Why do teachers still have jobs?

[StrangeTimes]

So my husband has just lost his job from next week. He's a coach driver. My best mate has lost her job from this week, she used to work in a cinema. I have many friends now out of work and desperately trying to get jobs in supermarkets.

However teachers will not be working now for many months, so how come they're not being made redundant?

I'm not being goady I genuinely want to know. I'm glad they are still being paid, I'd hate for them to be in our position. But why?

Are other jobs "safe" like this too?

[wasgoingmadinthecountry]

Additionally, we are expected to do online learning. Fair enough.

I am doing OU and other courses about PTSD in children, counselling and children's mental health as we are all aware that children have had lots to deal with.

Some are free, some I'm (happily) paying for.

[BertNErnie]

In terms of why we are being paid, this is also set out in the following document:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-school-closures/guidance-for-schools-about-temporarily-closing#pay

I have copied and pasted it below for ease of reading:

Pay

Will teachers and other school staff continue to be paid?

Yes. Teachers and other school staff will continue to be paid during this period as normal, and we expect schools to continue to fulfill their contractual duties to their staff.

In short, the role of schools are central to battling the virus and it seems as if some posters should really be taking the lack of school work or contact that is taking place directly with the head teachers of those settings as it gets clearly stated above what we are being expected to do during this time.

[BertNErnie]

Vital role of schools

Those who work in and with our schools rightly take their place next to our NHS staff and other critical workers as central to our efforts in battling this virus.

School leaders around the country are taking the lead in supporting families through this difficult time, and we are keenly aware that the extraordinary measures that have been taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19 present an unprecedented challenge for schools, trusts, and local authorities, as well as the communities they serve.

We appreciate the selfless dedication that school, trust, and local authority staff, demonstrate in their work every single day. During this difficult time, we are asking you to go further still so that we can collectively address the challenges we face. You are vital to the country’s response to this crisis, and we offer our full support and gratitude during this difficult time. As this crisis progresses, we will aim to provide you with as much certainty and flexibility as possible, and will do all we can to support the vital service you are providing.

We expect schools and local authorities should work together to ensure that different settings are supported to stay open wherever possible, taking into account their circumstances and cohort (for example, special settings and alternative provision). And, we want local authorities to help coordinate what this means, working with education settings to deliver the services required. That includes academies, the independent sector, and boarding schools.

Throughout the rest of this document, by ‘school’ we mean those that are either maintained by the local authority or are run by a single or multi academy trust.

[MotherOfAllNameChanges]

Why are you all so rude it's an honest question..

If a school is staying open for just 8 kids - thats REALLY not going to take most of the staff is it?

Not all schools have set up remote learning yet.

Try to follow the golden rules and be kind to everyone kids.

[1moreRep]

the teachers at my dds school are amazing, keeping it open for 8 children whose parents are key workers, i couldn't thank them
more

[brummiemumm]

Are you actually stupid? Teachers are still working ... many are in teaching the children of key workers so putting their own health on the line, and those who are working from home are conducting online lessons, sending out work and assignments, emailing and calling families weekly or daily, conducting checks on vulnerable families... jeeeez

[mummyof2boys30]

We haven't heard a thing from our kids school from the day they finished. Collected some print outs last day and not as much as a message since. I don't want them to loose their jobs though as I want normality when they can go back

[MotherOfAllNameChanges]

@frasersmummy your teachers may be. Have not heard a peep from ours. I'm trying to do my job as well as theirs right now.

[RaraRachael]

LaureBerthaud obviously I am not referring to all the parents in my class, but every teacher has those parent to deal with.

Nobody minds contact with parents if it's relevant or meaningful. Some of the things that those parents contact teachers about waste teachers' time with are neither.

You don't know the parents so loosen your judgeypants a little please

[Aceventura20000]

It’s surprising that some schools are doing so much and others aren’t. To be honest my OH hasn’t been instructed to do anything other than cover on a rota.

[GreenTulips]

Lots of redeployment here
Those implementing the new payments are under a lot of pressure and need people to answer phones
Track and trace need staff
Covid helplines for those how are confused

Some are using the 3D machines to make masks

Others are seeing gowns for doctors and nurses

Other are helping house bound pubic and delivering food to families

Some volunteer in kitchens

They aren’t ‘having and holiday’

Work is being set, calls made to vulnerable children, etc etc

They have meetings for next year/term etc to sort as well

[rc22]

I appreciate everything the NHS do and they are quite rightly seen as heroes. I am sick those of us in the teaching profession, who go over and above and put in long hours for the kids in our care and regularly put our hands in our own pockets to buy resources that school budgets no longer stretch to, being cast by some as the public sector "villains."

[rc22]

a) I am still teaching kids online
b) I am on a rota and going into school to take care of keyworkers children
c) If I am no longer needed to care for kw children, I can be redeployed by my local authority to work in other areas of need (I am hoping to get the chance to drive a dustcart!)
d) I am very much hoping that whenever my school reopens I will still be needed to work there

[LaureBerthaud]

and answering emails from "those parents"

@RaraRachael

Why do you refer to the parents of your pupils so dismissively?

[Theholidayarmadillo4]

If anyone wants to become a teacher there are a number of ways to train and bursaries etc on offer. If you like.

[cabbageking]

I meant those who have lost their jobs on the initial post should go back to their employers to be furloughed not the teachers.
I know the teachers have taken on additional responsibilities and are still working.

[Mammatino]

This is unpleasant isn't it? I don't begrudge anyone anything at this time certainly not the people who are spending a lot of time with my child under normal circumstances. Our primary school teachers seem to be working, setting us little tasks, checking we all have access to learning material, talking to parents, talking to kids, ensuring the less fortunate kids have food every day. There are plenty of people sat on their hands who are wfh, but we aren't baying for their blood. I'm genuinely upset to read some of this and can't understand where the anger and bile is coming from. I keep picturing my DS teachers and hoping they aren't reading this.

[WhatHoJeeves]

I don't believe that every school and every teacher is dedicated and wonderful - and I don't believe that every lawyer is a money-grabbing, weaselly bastard. I wouldn't make such black and white, simplistic assumptions.

However, I do know that teaching is a demanding, valuable job that is only suited to the really dedicated, as if you aren't dedicated you would never cope with the workload, parents, management, constantly changing government rules, mediocre pay, and insulting, biased idiots like @stormyclouds. I'm not a teacher by the way, I don't have the strength.

My daughter's secondary school is setting work for every group for every lesson. This is submitted daily, marked, and feedback given. We received a phone call last week to check on how things were going. She is being taught by her regular teachers, who know her.

Keep up the good work, teachers, and ignore the idiots who create and fuel threads such as these.

And now I'm off to the kinder real world again.

[wasgoingmadinthecountry]

My youngest is Year 11 - although there are no longer GCSEs this year, she was woken every day in term time by emails from teachers - assignments and reading materials for her chosen A levels, discussions, social groups to check everyone's OK. In addition, staff are making goggles for staff in DT dept, sewing scrubs in textiles, volunteering to drive minibuses, kitchens are providing food for families who are suffering financially. Love my daughter's school.

[HalloumiGus]

God some depressingly hateful comments on this thread. No wonder there's a bloody teacher shortage. Some of you should be ashamed of yourselves.

Teachers, having to teach my own DC makes me love you all the more! 😍

[Lardlizard]

My children are at difference school, none of the teachers are doing anything apart from emailing a few very basic worksheets, no live classes via the internet or anything like that at all, and certainly not available to talk to
I think they tend to live in a bubble where they think they are so hard done by, they don’t live in the real world

But saying all that, I still think they should keep their jobs

[MonaLisaDoesntSmile]

To people who really dislike teachers- be our guest, d o the teacher training and join our ranks! Show us what you got! Let's see how long you'll last :P

I came back to the profession after a few years and started supply teaching a few weeks before the lockdown, unlucky timing, and I soon remembered why I quit the first time, people like the OP were a large factor in leaving the first time.

[Danceswithwarthogs]

And whether furloughed or salaried it all comes from government funds one way or the other

[Danceswithwarthogs]

What an awful goady thread. I am sympathetic to your situation (and likely to be redundant soon myself) but why single out one group? Teachers are so often undervalued compared to someone with the same skills in the private sector, it’s madness to begrudge them at least a bit of job security in return.

As a family we have so much gratitude towards our children’s teachers, for the education provided so far, for their ongoing teaching at home, for the school providing care to key worker children and most particularly for their kindness and interest in our children’s wellbeing and mental health.

Thanks to all teachers reading this