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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think this is mad!

31 replies

y3dmm · 07/05/2009 11:05

I work in a school. Our head has told us if we have to shut due to Swine Flu, the children will be unable to attend but TEACHERS HAVE TO!!! Unless your own child has flu, then you can stay home too!

This can't be right or AIBU?

OP posts:
Idranktheeasterspirits · 07/05/2009 11:08

Sounds odd, if the school has to shut surely no one is allowed in as the whole point is to prevent a gathering where one or more people may have been exposed to the virus.

TrillianAstra · 07/05/2009 11:14

But what useful thing will you do all day?

Yurtgirl · 07/05/2009 11:15

crazy

Icantbelieveitsnotbitter · 07/05/2009 12:16

Sounds like you'll be detol'ing the whole school !

But being reasonable, the kids aren't paid to be at school are they !

thumbwitch · 07/05/2009 12:18

bit mad, unless they actually have stuff for you to do, cos you are paid to be there of course; and children are more susceptible to catching things than adults - but if you are just there to sit around and drink coffee all day then that is loony.

NewTeacher · 07/05/2009 12:27

well as a teacher you are paid to be in school and there are plenty of things you can be getting on with!

I'm assuming its a child that had the flu and has cause the school to be closed.

Have any teachers come into contact with that particualr child? Have the teachers been tested just in case?

sarah293 · 07/05/2009 12:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

kickassangel · 07/05/2009 12:52

yep, you're paid to turn up. if it was a 'snow day' in theory you should still attend if able to get in, or approach your nearest school within the lea to offer your services, so i guess this is just the same.
my last school, if our kids were ill & we took time off, we lost pay anyway.

ICANDOTHAT · 07/05/2009 12:58

I would wait and see what you are advised by Dept of Health. If you have to shut, there will be guidelines. It may be left to the HT's discretion or they may say you all have to stay clear. The school will also need to be fumigated - they can't do that with you all there.

MIAonline · 07/05/2009 14:37

If a decision is made to close the school, then it will most likely be because there has been a child with a case of swine flu in the school. So the teacher who has been in contact with that pupil will then have to go into school, along with all the other teachers and pass it amongst themselves

Having said that, it is very unlikely that it will happen, so face it when you get to it.

welshdeb · 07/05/2009 16:51

I am shocked by your attitude. Teachers are always saying how much work they have to do in their own time etc. Here is a possible opportunity to catch up on all that work and suddenly you dont want to.
Ho hum. Stand back and wait for a flaming.

stitchtime · 07/05/2009 17:15

as i understood it, if your own school had to shut for what ever reason, tthen teachers have to go to whatever their e nearest school is.

Greensneeze · 07/05/2009 17:16

Do you think you should be paid for sitting at home?

TallulahToo · 07/05/2009 17:47

Please don't offer your services at the school my DC's attend. Couldn't be certain you are not infected for a few days.

TallulahToo · 07/05/2009 17:48

FWIW would check with the union if you can. H&S guidance needed.

missmapp · 07/05/2009 17:51

Our school has just given out the same policy - makes sense to me, someone needs to be there to man phones etc in the early days and afterwards,well, there is so much to catch up with , a week in school with no kids sounds great!

Original poster
y3dmm · 07/05/2009 18:56

OMG!!! It's nothing to do with wanting the bloddy time off!!! I just don't want to catch it from the other class teachers, computer key boards etc and bring it home to my baby and husband! I'd be better off planning, marking and assessing at home. I don't get paid to paint the building as my head suggested

OP posts:
Littlefish · 07/05/2009 18:58

This is what we've been told as well. I think the guidance has come from the LEA, or possibly DFES?

missmapp · 07/05/2009 19:01

But as you have to be in close contact to catch flu, i shouldnt think other teachers would be a worry, youd all be in your own class rooms so should be ok. With children in school it would go round like wildfire, but not with one adult per classroom - just avoid the staffroom and use alcohol gel!!

Original poster
y3dmm · 07/05/2009 19:07

or maybe just alcohol???

OP posts:
MrsMellowdrummer · 07/05/2009 19:39

The school I worked at closed once for a week due to a particularly evil bout of the noro virus.

Staff in high risk categories, or those with young children were asked to stay away (I remember being hounded out of the building by my lovely boss), but everybody else was expected to be there doing useful stuff.

Mostly it was disinfecting pretty much everything on the entire site, and helping the professional cleaners who were brought in for a deep clean. After that... catching up on non-contact time jobs. I did as much as I could from home.

So I think you are being unreasonable.

Original poster
y3dmm · 07/05/2009 19:44

"or those with young children were asked to stay away" as this would be be then MrsM I am not being unreasonable!

OP posts:
nickytwotimes · 07/05/2009 19:44

Yabu.
There is tonnes of prep to do and the population of the school will be a fraction of what it normally is so the risk is tiny. Also, adults tend to observe better handwashing/infection control measures than kids, so are less petri-dish-like.

MrsMellowdrummer · 07/05/2009 19:56

Think young counted as under ones. But actually, I'm sure if anybody had felt strongly enough about it they would have been allowed to stay away.

I don't think the risk would be particularly great however, so I still think it's unreasonable to get too worried about it. I presume the school are following national guidelines, and in the event of an outbreak in your area they'd be revisited and revised if necessary, depending on the severity of the situation.

Original poster
y3dmm · 07/05/2009 20:01

Just so you know nickytowtimes my school only has 60 kids - pretty small petri-dish!

OP posts: