I'm a teacher and I'm scared.

[NebularNerd]

I don't feel safe going back to work in September. When I became a teacher I did not anticipate doing so during a pandemic. I, like many others in secondary schools, will be facing up to 150 students a day, indoors, with no protection.
I am over 40 but not otherwise in a high risk category, although my husband is and we have elderly parents who will be exposed if I'm infected, as well as young children who will also be in school and potentially exposed.
I'm not disputing the need for children to return to school at all. I'm just starting to fear returning.
Anyone else feel this way?

@SaltyAndFresh That was in response to the poster who said teachers moan about screen time. I was agreeing with what you said, I should have made that more clear.

But fast forward 5 months.

We are ok.
the NHS is not even close to full capacity/normal service again
We have adapted.
yes by drastically reducing the number of patients seen and conducting phone consultations
We are stronger.
see above
We are essential.
yes you are and amazing
We feel our worth.
the whole country appreciates you
We make a difference and others know it.
Absolutely
We are proud to go to work.
*as are teachers, we want PPE and we want pupils over the age of 11 in PPE. Of course there is a risk going back, we accept that. But why do teachers get fewer protections^

@TurnUpTheHeat

Have you ignored all the posts from teachers who know what it’s like within a class?

I can NOT physically be 1m away from pupils. It’s isn’t logistically possible in a small classroom.

I can NOT open my windows.

I can NOT wear a mask. It’s against guidance.

FFS - read!

Can't stay 2m away - classrooms too small and also difficult to teach without seeing what they are doing.
No masks.
Windows don't open (safety).

That's actually what we are asking for!!! Distance, masks, ventilation.....

Secondary school teachers won't even be within two metres of the children in their classes. They will be several metres from the back row; probably two to three metres feom the front row. Marks on; windows open.

MY WINDOWS DON'T OPEN.

MY ROOM IS SO SMALL (THANKS MR GOVE) THAT I CANNOT PHYSICALLY BE 1M AWAY FROM THE FRONT ROW.

I just don't understand what there is to be scared of.

Your lack of intelligence and reading comprehension scares me.

Secondary school teachers won't even be within two metres of the children in their classes. They will be several metres from the back row; probably two to three metres feom the front row. Marks on; windows open

Windows are tiny and open a tiny crack.

I’d have to be stood in the corridor shouting at the kids to get close to being 2 metres away.

A mask protects the kids from you but not you from the kids.

I find it strange that teachers have complained incessantly for the last decade that children spend too much time on screens and it affects performance

I find this strange, too, because it's a desperate bunch of bollocks?

I'm done. I'm repeating the same old things to what I suspect are teacher baiting posters and I'm tired of it.

Sorry @Sunrise234

Secondary school teachers won't even be within two metres of the children in their classes. They will be several metres from the back row; probably two to three metres feom the front row. Marks on; windows open.

There are many secondary teachers on this thread who have explained this isn't the case.

1. There isn't the space in many classrooms to be 1m from students, let alone 2m+

2. Many teachers aren't allowed to wear masks, since the guidance specifically says it's not required

3. Many rooms have windows that open just a few cms, others will have windows that don't open at all.

Why do you continue to post lies?

@TurnUpTheHeat

On the basis that teachers feel it's unsafe to teach may I respectfully ask if the same teachers think;

Nurses shouldn't nurse?
Supermarkets shouldn't be open?
Buses and trains should cease?
Courts should stop and criminals run riot?
Prisons should be opened so staff no longer have to work there?

Who is going to pay for it all, and who precisely do you think will pay your wages? If teachers, like anyone else who choses not to work and fulfil the terms of their contracts, they should not be paid. If the country goes bankrupt, how will benefits be paid?

I'll bet my last pound the independent schools will open. Actually perhaps they should and if all is well that will stuff the union negotiators once and for all!

Nurses wear ppe.

Supermarkets have limited numbers. Sd and mandatory face masks for visitors.

Transport have mandatory face masks and workers can wear ppe. Taxi drivers etc are expected to.

The criminals aren't even comparable.

Teachers have no PPe. It's not allowed. No SD. Numbers aren't limited and 30+ people will be sharing non or poorly ventilated rooms for 6 hours a day and there is no plan to monitor school children or staff for the virus and attempt to track and understand how it runs in schools.

So teachers feel unsafe because they don't have the same safe work guidance. They are told they cannot use their own PPE.

And the government and media narrative has spun it so any teacher concerned about it becoming the 66th members of education staff to die doesnt care about the children.

Secondary school teachers won't even be within two metres of the children in their classes. They will be several metres from the back row; probably two to three metres feom the front row. Marks on; windows open.

You really haven't got a clue.

@TurnUpTheHeat

Secondary school teachers won't even be within two metres of the children in their classes. They will be several metres from the back row; probably two to three metres feom the front row. Marks on; windows open.

Nurses are within inches of various orifi, that belong to those who are undoubtedly ill, with or without covid.

Passing youngsters in corridors will be momentary to the infinitesimal numbers who may have covid.

The risks of covid are minimal. The Zoe app presently estimates 1600 cases per day in the UK. 1600/66000000 x 100 = 0.0024%.

I just don't understand what there is to be scared of.

Unfortunately, you are misinformed.

Most classrooms are far too small for teachers to be any more than a metre away from students in the front row - I will be 75cm from mine, for example, to be able to get everyone into the room.

No masks for anyone - Government says no (it is a risk mitigation measure we would be VERY happy to see introduced).

Many classrooms don't have windows that open ... and in many cases, mine included, the windows direct the air straight towards the teacher, which the detailed studies of air flow in early Covid outbreaks indicates is likely to cause a problem.

While secondary teachers may only tend to be within reach of students' mouths and noses (though that doesn't reduce the issue of coughs and spitting, deliberate or accidental), primary school staff are routinely involved in toileting or first aid.

The ONS large scale survey, swabbing large numbers of people at random outside hospitals and care homes, shows between 1 in 1,4500 and 1 in 1,900 people are infected, many asymptomatically.

@Michaelschofield

Why Not - no not a conspiracy theorist, just someone who has chosen not to live in fear and believe what the government or media tell me . How anyone has any faith in what they have to say anymore is beyond me. We were told a few months ago by Fauci, masks do not protect . Why do people think masks are so wonderful and protective? Because the media told you? this virus has a 99% survival rate. Why are the majority of you so scared? children do not need their childhood ruined any further . They need to go back to normal and they need the grown ups around them to stop living in fear for a start.

I'm sure all the children who lost parents to Covid will be really pleased to hear you say this.

@SaltyAndFresh no worries. I forgot to tag the other poster so it did read like I was having a dig at you.

Then resign and do something else that you deem to be safe. You don't have to work as a teacher.

Trolls out in force tonight I see.

Next resignation date is half term. Expect an exodus....

Nobody thought they would be working in a pandemic !!!!
People have to go to work , why should teachers be any different ? Supermarket workers have hundreds of people entering their stores , touching things with no PPE , just to mention one job .

Children have to go to school .

@Parky04

Then resign and do something else that you deem to be safe. You don't have to work as a teacher.

I do wish people with nothing interesting to say would just scroll on by. What a pointless, soulless response!

Some people bury their head in the sand regarding the virus - that’s fine, whatever keeps you sane and less afraid. You can even tell yourself that the government lied/exaggerated.
But it needs to stay in your head.
Spreading fake news or trying to get people to dismiss the facts is not helping anyone. And it doesn’t come up with any solutions to the problems if you just stick your fingers in your ears and close your eyes.

Troll troll troll troll, troll troll troll troll

Troll

Troll

Troll

@Worriedmum999

My children go to a private school - 15 or less in each class. One of my children needs to go back to school for their mental health but do you know what....I shall feel absolutely shitty taking them in September as things stand now and shall remove my children at the first sign of teachers dropping like flies as I don’t want to be party to this. All of their teachers are amazing and so committed. I don’t want them to risk their lives to teach my child. I’d rather have even smaller groups in part time with some online learning, half days so they don’t have to faff around with a socially distanced lunchtime, everyone in masks...whatever it takes so that no teacher feels anxiety going into work. Everyone else is given a COVID safe workplace (and has channels to complain if they don’t). Teachers should not be expected to do this and, as a society we should do the right thing and make a stand about this even if it causes a bit of extra hardship to us.

The government has made many shitty decisions and this is another one. It will end is disaster for us all.

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Wanna be Pm

@Charliescar

Nobody thought they would be working in a pandemic !!!! People have to go to work , why should teachers be any different ? Supermarket workers have hundreds of people entering their stores , touching things with no PPE , just to mention one job .

Children have to go to school .

I don't understand why you want this for your children and your families. Schools will just shut sooner with more disruption!

So frustrating how people don't get this.

I'm speaking as a parent.

@Parky04 Do you understand teacher resignation dates and notice periods?