Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Covid

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Asking too much of teachers?

889 replies

DomDoesWotHeWants · 11/07/2020 10:29

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.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
Appuskidu · 13/07/2020 12:07

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

I haven’t seen one post from any teacher saying this, let alone multiple.

GhostTypeEevee · 13/07/2020 12:08

As a parent of a secondary school pupil who is desperate to get back I do think it is a worry but I have accepted that my son is still at a 'safe' age and that although his year is his bubble in reality the lessons he has will typically be with the samei-ish students.

Obviously teachers are older so the risk to them increases and they will be in close contact with 100's of different pupils. As well as the additional issues I have seen in regards to a lack of toilet breaks and lunch.

Are people just being purposely obtuse when it comes to teachers worries?

CallmeAngelina · 13/07/2020 12:09

but my kids are young and I think they would struggle to understand teachers in masks.
Then it's your job as a parent to get them to understand it. Take them to shops and on the bus. They're going to have to get used to it.

peasaregood · 13/07/2020 12:09

*Not sure why the govt doesn't just ask all working parents to come into school for an hour or two after their day at work to clean the toilets, classrooms, equipment, kitchens, dining hall etc for the next day8
I should imagine they're cleaning their own workplaces like the vast majority of the working population are

Hercwasonaroll · 13/07/2020 12:11

I won't resign over unfounded fears. I'll resign once I've gone back and done the first term because WE CANT LEAVE UNTIL CHRISTMAS!

I'll resign when I see the shitbox of a timetable our SLT has hammed together which benefits no ones learning and won't keep us any safer.

I'll resign because I'm fed up with comments from people about how easy my jobs is.

I'll resign because I barely see my own kids during term time.

I'll resign because I can take a 10k pay cut to sit in an office with no responsibility, walk out at 4 and be done for the day.

Sinuhe · 13/07/2020 12:13

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.

The same as the majority of the working population. The risk is relatively low. High risk is for people with underlining health conditions and people above 55years of age. (I know most of NM teachers fall into one of the other category.)

Meanwhile in the real world, people have started to get back to their lives. We are learning to live with covid-19.

Thank goodness that includes my DC teachers who are happy to help and DD primary will continue with home schooling support throughout summer! They will be welcoming all children for learning (not just child care!!) back in September the same as I am going back to my office in September.

Mumtumwobble · 13/07/2020 12:13

I don’t think anyone is saying we won’t work. I’m certainly not and neither is my dh who a primary deputy head. I actually want to get back in the classroom in September, but it needs to be as safe as possible for all involved. That’s all.

MarshaBradyo · 13/07/2020 12:13

I'll resign because I can take a 10k pay cut to sit in an office with no responsibility, walk out at 4 and be done for the day.

Do you know what type of job you’ll go for?

Hercwasonaroll · 13/07/2020 12:16

No idea Marsha! I'll probably tutor on the side of whatever I do. Possibly work in a supermarket.

canigooutyet · 13/07/2020 12:16

And fast track from dole to classroom 🤣 that’s funny as fuck. It was the first time on this site I had that coffee screen moment. Nearly choked on it 🤣

Might work at primary level (I am not dismissing your job) but secondary 🤣 🤣 damn wasn’t their already a shortage in certain subjects?

Can see the queue growing to work in a school.

A part of thinking about becoming a teacher, ta, mdm etc? Spend a week on MN engaging with any Ed related thread

Now you’ve seen you are fucked from both sides do you still want to work in education 🤣

CallmeAngelina · 13/07/2020 12:16

Meanwhile in the real world

Which "real world" is this? Are you suggesting that teachers live somewhere else? Most of us have been working all along, on the school premises and from home, "the same as the majority of the working population." Apart from those on furlough, who seem to have escaped the vitriol and blame that school staff have attracted from people who know nothing about the actualities of the situation.

HipTightOnions · 13/07/2020 12:17

High risk is for people with underlining health conditions and people above 55years of age.

So what about those of us who fall into either or both categories (there are lots of us) who will STILL have be in crowded unventilated rooms for 5-6 hours a day?

walksen · 13/07/2020 12:18

Pretty sure that if I went on the feminism board and said they should stop moaning about female only spaces because

The risk of getting attacked is very low
Risk is part of life so stop being irrational
I should stop being negative
Stop moaning and come up with solutions

I'd be told where to go pretty sharpish.

CallmeAngelina · 13/07/2020 12:18

I should imagine they're cleaning their own workplaces like the vast majority of the working population are

Would that include cleaning toilets used by hundreds of children who pee all over the seat and floor?

noblegiraffe · 13/07/2020 12:19

Meanwhile in the real world, people have started to get back to their lives

Meanwhile in the real world people are going back to work in workplaces that have to follow guidelines that won’t apply in schools.

Fuck off with pontificating about the real world.

canigooutyet · 13/07/2020 12:20

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

Really? There was a thread yesterday or the day before. Office workers oh no I cannot go back. Let’s send school kids back first. I cannot because a,b and c.
There’s loads of similar ones and have been since March.

peasaregood · 13/07/2020 12:35

I should imagine they're cleaning their own workplaces like the vast majority of the working population are

Would that include cleaning toilets used by hundreds of children who pee all over the seat and floor

I would guess that depends on where they work.
In an accountancy office i would hazard a guess it would only be adults using the toilets.

In a nursery/ fast food restaurant/ zoo/ childrens' ward/ holiday park etc. etc. then I would say lots of children would use the toilets

HipTightOnions · 13/07/2020 12:38

Are accountants, chefs, zookeepers and doctors cleaning toilets now?

peasaregood · 13/07/2020 12:40

hiptightonions
Pretty much everybody is taking on cleaning in order to keep their workplace safe.

Frlrlrubert · 13/07/2020 12:40

We've just got the guidance from the school and I think they've done as much as they can really. We have:

Hand sanitiser at the entrance to every classroom, all pupils to clean hands on entry.

All desks facing forward, 'teacher zone' at the front (I'm in a lab so will be able to be 2m away, other colleagues not so lucky).

Pupils to move around school, teachers to stay in own room.

One way system around school

Staggered breaks 7+8/9,10,11 and different areas for year groups, splitting the cafe into two and a pop up cart for the third.

Straight to tutor room in the morning (early classroom opening in lieu of morning meetings) to stop them hanging about.

7+8 to leave 10 mins early to reduce home time congestion.

Roving cleaners through the day to keep on top of toilets and handrails.

Doors all propped open.

Pupils allowed to wear masks is they wish, to be stored in plastic bags and taken home if removed, not binned in school.

No comment on teachers and masks, but they've been allowed so far and I imagine this will continue.

Not got my actual timetable yet, but I feel like they've actually thought it through quite well so far.

Obviously some colleagues are more at risk and have less favourable classrooms, but I think we all have opening windows at least. Also not all schools are the same.

This is a 'requires improvement' academy (soon to join a MAT), and no, I have no idea where the money for hand san and cleaners is coming from!

CallmeAngelina · 13/07/2020 12:41

In a nursery/ fast food restaurant/ zoo/ childrens' ward/ holiday park etc. etc. then I would say lots of children would use the toilets
And such places have cleaning staff permanently on-site, who are timetabled to regularly clean the loos. I would be willing to bet that "management" are not taking on the task.
School cleaners visit once a day at the end of school.

noblegiraffe · 13/07/2020 12:41

My DH is working from home for the foreseeable so I expect he’ll be doing a bit of cleaning.

HipTightOnions · 13/07/2020 12:41

peasaregood

That’s not what I asked, or what you implied, though.

CallmeAngelina · 13/07/2020 12:43

@peasaregood

hiptightonions Pretty much everybody is taking on cleaning in order to keep their workplace safe.
As are teachers. I clean tables, computers, light switches, door handles, you name it. I will NOT clean toilets. So, fire me.
Cloudburstagain · 13/07/2020 12:44

I had a scan at the hospital this last week. Staff cleaned equipment as soon as I had my scan. The difference being - 2 staff in the room to one patient ( me) and they did not have another patient until had time to clean.

Slightly different in a school which is not a 2 staff to 1 ratio type of place and no gaps in between lessons.

Also at an outpatients unit all staff had plastic screens in reception areas, the Dr sat at the opposite side of the room - which was strange - and all staff wore visors and masks. This was a separate building just for this specialism and not for patients with Covid or respiratory. In fact I had to declare I had no known symptoms before I could attend.

Hospitals are quite rightly taking care of staff.

Can schools do this?

Swipe left for the next trending thread