"Let our teachers be heroes"

[Hitchyhero]

I've seen the front pages of the daily mail and now the telegraph are attacking teachers unions because they want to ensure that the place is safe.

The headline was 'Let our teachers be heroes'. Frabkly, if it was safe they wouldn't need to be heroes. That headline implies its unsafe to go back and they are taking a risk.

I'm also wondering, as I'm sure teachers are.... How they will implement social distancing in nurseries. My 2 yo toddler was due to start nusury just before the lockdown but that's been delayed. When he does eventually go back when I think it's safe, how will teachers implement social distancing. He needs help with potty training. Most children his age won't have the developmental capacity to social distance. My child touches and kicks everything.

Think it's a bit ridiculous that these papers are attacking unions when they just want to be safe like everyone else. Think they are asking the right questions.

[PickUpAPickUpAPenguin]

twitter.com/thebma/status/1261281483106508801?s=21

The BMA support teachers

[Andorra155]

My sister is a nursery worker. She has been working throughout the lock down for key workers children. She didn't get a choice. She doesn't have children herself whereas many other member of staff do, so she was one of the 9 kept on whilst the rest were put on furlough. She has between 14 and 16 toddlers in her class each day. She earns a pittance and works long days so her salary is anywhere near a decent amount. She is my hero.

[Gardengirl2]

@oysterbabe it depends which school they're at. Ours have had no contact since leaving in March, been sent home with work books. I am therefore teacher, and my own job stretches through the day and into the evening to ensure they get the help needed during the day. No contact from the school at all. Other work from home, and other schools seem to manage so I don't see why teachers can't at least try

[pfrench]

If you think I will be able to actually teach your kids, you are deluded.

This. It's weird childcare, boring and pointless for all.. possibly distressing for some.

[pfrench]

I don't see why teachers can't at least try

Maybe they have covid and are really ill
Maybe they are struggling with their mental health
Maybe they live in a shared house with no living room or desk
Maybe they have 5 children of their own to look after/home school
Maybe they don't have a decent internet connection but aren't allowed in school
Maybe they are in school covering key worker children rotas every day
Maybe they have a head who has advised how to provide work, and this is it
Maybe they are following DfE guidelines regard not having to provide distance learning
Maybe you're really lucky to have work books at all (most don't)
Maybe your school would prefer you focused on your child's mental health
Maybe contact the head of your child's school and ask why the teachers aren't even trying.

[Lynda07]

Andorra155 Fri 15-May-20 20:39:58
My sister is a nursery worker. She has been working throughout the lock down for key workers children. She didn't get a choice. She doesn't have children herself whereas many other member of staff do, so she was one of the 9 kept on whilst the rest were put on furlough. She has between 14 and 16 toddlers in her class each day. She earns a pittance and works long days so her salary is anywhere near a decent amount. She is my hero.
.......
Andorra, she is certainly a hero.

Out of the schools kept open, I believe pre-schools, nurseries and year ones classes should not have been and staff should have been paid anyway. There's no way that such small children will keep rules about 'social distancing', they are not much more than babies. It was not fair on the staff to keep them open though I do realise it is difficult for parents who are key workers. I don't know what the answer is.

That's the problem, nobody knows what the answer is!

[PrivateD00r]

pfrench, I am very much is support of teachers. However lets not pretend any of those reasons you have given make it ok that the pp has had zero support or contact from school. EVERYONE is struggling with juggling work and children, everyone is making an effort to make it work. If off sick, then obviously another staff member should be making contact. It is completely unacceptable, I really cannot think of any reasonable defence.

[PrivateD00r]

Andorra, I completely agree. Nursery workers just seem to get on with it without complaint, I have often noticed that. I am sure the families really appreciate everything your sister is doing for their dc.

[PrivateD00r]

Frankly, if it was safe they wouldn't need to be heroes. That headline implies its unsafe to go back and they are taking a risk

Well said op!

[OhTheRoses]

Does anyone know the infection rates amongst school staff who have continued to go in to teach keyworkers' children? That must be the benchmark surely.

So relieved the supermarket staff have carried on. And they do so without whingeing. My cleaner was delighted to be back today too.

[BlessYourCottonSocks]

Does anyone know the infection rates amongst school staff who have continued to go in to teach keyworkers' children? That must be the benchmark surely.

So relieved the supermarket staff have carried on. And they do so without whingeing. My cleaner was delighted to be back today too.

Of course it's not the benchmark. We've had 4 kids in our school in total - none of whom had signs of Covid19. That would possibly be because their parents were wearing full PPE at work. I think when you send the full 700 or so back that there might be a slight difference.

Glad you can afford a cleaner though in these tough times...(Full disclaimer - I'm a whingeing teacher who can't afford to pay someone else low wages to scrub my toilet)

[45redballoon]

Every time I think I couldnt hate the daily mail any more they bring it out of the bag like this... incredible.

[OverTheRainbowLiesOz]

Horrible headline from a nasty twisted newspaper.

All workers including teachers should have the appropriate safety at work.

[MrsP2015]

I really feel for all school staff and private nursery staff.

So much thought and discussion seems to be about the kids and parents needing to work etc and all the time the teachers are forgotten

I have the option to send mine back but I won't. I totally get some children- even when they aren't keyworker children need to be back at school for various reasons.
I personally don't see the point in putting my child back into an environment that will risk her and her carers. If everyone who could keep kids at home did it would take a lot of pressure off out teachers

[pontypridd]

I went to Homebase today. None of the staff there had PPE and they were serving crowds of people coming in and out all day.

Why are teachers doing anything different to that?

[PickUpAPickUpAPenguin]

Did the workers at Homebase have to wipe someone's nose, hug customers because they needed support or hold their hand while they walked down the aisles? Were they not working in a shop with high ceilings, limited people per square metre and had shields at the till?

[CrocodileFrock]

I went to Homebase today. None of the staff there had PPE and they were serving crowds of people coming in and out all day.

And all done with social distancing in place...

www.homebase.co.uk/c/store-updates

[Keepdistance]

Homebase is usually ahuge building. Where servicing customers for a few minutes.
Not a room smaller than 1 aisle...
With 16 people in it.
Length of exposure and distance, how small the room is air flow all make a difference.
Would Homebase staff expect a customer to sneeze on them, try to hold their hand, have a bottom wiped, vomit next to them?? Cough without covering it. Pick their nose and eat it or wipe it on something??
Kids sometimes are quite ill but only seem slightly off. Then suddenly deteriorate.
One of my dc has v at school as have at least 5 other kids. A dr at xmas had her dc at the xmas show who told me they had v that evening. Parents will not keep kids off.

Abyway imo everyone should be wearing masks anyway.

[Haenow]

The unions didn’t seem to have much to say about SEN schools which have mostly remained open even during the peak in London. If you think small children cannot socially distance, it’s magnified when it’s a small child with complex SEND. While class sizes may have been smaller than usual in these schools, life has continued.

[mac12]

One of New Zealand’s biggest clusters is centred On a secondary school.
www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/covid-19-novel-coronavirus/covid-19-current-situation/covid-19-current-cases/covid-19-significant-clusters
With the limited community testing & tracing in the U.K., we wouldn’t even be able to identify emerging clusters. We are so not ready to open schools.

[SallyLovesCheese]

I don't want to be a hero. I just want the people who make the decisions to be 100% certain that opening schools further is not going to be regretted with a rise in deaths and serious illness from this virus. At the moment, there is so much contradictory science and mind-changing. It's overwhelming.

[echt]

No contact from the school at all

So what have you done about it?

[Jenasaurus]

ontheroses

This is the link to the number of teachers and other staff in education that have sadly died from COVID

schoolsweek.co.uk/ons-figures-reveal-65-covid-related-deaths-in-education/

[redcarbluecar]

Can’t stand the word heroes as it’s being used at the moment. It implies a willingness to take whatever risk in the name of some nebulous greater good, but funnily only seems to apply to people in certain professions who don’t really have much choice about when and whether to work. The Daily Mail’s insidious headline vindicates my dislike of the word, so I do thank them for that.

[WindFlower92]

Why is no one mentioning viral load? Lots of young, fit and healthy doctors and nurses have died because of being in contact with lots of infected patients, surely teachers will have the same problem? So it doesn't matter how healthy you are, being in contact with at least 15 kids a day in an enclosed room (with lots of talking and possibly shouting) is going to increase viral load massively? This is what I'm really worried about as people seem to forget about this.