Asking too much of teachers?

[DomDoesWotHeWants]

It's looking like masks are going to be a requirement in shops and possibly other indoor venues.

Yet teachers are expected to teach - for hours at a time - in confined, poorly ventilated spaces, with no social distancing. They have been told they do not need PPE. If I was still teaching there is no way I'd go into a room crowded with teenagers and not wear a mask at the moment.

Teachers should be allowed as much protection as possible not thrown under a corona bus because Johnson wants them for child care so their parents can go back to work.

I really can't understand why it's going to be compulsory in shops where meetings are fleeting but not in schools which are crowded and have people crammed in for hours.

Does the right of children to go back to school over rule the rights of of school staff (teaching and ancillary) to be as protected as possible?

This means they should be allowed to wear PPE, if they choose, and secondary children should be wearing masks as happens in some other countries. In some countries younger children also have to wear masks in school.

The safety of teachers has been ignored by Johnson and his chums in their urge to get people back to work and the cry of "back to normal" is taken up by those ignorant of the facts about the virus.

Teachers have been made out to be the bad guys almost from the beginning - as can be seen from many bile infested threads on here. They deserve better.

However like everyone else if a teacher does not want to go back to work they should leave rather than making it difficult for every one else. You can’t expect to still get paid for not going in work.

Have you actually read any of this thread?

You can’t expect to still get paid for not going in work

I don’t think I have ever seen a teacher (or any other member of the workforce) say that they expect to get paid for not going in to work.

I hope those writing to MP about working conditions for teachers are also writing about factories and farms. Where there actually have been outbreaks

Yes, but this thread is about teachers. (The clue’s in the title.)

@openplankitchen

I hope those writing to MP about working conditions for teachers are also writing about factories and farms. Where there actually have been outbreaks

Are you implying that there have been outbreaks in factories and farms but there haven’t been any in schools?

I’m a teacher although I’m not school based (outreach) and I’m very glad of that at the moment. I know if two primary schools where teachers have been told they’ll get one 20min break at lunch. Another is much worse and they’ve been told no break as they’ll need to cover all playtime’s and must eat lunch with bubble children and supervise afterwards. I don’t think any of it is workable but I don’t have the answer either.

playtimes I can’t allow autocorrect to lead to a pile on about teachers’ poor spelling.

Are you implying that there have been outbreaks in factories and farms but there haven’t been any in schools?

It certainly reads that way to me

@MarshaBradyo yes it is state. It’s a Catholic school in the NW of about 700 pupils age 11-16. I’ve no idea how it’s been funded, but I know we’ve got a shortfall though due to no school dinners being sold since March. Our SLT are on the whole fairly sensible and we have good union representation in school. They’re sensible too and SLT do take views onboard where they can. @Piggywaspushed exactly, it’s not perfect situation (what would be?), but they are trying to keep us all safe. I’m pleased I don’t work in some of the schools you’re all talking about. As those saying you can just replace teachers - good luck with that. I’m a head of department with a wealth of experience which is even more important in these uncertain times, particularly for those doing GCSEs. I’d like to see an NQT try and do my job. I don’t think you truly understand the intricacies of the job.

We've received information now about how ds secondary school will open in September which says that the guidance says masks are not to be worn by students. I do feel really sorry for the teachers

And can I just say that as an outreach teacher I will be wearing a mask; absolutely! It’s bizarre that secondary teachers will not. I have two teenage boys so I can well appreciate their poor social distancing practices.

If you believe what's posted on mumsnet you'd think teachers think they have the scariest job in the country!

Global pandemic not scary claims idiot.

openplankitchen

Can you honestly say that you would be comfortable facing hundreds of different people without real SD or ventilation?

I don’t think I have the scariest job in the country by a long way. Not even close, but it does seem like most other professions are being given the opportunity to make their working environment as Covid-safe as possible whereas many teachers are just being told to ‘get on with it’ because it doesn’t really affect children. Teachers are obviously not children and their requests for PPE and concerns are largely being ignored and belittled. I’m in the fortunate position that my school have given us PPE and we can use it if we want to. The pupils are being told the same.

@openplankitchen

If you believe what's posted on mumsnet you'd think teachers think they have the scariest job in the country!

I think there's something seriously amiss with your comprehension skills.

There aren't post after post from parents anxious to send their senior age children back to school (just as much risk as teachers). There aren't multiple posts from any other sector saying they can't work. Many sectors have much higher spread of CV. No one else is refusing to work. Even most teachers!!

The ones frequently posting on here seem unaware of the very very low risk.

just as much risk as teachers

Nonsense.

There aren't multiple posts from any other sector saying they can't work

Teachers aren’t saying this either.

That is so patronising. Name a professional sector (medicine aside) where there is higher spread than schools (you won't be able to : school ahs the highest number of outbreaks last week)

And, yes , actually outside of MN, surveys show that parental confidence is very low. Why else would government be threatening fines? And even on MN there was an entire thread about parents worried about September.
It seems to be up to TEACHERS to point out that older students are nearly as much at risk as adult teachers. I don't think it is us that isn't aware of this.

Many teachers are over 50. How are they at equal risk from Covid as a teenager would be?

just as much risk as teachers

Well not in terms of age category, although I’m sure there are many vulnerable students who are concerned (and threads about not sending kids back).

And teachers are also more exposed than students due to crossing bubbles.

There aren't post after post from parents anxious to send their senior age children back to school (just as much risk as teachers). Woeful lack of understanding the issues here. Whilst they are just as much likely to spread it, they are less likely to suffer serious consequences. Surely that didn't need explaining again.

No one else is refusing to work.
Nor are teachers. Find me one post from any teacher on here who is "refusing" to work and expecting to remain in a paid post

I mean , for goodness sake, Hancock himself today said 100s of outbreaks are happening and not being reported in the media.

I'd suggest there are many reasons why he is happy about this.

Received the same thing Ghost and a link to gov site. La have also updated their site and includes a link to the guidelines.

I haven’t fully read the guidance and thanks to the poster who put it.

I used to work mainly in SN schools. I feel for my ex colleagues after reading them. Ppe then was a pair of gloves and a bottle of anti-bac spray and gel. We’d often run out.

One of the reasons I left was because of illness policy. It’s ok saying send them home when students are ill. We did no one came and management are wimps to enforce it.

We got anti bac as standard about 6 years ago when that stomach bug was going around. And then it was cos we all threatened to quit. It started in October/November iirc. In April staff were still having those back to work meeting because kids were still being sent in sick, and staff were pressured to get back in because well we were all ill.

Flu season was the same. Management made demands to get rid of any nhs who agreed that children should have been home and SS brought into it.

Those two situations and countless others and gloves etc quickly ran out. We’d have to explain to some slt why we had run out ffs. We were given a daily class quota. Lunchtime a daily quota and if you’d gone through a packet of wipes in two days instead of 3, you had to explain your damn self.

If you recognise this. Jump, you should have back then. The place really is soul destroying and all in the name of autonomy. make themselves look amazing and blame everyone for their fuck ups.

I think it should be up to individual teachers but my kids are young and I think they would struggle to understand teachers in masks. That said my hairdresser is wearing a visor thing and thinks it’s comfy and ok to wear all day. Could see her clearly under it too. It can also be easily cleaned and reused. Perhaps a better idea.

The government is threatening fines to ensure the children at risk of no education don't miss out. Same as they always have done.

Schools will make adaptions as possible like all workplaces.

Of course some people will catch covid. It's a virus. Look up actual risks though. Try not to let health anxiety take over. Speak with teachers and others currently working as normal. When most of you seem to enjoy your jobs it would be a shame to have to resign because of unfounded fears. I'm sure some will. But the majority won't.