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?

I am also afraid. Posters on other threads don’t seem to realise that the threat is being enclosed with 30 or more individuals for 6 hours a day. In secondary, it’s being enclosed with up to 200 different individuals, from up to 200 households per day. Schools have always been hotbeds of virus transmission. Why aren’t more people acknowledging this risk?
I’m a secondary school teacher, 52 and in good health, but genuinely afraid for myself and my family. My DH is a similar age and vulnerable.

I don't think I said that Its getting weird

I quoted you! You said exactly what the quote says. It doesn't change your wording!

I was asking you what your point was because you are determined schools are safe. So my question still stands. Based on the figures you quoted and the fact you think schools are safe because if this and need no distancing and masks etc. Do you all so think that there no risk anywhere in lances with identical set ups?

Places not lances!

Any teacher this is so worried they can't work should resign and find another job. Simples.

The virus is here to stay potentially for decades, so rather than stress for decades, retrain and do something else that you can do from home. Given the state of the economy thousands and thousands of well qualified professionals will be looking for new careers - and teaching with state pensions, guaranteed income and half a year off will be very appealing!

Yes, @NebularNerd and @phlebasconsidered, exactly this! Teachers are not different from the general population and therefore need to be able to take the same precautions re social distancing and masks as anyone else! Schools are not lower risk workplaces than other environments (with the exception of Covid wards, of course), so we need to be treated the same, with the same risk management precautions. Common sense.

There are many thousands of jobs with MORE risk one should also add. Nurses, doctors, surgeons, police, social workers, prison staff to name a few!
None as far as I am aware have complained about their risk whatsoever or refused to work, despite their risk being far higher than teaching for instance. This is not a good look for the teaching profession at all, and sadly makes all teachers look bad.

No teachers have refused to work. The government shut the schools. You repeating that lie makes you look bad.
HTH

I know teachers who have been out and about in pubs etc . They have told me they aren’t worried about catching covid from pubs etc . Some camping in shared loos etc.
I think the government should shut the pubs as that is very unsafe environment for Covid. I think schools can do much more to control the children rather than the drunk people wandering around pubs forgetting they are in a pandemic .

I am not sure why the government is saying no to PPE for schools .

Are we just to forget normal life now ?

Well give it another 12 months and the children affected will be unteachable due to the six month break and the teachers unions will be clamouring over that although it will be a 12 month break if they get their way.

Probably thousands of people in hospitality and retail would be glad to teach and take on the chin the infinitesimal risk rather than losing their homes, etc. And many more who will be made redundant in the next few months.

Something I'd respect the teachers for is a little enthusiasm. A little ownership of what has gone wrong and why our schools are full of young people who spit and swear. I would venture that it's partly due to the decline in societal standards. Standards that have been undermined by teachers and the liberal left. When I was governor of a large inner city comp in the equivalent of special measures the deputy head once said "well we can't tell them drugs are wrong because theor parents take them and it undermines the value of their families. That is the attitude that has caused the deterioration of society and that is one of the principle reasons why I have little trust in the role of teachers. It was no better when my dd attended a London state comp of previously excellent reputation.

But I'll do my flak jacket and listen to the inevitable found language and insult from the teachers on this thread. It is crystal clear that proper, informed debate is beyond you where adults are concerned. Probably because your authority in the classroom has stripped you of the ability to debate effectively rather than dictate and tell and brook no other opinion.

You also can't add, if you think school holidays add up to 26 weeks a year.
Bad teachers, eh?

I don’t think I said teachers were refusing to work ? Just that some I knew have been out and about , not worrying about Covid .

My post was in response to friendsoftheearth

The government clised the schools in March. The teachers refused to open them in June and now their unions don't want them open in September and neither do far too many of their members.

I hope no head teacher or lical authority ever again fines a family for going on holiday in term time.

Please - no teacher needs to demean themselves replying to Turnup, as they are obviously such a complete and utter tosser.

Do not feed the Daily Mail troll. Give them flowers.

@Positivevibesonlyplease

Yes, *@NebularNerd and @phlebasconsidered*, exactly this! Teachers are not different from the general population and therefore need to be able to take the same precautions re social distancing and masks as anyone else! Schools are not lower risk workplaces than other environments (with the exception of Covid wards, of course), so we need to be treated the same, with the same risk management precautions. Common sense.

Unfortunately I think common sense left the building quite a while ago.

As for the obvious UsForThem troll, try reading the thread rather than parroting the same old nonsense.

mis I assume the unions have the support of the majority of teachers no?
Or do you expect us to believe the unions are simply trying to stop schools from opening without the majority of teachers' approval? Then you should probably stop paying the unions to represent you, given they are not reflecting or acting on the general consensus, and are now working against your wishes.

"why our schools are full of young people who spit and swear. "

because of parents who have no respect for teachers, so their kids copy them

@Friendsoftheearth teachers are resigning. I expect there will be many teaching jobs posted around Christmas time after the October half term resignation date.

There is already a chronic teacher shortage despite the perceived benefits you quote of pension and time off (wish it was so easy to clock in and clock out as your half a year off comment suggests.)

It will be interesting to see how many of these new recruits will stick at it considering the 5 year retention rate was so poor even before this pandemic.

In response to other posters on this thread -
I suspect school staff will be scapegoats for the virus spreading in schools from September (perhaps we didn’t wash our hands enough.) They will also be blamed for any bubbles (I prefer the term tracking groups) or schools having to close due to outbreaks just as schools and the unions have been blamed for the government decision to close schools in March and to allow limited numbers back. Nice bit of spin from the government there to deflect the blame away from themselves.

Teachers have commented on this thread and described what it is like to teach in their classroom and the issues they are facing. If people won’t accept that then don’t but please don’t minimise their concerns or spread falsehoods about the job and dress them up as facts.

Teachers are not trying to keep schools closed. Teachers want schools to open. With better safety measures for school staff.

Why are some of you so against that idea?

"The virus is here to stay potentially for decades"

That's just scare-mongering
New treatements are being developed and we should have a vaccination program by late 2021

This is just a temporary situtation, so stop trying to scare people

What I do find amusing is the difference in the photos the BBC uses of lovely socially distanced classrooms with all of five children in compared to the pic posted earlier here of what will be the reality for many larger schools. I work in a fairly spacious school compared to most and there is no way it will be anything like those BBC pics.

@TurnUpTheHeat 🤦‍♀️ Your post is a prime example of spreading falsehoods about teaching. I went back to classroom teaching on June 1st as directed by my headteacher. My school implemented all the government guidance about opening to rec, yr 1 and 6 who were in full time and being educated. The unions had no clout to prevent further reopening then and they won’t in September either. 🌻

With respect @Friendsoftheearth, social workers aren’t forced to share a cramped enclosed space with 30+ individuals at any one time. Prisoners tend to be locked up, so can’t socialise outside prison officers’ work spaces (yes, I know that they will have visitors, who could bring in the virus, but I’m sure they will have temperature checks, masks etc. on entering the building.) Teenagers in my area have not been social distancing since March; they have been interacting as normal. In a few weeks, they will be back in school. The risk in schools is enormous and I don’t feel that enough people are acknowledging this. I have been very cautious with my behaviour and interactions since March. I will go to work and do my job as normal, but I am admitting that the risk my colleagues and I face, as well as that faced by the children and their families, is huge and needs to be recognised, not dismissed.