was absolutely fine as they were "in the same bubble" at school, but ignoring the fact they had siblings in other bubbles and classes.

@goldenlilliesdaffodillies yes I agree! Parents really need to limit their children’s mixing out of school!

No, I am not nervous. The pupils stay out of range, I don't see vulnerable people and I don't really care if I catch a virus with such a miniscule chance of killing me anyway.

What would really help is parents not arranging playdates, parties and sleepovers during lockdowns/Tier 3/4. This regularly happened at my DC's school last term. Parents justified it by saying it was absolutely fine as they were "in the same bubble" at school, but ignoring the fact they had siblings in other bubbles and classes.

I agree. It's soul destroying hearing about another sleepover or playdate with a friend.

The government love a good crisis.

I mean why else would they keep turning a difficult issue into one...

Something is happening in East Lothian:
www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/18963635.teachers-vote-declare-formal-dispute-east-lothian-council/

@Comefromaway have you got a keen sense of the bots yet?

That's great for you but unfortunately I teach small ones who DONT stay out of range, it's already killed my father and I still have symptoms 7 months after catching it. So I'm possibly a little more cautious than you.

Also...I am almost certainly going to catch it at some point anyway, so I really can't be arsed worrying about it. It won't change anything.

Well, duh, I didn't pretend to speak for everyone.

Nor did I

@goldenlilliesdaffodillies

Thank you OP for thinking of us teachers OP. It is really scary and I do feel very anxious working in a school. However, I teach in a deprived area with really vulnerable children. They need to be in school and can't or won't access online learning. They just don't have the equipment or the money. During the first lockdown I made umpteen teaching videos and uploaded them onto Youtube and the school website. Only about 4 children in a school of just over 200 looked at the videos. Many vulnerable children just dropped off the school's radar and were uncontactable.

What would really help is parents not arranging playdates, parties and sleepovers during lockdowns/Tier 3/4. This regularly happened at my DC's school last term. Parents justified it by saying it was absolutely fine as they were "in the same bubble" at school, but ignoring the fact they had siblings in other bubbles and classes.

I totally understand that. My son is autistic, his GCSEs were cancelled but he really needed to go to college and to be in college. I live in an area of high depravation.

We just want it to be safe. The school he used to go to is doing its best (he still has friends there and we live next door to a teacher) but cases rose rapidly.

He sees kids from his old school out and about not socially distancing, having parties etc.

@Bitcherama

No, I am not nervous. The pupils stay out of range, I don't see vulnerable people and I don't really care if I catch a virus with such a miniscule chance of killing me anyway.

Not saying you should be nervous - chances are you'll be OK but your reasoning is somewhat ridiculous. What do you mean by 'range' - by being in such a crowded indoor space you massively increase your chance of catching the virus. Quite a few teachers I know caught it at school despite following guidelines.

It's also daft to say 'as long as it doesn't kill me I don't care'. There is a non-trivial chance of developing long covid and having long term fatigue, pain and cognitive issues. You would care if this happened to you.

@MaskingForIt - I think you’ll find the majority of teachers belong to a union. I’m not sure why you think otherwise. It would be foolish not to for many reasons not least as protection against allegations.

[quote CollateralDamage1]@Comefromaway have you got a keen sense of the bots yet?[/quote]
The bots?

@AnotherOneBitesTheDust2020 It suits them to believe it because it's essentially free childcare.

Can you blame us? we can’t all work from home

I’d be significantly more likely to want to strike if I were forced to wear a mask in the classroom.

My year 10 DS has been doing much better since school went back in September. He will be back at school as a keyworker child on 4 January. I hope face to face teaching will resume on 11 Jan, but if it doesn't, at least he will be able to be in school. I have no concerns about him attending school but significant concerns about his engagement with remote learning while I work.

@MaskingForIt

I don’t think enough teachers are member of unions for it be effective. You can’t just not turn up to work because you don’t fancy it.

Most teachers are in a union. You'd be an idiot not to be, way pre covid.

[quote Musmerian]@MaskingForIt - I think you’ll find the majority of teachers belong to a union. I’m not sure why you think otherwise. It would be foolish not to for many reasons not least as protection against allegations.[/quote]
Cross post.

No one would force you.

@NailsNeedDoing

I’d be significantly more likely to want to strike if I were forced to wear a mask in the classroom.

why?

Why don't the pupils strike so that teachers don't lose a day's pay and pension?