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?

“The teachers refused to open them in June”

Eh? Where did that happen? We opened in line with government advice in June, as did every other school in our local authority. It wasn’t a full reopening but the government didn’t advise anything close to a full reopening for secondary pupils.

@WhatTheFeckIsGoingOn agreed. It is also frustrating to see school reports with teachers wearing masks and visors when we have been denied these safety measures in my school due to the government guidance.

@WhatTheFeckIsGoingOn

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.

Our school didn't even look like that in June.

Are you also terrified of driving a car, being struck by lightening, falling down stairs to your death, drowning...? Must be exhausting

Then resign.

Don't waste any more time - go and look for another job.

You are not forced to work as a teacher, you choose to, you can get another job if you want to.

We need to open the schools no ifs and no buts, we need to get the children back on track as soon as possible before we have a lost generation. The children have suffered enough already.

If you feel you can't return, or don't want to teach any longer due to covid or other reason, then leave. We live in a free society, you can go and do something else no need to complain or feel sad.

@epythymy

Are you also terrified of driving a car, being struck by lightening, falling down stairs to your death, drowning...? Must be exhausting

Have 45,000 died over the past five months from those causes then?

@Friendsoftheearth

Then resign.

Don't waste any more time - go and look for another job.

You are not forced to work as a teacher, you choose to, you can get another job if you want to.

We need to open the schools no ifs and no buts, we need to get the children back on track as soon as possible before we have a lost generation. The children have suffered enough already.

If you feel you can't return, or don't want to teach any longer due to covid or other reason, then leave. We live in a free society, you can go and do something else no need to complain or feel sad.

Teachers can't leave until the Christmas holidays now.

Personally I think teaching unions should organise a mass resignation unless proper infection control measures are put in place, especially as so many people have your attitude. Wonder how you'd feel if majority of teachers followed your advice, all together? There's power in numbers. If every teacher threatened this government would u turn immediately.

@Friendsoftheearth

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!

So all those drs and nurses who had the same fears during the peak.

They should have resigned too?

Or they should have done what they did and use their unions and leaders etc to fight for the right protection to do their job safely?

Which is what teachers are doing?

@Friendsoftheearth

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.

You are wrong. Unions suggested nhs staff went on strike if they didn't get PPE. The nursing council also suggested the same.

Nhs staff carried on working whilst fighting for safer working conditions.

Teachers are doing the same.

I really feel for the teachers, it's scary.

I'm an AHP, when this all kicked off I was so scared, couldn't sleep, crying all the way to work, I felt like it was a death sentence. It has got easier for me so I hope you can get some measures put in place so you can feel safer.

@TurnUpTheHeat

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.

Nice deflection.

That doesn't answer the questions that have been asked of you.

But it's clear your a right winger and that's exactly what they do - so I guess you're also portraying your own political stereotype

And it's far from true school staff are liberal lefties.
Many school staff I know were are central/conservative.

School staff I know who voted Boris are devesatated he's failed them and schools so badly.

@TurnUpTheHeat

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.

Teachers don't decide if schools open or not

Teachers do as they are told! LA male the decision on opening and HT are involved.

Teachers worked form home and educators remotely - like many people worked from home and provided services remotely.

Why does everyone insist on other teachers?
The issue with the education system isn't teachers etc it's the fact that it's so disrespected that people don't fight for the right finding and better education for their children - which some from top government and not at teacher level.

Just. leave.

We will manage without you.

@hearhooves 45000 people haven't died OF Covid either though, really, have they?

@WhatTheFeckIsGoingOn

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.

And there’s not even 30 in that RHS photo!

@Friendsoftheearth

I'm in the NHS, some of our staff did refuse to work, in fact some still aren't back, lots are on restricted duty. The fear was palpable in our teams.

its stop playing games. The unions are trying to stop the schools opening not the local authority.
The unions are paid by teachers to represent them, if the unions are misrepresenting your wishes, I respectfully suggest you stop paying them!

@Friendsoftheearth

Then resign.

Don't waste any more time - go and look for another job.

You are not forced to work as a teacher, you choose to, you can get another job if you want to.

We need to open the schools no ifs and no buts, we need to get the children back on track as soon as possible before we have a lost generation. The children have suffered enough already.

If you feel you can't return, or don't want to teach any longer due to covid or other reason, then leave. We live in a free society, you can go and do something else no need to complain or feel sad.

So when your children are being taught in classes of 60 because if resignations and children and staff are catching Covid continuously, forever being tested and isolated and worse still possibly dying you'll be fine with that?

Because after all. All that actually mattered was having them fully open?

The safety side of that is irrelevant?

Unions are not trying to stop schools from opening. They are trying to insist on better safety measures for school staff and children. That’s it.

@Friendsoftheearth

its stop playing games. The unions are trying to stop the schools opening not the local authority. The unions are paid by teachers to represent them, if the unions are misrepresenting your wishes, I respectfully suggest you stop paying them!

Is that to me?

Because I'm not a teacher

I just happen to believe those that are should be afforded the same safe working environment as the rest of the population.

[quote oiboi]@Friendsoftheearth

I'm in the NHS, some of our staff did refuse to work, in fact some still aren't back, lots are on restricted duty. The fear was palpable in our teams. [/quote]
It must frustrate you when you see posters using you and other NHS staff, when their arguments don't actually reflect the true situation. Good job the NHS just got on with it or no one in the NHS complained

[quote epythymy]**@hearhooves* 45000 people haven't died OF* Covid either though, really, have they? [/quote]
....
There were > 60,000 excess deaths in 3 months above the historical average of total deaths for that period
Most European countries experienced a spike in deaths at this time

Total deaths went down to normal before lockdown was lifted
and it is normal now

@Sparkles715

Unions are not trying to stop schools from opening. They are trying to insist on better safety measures for school staff and children. That’s it.

And what's so scary is that people have been so sucked in by spin drs they believe this.

They actually believe teachers just want to stay home paid and not work (which isn't what's happened anyway!)

It's sooooooooo scary that people liererallh cannot see that teachers just want Covid secure guidelines in schools to keep themselves and also their pupils safe.

These pupils being the children of those who think teachers are wrong to want safety.

sparkles No, the unions main aim is to keep the schools closed, if they can't manage that they will go for part time closure, they are doing everything they can to stop schools from reopening. Children do not have a union to speak up for their wishes, they have no voice at all.

The voiceless children are having their future and education ripped away from them meanwhile pubs and restaurants and even holidays have all been open for months. To say this is an outrageous state of affairs is to underestimate the level of feeling.

And for the very last time nowhere is 'covid secure'!!