Sorry depressing thread. Are the Government deliberately drip feeding us on schools? So sick of it.

[purplerain2020]

I think I read somewhere that there is a schools review on 11th August. A while ago we were promised summers schools, not that I believed but they never happened. They promised laptops for those that needed it, only a few get it.

We've been promised that schools will fully open in September. I believe they will open and they won't back down on this. But, I think they are fully aware that within a few weeks, schools will be closing left right and centre and working Mums are going to be scrabbling around looking for someone to look after their children while they work and praying for the goodwill of their employers. The Government will have done what they promised, got everyone back in September, after all, they didn't say how long it would be for did they? Surely they must be getting advise by the Scientists of what is likely to happen with the procedures or lack of them for schools in September?

I keep hearing Mumsnet poster say but how can we work? How can we pay our bills? How will we keep a roof over our heads if the schools don't open full time? I am beginning to realise that it may well be the case that indeed, we won't be able to work and we won't be able to pay our bills and there is nothing we can do about it. It will be down to us to step up and educate our children when schools are shut because the government has been underfunding our schools for years. I work part-time from home, 25 hours a week, even that is looking rocky at the moment. DH's job is ok but I feel like he is hanging on by the skin of his teeth. So sick of our lives being turned upside down.

I'm in my early 40s, I was a child in the 80's and my family was hit hard by the recession. I've got a sick feeling in my stomach that the future is going to repeat itself.

I hope schools stay open. If they go part time then I hope they drop arts etc and just concentrate on core subjects.

I'm.a sahm and I was going to do my pgce next Sept and get work experience this year. I'm not sure I'm going to able to get work experience now and I certainly dont want to start a course without being sure I have solid childcare options.

Not sure what will happen but my expectations are firmly on the floor. One thing I am considering more seriously is private education for my reception child at some point if this goes on for years. I also might be tutoring my A level son in biology. The other subjects I just cant home teach.

If we going to be home schooling then I'm not going to do anything more than reading, writing, maths and science. Its impossible

The government have done a shit job and it’s really sad. All these cases rising and people saying things are getting bad. Well no not where I live and in my hospital we are doing excellent with COVID-19. I don’t even think they should publish cases of Covid-19 unless you have needed a hospital admission. It’s worrying people and when kids go back to school of courses numbers will rise because more people are mixing together!!! But that still doesn’t mean much unless somebody is severely poorly. Lots of people have had the COVID-19 and didn’t or don’t now about it. They also lived life just fine as the symptoms weren’t that severe.

I am saying teachers have a choice they have a choice to resign if they don’t want to teach under the current conditions. Yes I’m saying teachers should not be paid if they CHOOSE to resign why should they?

I am really confused. Who is suggesting that teachers should still be paid if they resign?

If they don’t know the plan fair enough however I already had an email from my school weeks ago saying schools WILL fully reopen. The government should be honest at least!

Yes, you will have had an email from school saying it will fully re-open, because that is what the government told heads to say. They had no choice.

The government saying one thing with regard to schools, then changing their mind five minutes later is an entirely usual state for affairs. Normally it only affects people who work in schools though. If it pisses you off, please contact your MP and let them know.

[quote Bananabread8]@FrippEnos I do but I don’t agree with how teachers feel so entitled they have a choice like the many others that are also at risk.[/quote]
Teachers are not being allowed a choice.

PPE, not allowed it
Social distancing, not allowed it.
Rotas, not allowed it
Blended learning, not allowed it.
Extra buildings, not allowed it
Extra funding, not allowed it.

You may need to re think your stance just a little, as teachers are being forced to work in an unsafe situation where ultimately we will be the ones that are blamed.

@DateLoaf Hear hear! Not everyone whose partner cannot (not will not) shoulder the childcare burden is a disgrace to modern women. It all comes down to circumstance.

DP is self employed in a job that cannot be done from home. I am a a teacher. We are 50/50 earners. Arguably my job is more crucial right now and so he should stay at home in the event of grandparent childcare being disallowed/nursery closing. However in that instance we don’t pay our mortgage. If I stay at home my school are down a very experienced teacher and - importantly at the moment - safeguarding lead.

When this situation occurred we went for option C and broke the ‘rules’ to allow our usual grandparent childcare to resume. That decision was based on survival though. Principles don’t come into it unless you can afford them.

I am saying teachers have a choice they have a choice to resign if they don’t want to teach under the current conditions

TEACHERS CANNOT RESIGN TO GET OUT OF TEACHING UNDER THE CURRENT CONDITIONS

God, how many times does this need to be said? Teachers who resign now get to leave at Christmas. That’s an awful lot of teaching under the current conditions that they can’t get out of.

[quote Bananabread8]@FrippEnos I do but I don’t agree with how teachers feel so entitled they have a choice like the many others that are also at risk.[/quote]
entitled to what?

@mosquitofeast so what are you expecting? Because schools cannot run like the hubs did can they? They are not enough staff to maintain bubbles for a start. So if teachers are not happy they would have to resign? Or get on with it like the rest of us.

@Bananabread8 please can you explain how I and other teachers are feeling ‘entitled’?

Is it we feel we are as ‘entitled’ as every other job that has guidance to stay as Covid-safe as possible?

Is it that we feel we are ‘entitled’ to try and make school reopening work as safely as possible for our communities?

Legoandloldolls
I hope schools stay open. If they go part time then I hope they drop arts etc and just concentrate on core subjects.

What will all the other subject teachers be doing?

Because frankly I would love to be furloughed.

What I'm finding frustrating in this is the lack of nuanced debate in the MSM and their inability to distinguish between primary and secondary. As seen on Jeremy Vine's TV show yesterday. The debate is really superficial on TV and Radio and centres around the children not being spreaders (debateable, especially older children) and not getting the virus badly. There's no thought to vulnerable children, parents, teachers or the wider community. There's no debate about realistic plans which will keep schools open longer such as blended learning for secondary as it seen to be great they are back come hell or high water. Teachers are quite rightly tearing their hair out because no one is listening, bit like the care homes were back in February and March. With the evidence that the virus is airborne and transmitted in enclosed overcrowded areas, why aren't the press questioning this more like we are?

[quote Bananabread8]@mosquitofeast so what are you expecting? Because schools cannot run like the hubs did can they? They are not enough staff to maintain bubbles for a start. So if teachers are not happy they would have to resign? Or get on with it like the rest of us. [/quote]
I still don't understand what you are saying.

Nobody HAS to be a teacher.

Thousands have resigned, which is a bit of an issue for the country, as we were desperately short of teachers to start with. But they are entitled to resign if they want to. I am thinking of resigning

What are you saying?

[quote Bananabread8]@mosquitofeast so what are you expecting? Because schools cannot run like the hubs did can they? They are not enough staff to maintain bubbles for a start. So if teachers are not happy they would have to resign? Or get on with it like the rest of us. [/quote]
What job do you do @Bananabread8? Is it one where you’ve gone back to a space poorly ventilated space with 30 other households with no mitigation?

mosquitofeast

Can I also bring in the amount of fantastic TAs and LAMs etc. that have resigned as well?

Posters should also be thinking about how many pupils will be going without their support.

@FrippEnos what can we do though? It’s not great is it. But honestly NO vaccine is going to be produced anytime soon. The testing for COVID-19 is very unreliable at the moment. Maybe we all just need to learn to live with this?

If I thought I could get out of the shitshow that teaching in September will be, I would hand my notice in today. But I can’t resign till Christmas.

So I would prefer it if people could STOP FUCKING SAYING IT’S AN OPTION.

@Teatotally

What I'm finding frustrating in this is the lack of nuanced debate in the MSM and their inability to distinguish between primary and secondary. As seen on Jeremy Vine's TV show yesterday. The debate is really superficial on TV and Radio and centres around the children not being spreaders (debateable, especially older children) and not getting the virus badly. There's no thought to vulnerable children, parents, teachers or the wider community. There's no debate about realistic plans which will keep schools open longer such as blended learning for secondary as it seen to be great they are back come hell or high water. Teachers are quite rightly tearing their hair out because no one is listening, bit like the care homes were back in February and March. With the evidence that the virus is airborne and transmitted in enclosed overcrowded areas, why aren't the press questioning this more like we are?

THIS!!!

[quote MrsHerculePoirot]@Bananabread8 please can you explain how I and other teachers are feeling ‘entitled’?

Is it we feel we are as ‘entitled’ as every other job that has guidance to stay as Covid-safe as possible?

Is it that we feel we are ‘entitled’ to try and make school reopening work as safely as possible for our communities?[/quote]
It’s not possible to SD with a class full of kids . Where would the head of the school magic up teachers in order to SD. There would need to be bigger school buildings to make it work it’s just not possible other wise the Gov would have done it already. It boils down to money.

I'm so confused are there jobs where you get paid after you leave? Or is the PP suggesting that teachers who resign should work their notice period without pay?

Teachers don't get paid by the government just for being a teacher they have to be employed by a school. If they don't work they don't get paid. You know, like any other job.

Maybe the issue here is that some people seem to (still!) believe that the only work teachers do is standing in front of a class and speaking.

Teachers who don't like it do resign, I did (long before COVID) - it's one of the contributing factors to the major shortage of teachers in some parts of the country.

Maybe we all just need to learn to live with this?

The resignations and job losses are one way of "learning to live with this", having a lot of people die who don't need to be dying is another way to "learn to live with it". There is no nice way to live with it and I think there are hard compromises that many people won't like if we are not to have both of the above!

I'm a full time teacher and parent who is worried that I can't do my job and school my children and pay my bills, too, so I definitely have a dog in this fight, but I am going to need to roll with the punches here and think outside the box with my options too.

@noblegiraffe

If I thought I could get out of the shitshow that teaching in September will be, I would hand my notice in today. But I can’t resign till Christmas.

So I would prefer it if people could STOP FUCKING SAYING IT’S AN OPTION.

sending you sympathy.

I am thinking of resigning, but have not done so yet. I have various options in mind, including just explaining that I will no be serving my notice as I don't feel safe. I doubt I will need a reference as I doubt I will ever apply to teaching again, but if I do, I will just explain to future prospective employers why I didn't work my notice.

it’s just not possible other wise the Gov would have done it already.

Oh mate, you are completely deluded about the competence of our dear government.

The government specifically told headteachers that they were not allowed to take any measures that would require additional space, like village halls.

Where it was possible, schools were told not to.

They have backtracked on that slightly to say that schools affiliated with a particular church can use church buildings.

@MrsHerculePoirot I have worked with Positive cases of Covid-19. Took phone calls of family members and read txts to people who are actually not going to pull through (as they could not visit their own parents to say goodbye). It was soul destroying. Teachers have a possibility of getting COVID-19 they are not looking after kids with POSITIVE test results big big difference. How can you be so sure that you have not had the COVID already??? Or has anxiety got the better of you and you are assuming that you would automatically end up on ICU?

@noblegiraffe

it’s just not possible other wise the Gov would have done it already.

Oh mate, you are completely deluded about the competence of our dear government.

The government specifically told headteachers that they were not allowed to take any measures that would require additional space, like village halls.

Where it was possible, schools were told not to.

They have backtracked on that slightly to say that schools affiliated with a particular church can use church buildings.

So who will fund the teachers to teach in the church?