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.

Unfortunately I don't think that the government will take the risk to teachers and pupils seriously until children start getting seriously ill or God forbid, start dying. I would also like to add, please don't forget about nursery staff. We rarely get a mention, yet we provide similar levels of personal care as care home staff, with less PPE and are also at increased risk.

winechateauxjoy: I was a teacher and I was on strike at least twice in the last 15 years. Bith times the aim was to improve conditions n schools for the students. Although many teachers do belong to a Union,many others have been presuaded that it's a radical and trouble-making thing to do or they assume that they'd never need Union support because 'their' management team are reasonable. Sadly, they often realise, when it's too late that they were wrong and suprisingly, often can't understand that a Union won't support them with an issue which arose before they'd paid their subs and become members.

@GleamingBaubles

Question should be - why is this data being withheld?

Where is your evidence that it’s being ‘withheld’?

In September of this year detailed data was published which analysed COVID deaths from 9 March until mid June.
These figures included deaths of people infected well before the first lock down when infection rates were assumed to be similar to what they are now, and schools were still open.

Easily accessible with a quick google.

@SansaSnark did I tell you I was happy? Where do you see my gloating about anyone falling ill .

What I’m saying is I’m a single parent so I have no choice but send DS to school what else would I do?

Ohhhh and I worked on a Covid ward from March..... clearly having a ball here

You can’t make wild accusations and not have a follow up plan. Tell me what are the parents suppose to do?

I would happily strike with the teachers we should club together!! However it’s not fair of you and others to start saying “parents are getting free childcare” how dare you!!

What would happen to the economy if all parents kept their kids at home? It’s not realistic in the slightest.

Risk wise. Hospitals are definitely more riskier than classrooms without a doubt. I can’t even be arsed to list the points. It’s not a competition I would assume anybody with common sense knows hospitals are breeding grounds at the best of times

Aha. The “common sense” gotcha, with the “can’t be arsed” gambit. Well played.

@Retiremental
Which was when school were closed or open to limited numbers of children. Where is the data from September to date?

Yes, the graph I posted suggest hospitals - and only hospitals- are riskier workplaces that education settings.

Its nice to have some support for teachers, thank you.
Yes we are important and we do matter. We're doing a good job though and I'm sure we will continue to.
A merry Christmas to all my teaching colleagues

Read back through the threads of how precious little Johnny was cold when the schools were keeping windows open also, lots of comments of complain to the school. Why not just dress your child in more layers so they can be taught in an environment with good air flow and protect all.

The government without a doubt have. Lot to answer for for not keeping schools safe, I really don’t understand why teachers can’t wear PPE. Yes it’s awful wearing a mask all day and talking/teaching however others have adapted to it. And I work with children and all have been absolutely fine with me wearing a mask.

Parents also need to look at their own behaviours though, in my friendship group it’s 50-50 of people actually following guidance to a tee. I am one of them and haven’t formed any ‘bubbles’ to minimise risk even though we previously used family for childcare. I will add my friendship group are generally middle class and well educated. I work in an area of high deprivation and those sticking to the rules are few and far between although many of my clients don’t have good coping mechanisms so need more support but not from multiple households. People just don’t actually care anymore.

@SamsMumsCateracts

Unfortunately I don't think that the government will take the risk to teachers and pupils seriously until children start getting seriously ill or God forbid, start dying. I would also like to add, please don't forget about nursery staff. We rarely get a mention, yet we provide similar levels of personal care as care home staff, with less PPE and are also at increased risk.

I have a horrible feeling you are right.

Apologies, should have said healthcare as I assume that includes other settings, too.

It saddens me that this government has successfully pitted other public sector workers against teachers and against each other.

I don't want schools to close, nor do I want to strike. But hearing "schools are a very controlled environments" at the briefing today really frustrated me.

Yes, classrooms are controlled environments ‐ ones in which students sit shoulder to shoulder with about 29 others. Corridors cafeterias and playgrounds certainly are not controlled environments in any way.

I have every intention of getting my big pregnant backside back in the classroom full time in January, but I do wish they wouldn't pretend schools are COVID secure.

My schools reported 6 staff cases and 8 student cases in the last 2 days of term alone.

@bornatXmastobequiet

Risk wise. Hospitals are definitely more riskier than classrooms without a doubt. I can’t even be arsed to list the points. It’s not a competition I would assume anybody with common sense knows hospitals are breeding grounds at the best of times

Aha. The “common sense” gotcha, with the “can’t be arsed” gambit. Well played.

You can always swop job roles become a HCA!

I think teachers have it hard, and it’s not a job I would want for various reasons, without the address stress of covid

Personally I think schools should now be closed, certainly whilst this new strain is spreading and a vaccination programme started.

Striking won’t get anywhere other than piss of parents and upset kids as there will be no schooling at all. At least closing schools and moving online or home schooling will allow some teaching

@Piggyinblankets it saddens me too. We should all stand together but morale is at such rock bottom for many sectors there isn’t the energy to think about the wider picture.

Hospitals for PATIENTS are riskier

But not for the FUCKING STAFF - they are amazingly careful - and in full PPE

But schools for STAFF are much riskier obviously as children are grubby little buggers

I think some teachers have an air of importance and it stinks

I don’t think we’re the ones with an air of importance here. We didn’t even start this thread or used a tone like yours in our posts.

FWIW, I have a lot of sympathy and empathy with parents and children in all this and don’t like how hard it is at the moment. I just don’t have much sympathy for the parent who sent their child in to school whilst that child was waiting for a test and not telling the school as those led to me getting it.
I would just like the govt to do better in ensuring schools are safer so they stay open more and fewer children and staff have to isolate.

@AnotherOneBitesTheDust2020

I fully agree.

I'm a Primary School teacher and despite being super careful, following all of the rules (not visiting relatives, grocery shopping online etc) I caught COVID.

It's horrific. I was in bed for over a week. I have no underlying health issues and am a non-smoker. However, months later I'm still struggling and have now been put on medication by my GP to help keep my airways open.

Bottom line - most parents believe what the government tells them re: schools. It suits them to believe it because it's essentially free childcare.

I'd love to strike to highlight the appalling way teachers, classroom assistants, office staff, first aiders, janitors, lunch staff etc are being sacrificed to placate parents.

In Scotland you cannot attend a drive in film/panto HOWEVER you can sit in a room with 33 children. I'd love to hear the scientific logic behind that.

Before anyone dears suggest COVID is not a problem for primary school aged children - I caught it from a young child!

One million percent THIS

@SansaSnark

So when parents are sending their kids to school it’s because we too have a job to maintain too! I’m not sure why it’s one rule for one....

But why are you happy with this situation?

Why are you happy with sending your kid into an unsafe environment every day, in order to put food on the table?

Why should people be asked to risk their health in order to survive?

I'm happy to send my child to school because he needs to be there. He struggles with motivation for online learning at home while I work so he will be attending as a keyworker child after New Year. Being physically at school helps even though he is doing the same work as at home. I don't consider him to be unsafe at school or that I am risking his health. I think it is better for his health to be at school. Back in summer term they were doing PE everyday.

Okay what about a nurse strike? Teachers earn more than nurses and work worse hours

[quote spanieleyes]@Retiremental
Which was when school were closed or open to limited numbers of children. Where is the data from September to date?[/quote]
The September data looks at deaths from 9 March. You do realise that people die from COVID a number of weeks after being infected so many of the people dying during this period were infected well before lockdown, when schools were still very much open.

And given that September figures covered the period from March to June, I think it’s fair to assume that it takes quite some time to collect, collate and publish data.

Can a friendly NHS worker on here confirm what happens when they have been in close contact with a confirmed case? Do you get LFTs/ PCRs and SI for 10 days/however long you are told to?

[quote Littleyell]@SansaSnark did I tell you I was happy? Where do you see my gloating about anyone falling ill .

What I’m saying is I’m a single parent so I have no choice but send DS to school what else would I do?

Ohhhh and I worked on a Covid ward from March..... clearly having a ball here

You can’t make wild accusations and not have a follow up plan. Tell me what are the parents suppose to do?

I would happily strike with the teachers we should club together!! However it’s not fair of you and others to start saying “parents are getting free childcare” how dare you!!

What would happen to the economy if all parents kept their kids at home? It’s not realistic in the slightest.[/quote]
Literally nowhere have I said parents are getting free childcare. And FWIW, I happily gave up some of my holiday for no extra pay to provide care for key worker kids in May.

Actually, if all parents kept their kids at home, and everyone else could go to work, the economy would be just fine. Parents with primary age children make up a pretty tiny percentage of the economy.

I don't agree with that policy, because I think some things are more important than the economy, but the economic arguments for keeping schools open do not stack up.

But keeping schools open is hurting everyone.

If it were down to me, I would have schools open on a rota basis for EDUCATION, which is, after all, their primary purpose- whilst also being open for vulnerable and key worker children full time (and perhaps for parents who really cannot organise any other childcare). But the understanding would be, the more childcare we do, the less face to face education we provide.

But the current system is not working for the majority of children or parents IMO. I have sat with kids who are crying because they are terrified at the prospect of being stuck at home for two weeks. I have spent time with teachers who are terrified of taking the illness home to a vulnerable spouse. I have spoken to parents who have to deal with a new Y7 child having to isolate who have no childcare (and they have no warning).

If schools are just "shut", at least some parents will have the chance to organise alternatives for their children. I know a few parents of primary aged kids who have been crippled by repeated self isolation.

But ultimately, it does come down to the question- what's more important? Childcare and the economy, or people's lives? School age children are the group with the highest increase in cases, recently- but they will spread the virus to others, and some of those people will die.

@Christmasfairy2020 you can’t even get nurses to work to rule as patient safety comes before our own pay/time/wellbeing. Most of us are doing unpaid overtime most days.

@Piggyinblankets none of the above. If in contact with a confirmed case you carry on as you’ve been in PPE.