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.

our site agents deal with 'fluids' and are never happy about it (they like to take pictures first for us all). But there is NO way they will suddenly become routine cleaners when they have other things to do.

The point is where does it end? What else shall we add to a teacher's workload? Manning reception? General repairs? All the admin? Librarian?

I think people are spectacularly missing the point that this kind of cost saving is losing other people their jobs.

And it's "death by a thousand cuts" isn't it?
"Can you just" clean the tables?"
"Can you just" do the loos?
"Can you just" work through your Easter holidays?
"Can you just....." fill in the gap.

The Unions are there to prevent workers (whatever their profession or line of work) from being exploited. And we need them now as much as ever.

Shame there's the odd poster on here with no fucking clue how schools work generally brings bloody unpleasant and then trying to turn it round on others.

@CallmeAngelina doesn't your contract include some job description of sort? Does it include cleaning duties? If it doesn't they can't change the terms of your contract unilaterally

I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that I've no idea what my contract says! Been there too long, probably.
But it's kind of a moot point for me anyway, as there is no way that my HT would ask or expect us to do any of this. She'd come round and do it herself before asking us to.

It has a rider that says 'any other reasonable request under the direction of your headteacher' or some such.

This is often a sticking point when unions attempt to support staff as there is no legal definition of 'reasonable'.

I think those suggesting parents could pop in to clean the toilets and mop the floors all day for free to help out don’t live in the modern world of insurance policies, legal liability, health &safety legislation, contract law and safeguarding obligations, or they wouldn’t think it’s quite that easy. Or are they genuinely thinking of going in for interviews, making specific commitments to work particular hours, receive training, provide references, get dbs checks, receive guarantees that they are covered by the school’s insurance policies if they do anything careless with their cleaning equipment and anyone gets hurt, etc,etc, all without any salary being paid to them?

Ah yes, "receive training."
All sorts of H&S rules that teachers aren't trained in either. I didn't know that bleach wasn't allowed in schools, for a start, back in March when I was busy blitzing my classroom.

@Piggywaspushed is being asked to clean toilets reasonable if not part of your regular role? I would say no!

As others have said. No male dominated industry will be asked to do this.

I think teachers are amazing. Yes some on here have no comprehension of risk. No I don't think they should teach in masks. It's not possible

But when they're back in September I want them to be doing what they're great at doing. Not cleaning toilets

Yes some on here have no comprehension of risk.
Which posters are you referring to?

@Walkaround i think it was on this thread anyway. I was one who suggested parents as a piss take in reference to threads before CV. Disgruntled parents who had volunteered and the ungrateful school had turned them down; when parents aren't allowed in staff rooms; alone with pupils etc. 🤣

Who knows you may have had the added delight of meeting them in person!

I really cannot cope with this tosh anymore. The Welsh Gov have just announced entire groups can now mix with ZERO social distancing.

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-53395205?intlink_from_url=www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/clm1wxp53npt/wales-education&link_location=live-reporting-story" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-53395205?intlink_from_url=www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/clm1wxp53npt/wales-education&link_location=live-reporting-story

They've suggested adjusting start and finishing times and staggering breaks- how many hours do they expect teachers to be teaching a day? 10?

@openplankitchen

I think teachers are amazing. Yes some on here have no comprehension of risk. No I don't think they should teach in masks. It's not possible

But when they're back in September I want them to be doing what they're great at doing. Not cleaning toilets

This. ⬆

And I don't care if cleaning the toilet is interpreted as putting the brush down the loo, or cleaning up the straight after pupils. I want them, and all school staff, to do the job they are paid for.

And as much as some would love to instill a toilet policy that only allows these during break times. Realistically it cannot happen. And aren't toilet areas supposed to be cleaned after every use?

Cannot give the mythical cloth and spray to the pupil to do it. Cannot leave the class to do it. Leave wipes in the toilet for them to clean up. They will be either made wet and chucked at the ceiling, just like they do with tissue. Or they will try and flush.

It's stuff like this why you hear them saying at home but the school toilet is locked and you have to get the key: or they are all open planned etc.

Yep, year group bubbles. Just been in today to see how they are working.

It depends on the individual school probably, but we are staggering our starts each day, but only by 10 minutes. per gate. So the year group that begins first, then leaves first, so it's the same amount of time on-site. That is primary, however, with the same teacher all day. Not sure how it would work for secondary.

And aren't toilet areas supposed to be cleaned after every use?
Nah, that's only if you host a BBQ in your home.
School loos are fine for hundreds to use.

My secondary is staggering leaving and arriving times by 15 minutes. And they all use specific areas to arrive

Are staff starting/finishing times also being staggered?

@CallmeAngelina

And aren't toilet areas supposed to be cleaned after every use? Nah, that's only if you host a BBQ in your home. School loos are fine for hundreds to use.

Thought they weren't allowed in your house, just your garden?

I don't know anymore. I am aware that I am ranting here but I cannot understand how in every other area of social interaction there is the expectation of social distancing and yet the welsh gov have decided that schools need none. There is some expectation of face covering on transport, shops and and out and about and yet none in schools here.

So a secondary pupil can wear a mask on a bus, then freely mix with 300+ students in their year group with zero social distancing.

It's the zero social distancing that is worrying me. Teachers are people, too.
The Autumn term is hard enough and by half term a lot of teachers fall ill as is.
Some teachers are vulnerable, may be living with vulnerable children and elderly parents, or partners in NHS for example.

And yes children thankfully do not get the potency of the virus but a 12 year old is different to a 17-18 year old.

This is negligence.

Thought they weren't allowed in your house, just your garden?
Well, that was the flaw in the plan. In theory, yes, but then Boris said that if a guest really needed the loo, they could enter the house to use it, but it had to be completely sanitised after each use.

LittleMissRe, We hear you! It's disgraceful.

@CallmeAngelina
Ah I see. Still lots of contradictions within their own policies 🤣I shouldn't laugh, but you'd think someone at top would have cottoned on by now.