Government reportedly considering schools going back in 3 weeks

[FiveFootTwoEyesOfBlue]

On BBC News 24 now, article in tomorrow's Sunday Times says that ministers are considering schools going back in three weeks time. Plus allowing some shops and social gatherings, but not pubs and clubs.

terrible thread. I need to leave MN. Goodbye.

🌺🌸🌼🌺🌸🌼🌺🌸🌼

we should be clamouring to be allowed to go back and do it. It is shameful yet so many teachers are playing the union card to try to avoid it.

This is a pretty despicable thing to say . I am not a teacher, but I would ABSOLUTELY expect my union to be looking out for my health and welfare. It is entirely correct and the unions job to be doing so.

Schools simply can't safely go back anytime soon until it is worked out how to teach an average of a thousand pupils in socially distanced classes . With between 20-40% less staff.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out that teachers are in a uniquely dangerous position . With the exception of NHS and Social care none of the other keyworker jobs require the worker to be in close proximity for a number of hours at a time. The NHS/care HAVE to do it because people will die if they don't. No one deserves to have their life put in danger .

No teacher deserves to die because parents don't want to look after their own children for a few months.

No child will die because they haven't gone to school.
A teacher could die if they do. That's not a risk we should be taking.

Thankyou disorganised. Your post means a lot.
Everyone else :

Well said disorganised
Teachers also care about students' welfare and while the figures are still climbing why would they be "clamouring"?

No child will die because they haven't gone to school.

Thats probably not true though. Some will die sadly because of their domestic situational children being off school is impacting the mental health of many adults.

I am not saying that should mean schools go back. But we all need to understand that there is no perfect answer here - teachers included. And also possible emphasise or at least acknowledge some of the worries that non teacher parents have.

Everyone of us is scared of the now and even more scared of the future.

Ultimately though as much as people argue here - it won't make a difference. Got will make the decision andits the teacher union needs to ensure they play a major role in shaping that decision.

No child will die because they haven't gone to school.

That's probably a naive statement to make.

Crossed post.

@disorganisedsecretsquirrel that’s really not right

"No teacher deserves to die because parents don't want to look after their own children for a few months"

FFS. That's not why people want schools to go back. That's just as lazy and offensive as claiming teachers don't want to because they're enjoying the time off.

peoplepleaser are you actually listening to the news or making up your own version?

The government closed schools.

The government is keeping them closed.

Most schools are still open for key worker and vulnerable children.

Teachers are still teaching all their pupils.

Many staff worked through their Easter holidays.

School staff ,as is the norm,jumped to it and dealt with gov instructions to close and provide home schooling professionally and quickly with little support.

Children and staff need safety measures and the gov are struggling to provide the NHS with the right equipment as it is.

Supermarket workers are protected behind plastic screens, with reduced numbers of customers and with plastic markings on the floor to ensure social distancing.

Aside from all that many schools aren’t big enough and wont have the right amount of indoor/ outdoor space for social distancing.

We are currently going through a pandemic with limited knowledge or assurances as to how it will all pan out.

The above is why schools remain closed not union pressure. Stamp your feet and insult all you like but it doesn’t change the facts. Would also like to point out that since I’m the only one in my road actually leaving the house for anything other than food in order to get to school I haven’t experienced any bad feeling towards schools. I haven’t seen any on social media either. All I’ve seen is a huge amount of appreciation and a new recognition of how hard school staff work.

I think the issue is some posters say things like they need schools to go back now and then follow up with the fact that they have been furloughed or are trying to work from home but can't because it's difficult or because they are worried their job won't exist if the economy isn't back up and running ASAP.

That's an argument to counter the argument that we must keep the schools closed for the health of the nation. Bankrupt nations aren't healthy, in any sense of the word. A bankrupt UK will have neither NHS nor a decent state school system. If tax and NI were being paid at approximately 25% of earnings, now 80% of earnings exit the exchequer instead. The country cannot afford this and I cant tell you how alarmed I and others in that line of work are with the data and indicators coming out of the UK's lockdown.

I personally know at least 2 families who may become homeless.

In terms of the actual school and education side, I am extremely concerned that my child isn't being educated. Initally it seemed we may have been looking at 3 to 12 weeks (the summer) and this didn't seem insurmountable, but longer term - with working absolutely full time, I can't do 5 days of curriculum so my child would go uneducated. The long term lack of education for keyworkers is the primary concern for me and keyworkers in my position.

I know some teachers are facilitating homelearning in school but that's not consistent across he board and, as I've already stated, my own child's school has a policy to do zero, to discourage parents from using the childcare we have no choice but to use.

PicsInRed I’m so sorry about your stressful experience. The following I have pasted from Facebook and has some small comfort to you during this time:

Dear Parents
Don't stress about schoolwork.
In September, I will get your children back on track. I am a teacher and that is my superpower.
What I cant fix is social-emotional trauma that prevents the brain from learning. So right now I just need you to share your calm and your strength, and share your laughter with your children. No kids are ahead. No kids are behind. Your children are exactly where they need to be.
With Love
All the teachers on planet Earth.

That despicable thing was said by a teacher who comes on these threads to drop vitriol against the rest of us and then toddle off. Don't know what medal she thinks she will receive tbh.

PicsInRed

In terms of the actual school and education side, I am extremely concerned that my child isn't being educated.

Then blame the people that are setting the policy.
Whether that is the school or the government or whoever.

Don't blame the teachers who are much cogs in the machine as you are.

I have given up two weeks Easter holiday willingly, voluntarily and worked without pay.Including bank holidays.

DfE guidance published in Tes and Schools Week advises that school staff, including teachers, should be given time off in lieu (or extra payment) for covering the Easter holidays. Is this not the case for the majority of teachers? Are your headteachers being unreasonable?

Tes:
"The DfE says it is “asking schools where possible” to maintain provision for vulnerable children and children of workers critical to the COVID-19 response over the Easter holidays, and says it knows that school leaders and local authorities will “make sensible decisions on staffing in doing so”."

"Its guidance states that it would look to schools to cover the Easter period through:"

•adopting rota systems, so that staff work working during the Easter period can have time off in lieu at another point in the year.
•sharing staff with other institutions (for example, institutions which will be shut over Easter.
•making use of existing budget set aside for supply teacher costs, if Easter staffing needs cannot be met through rota systems and sharing of staff.
•if schools still have unavoidable additional staffing costs they should discuss these with their Regional School Commissioner who will support them to resolve the issue.

Schools Week:
To “protect staff well being”, schools have also been advised to run a rota system to cover holidays, allowing staff time off in lieu for this and make “appropriate use of their supply budget”.

Any schools with “unavoidable staffing costs” should discuss with their regional schools commissioner who will “support them to resolve the issue”.

The economic damage matters hugely. Lifting lockdown too early will cause a second wave of the virus : all economists agree that this is more damaging to the economy, hence the caution.

To be honest clav there has been so much guidance, the heads may not be able to keep up.

Thank you @disorganisedsecretsquirrel!

DfE guidance published in Tes and Schools Week advises that school staff, including teachers, should be given time off in lieu (or extra payment) for covering the Easter holidays. Is this not the case for the majority of teachers? Are your headteachers being unreasonable?

I pointed out on another thread that I had been given one day a week back this half term for the 6 days I worked in school in the holidays.

Got told that I was unreasonable for not being available to parents and children during term time. Despite the fact I have planned 5 weeks of work to be available every Monday.