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?

[Friendsoftheearth]

I am leaving this thread because I find it so deeply distressing and upsetting that none of the so called teachers on here seem to give a damn about the children, the long term damage, the severe issues of hunger, abuse, neglect and violence that they are suffering.

Record numbers of children are being removed (and yes I am in that line of work, and it is truly distressing) We are even running out of foster families, so please spare me the rant about sanitiser. If you knew the scale of the problems we face you would realise how indulgent, out of touch and tone deaf your posts are.

[noblegiraffe]

To clarify:

Teachers want schools open and to remain open

Teachers want children and teachers to be safe

The DfE’s current plans do not support this.

The facebook lobbying group friends belongs to is throwing everything they can at getting schools open with NO safety measures.

Therefore friends and pals either do not want schools to open and remain open and for teachers and children to be safe, or they don’t believe in coronavirus.

[Fedup21]

Ultimately, it really doesn’t matter how much Them4Us want schools to be open. In order for schools to remain open, full time, the government need to prioritise them with funding. Prioritising them with words won’t keep them open.

Them4Us campaigning like they are for schools to open with no measures in place, are being very short-sighted as what they are going to get is schools only being open for a very short amount of time.

Teachers will teach in schools that are open as they always do. They will provide support for key worker children, as they’ve been told to do. BUT, schools can’t be open with insufficient staff which is exactly what will end up happening.

[Friendsoftheearth]

The school system is absolutely pivotal in keeping children safe, anyone in safe guarding will tell you.

[Friendsoftheearth]

I am not on social media, never have been and I am certainly not a lobbyist!! I am working parent that cares for children.

The unions actions are deeply damaging.

[phlebasconsidered]

I thought you were going? Go on then. I'll hold the door open.

[TaxTheRatFarms]

Zigzag absolutely no one is saying that children should stay home because there’s no hand sanitizer. Why on earth is there any need to exaggerate?

It would be helpful if the government could give enough funding to schools so they could afford hand sanitiser in the huge amounts it will be needed. (One large bottle per classroom and communal area, my school has about 70 classrooms, and they’ll need replacing when they run out.)

But do you know what will happen if the government doesn’t fund it? Schools will have to take money from a different part of their budget, or teachers will buy it themselves, so they and their students have that protection at least.

[noblegiraffe]

I am not on social media, never have been and I am certainly not a lobbyist!

And yet you are repeating their talking points word for word. It’s a bizarre coincidence don’t you think?

We’re not stupid.

[Fedup21]

Now i'm suggesting that teachers stop responding to your posts, which are goady and deliberately inciting hatred of teachers

Yes, I agree-I’ve had enough of this now. Teachers are generally not known for ‘not giving a damn about children’ so I think this poster has now gone several steps too far.

Have a lovely day in the sunshine and thank you for your support- to all those wanting schools to open with measures in place to enable them to remain open safely .

[Piggywaspushed]

What is that then?

[Piggywaspushed]

My post makes no sense : sorry !

[Viviennemary]

Look for a different job then. I don't see why teachers cant wear masks if they want to. And pupils.

[noblegiraffe]

TAG TEAM

[Piggywaspushed]

No, my love, the NSPCC study said sexual abuse against children rose horrifically LAST YEAR. When children were attending school. School is not the answer there. It is one part of the support measures in place.

[ZigZagPlant]

I am leaving this thread because I find it so deeply distressing and upsetting that none of the so called teachers on here seem to give a damn about the children, the long term damage, the severe issues of hunger, abuse, neglect and violence that they are suffering.

It’s funny how many other professions have risen to the challenge and who have a sense of duty to fulfil the purpose of their profession. Yet teachers have been quick to protect themselves. I might be wrong, and please correct me if I am, but there doesn’t seem to me to be another profession who has just been allowed to otherwise down tools, where the demand still exists and it’s not practical to WFH. No one. If they have made a choice too, they don’t get paid.

Teachers seem to be out on a complete limb, separate to the rest of the workforce.

I have a friend who’s a teacher. She doesn’t want to wear a mask all day but doesn’t want to not wear a mask all day. As someone said upthread there doesn’t seem to a solution to teachers that actually involves them returning to the classroom. They seem to be revelling in the status quo. Enjoying the extra protection they have been afforded. Whilst our children suffer.

[TaxTheRatFarms]

Perhaps direct your anger at the government which cut social and children's services to such an extent that schools end up being a safety net when that really should not be their job

This is such a good point. Schools are and should be a safe place for students, but at the end of the day our students have to go home to homes that we know aren’t safe for them. But what can we do, if parents refuse to engage and social services are too underfunded?

Schools have had to take on so much more safeguarding because children’s services have been cut to the bone. It’s not sustainable for the government to push so much of children’s welfare back on to schools, while the government itself is seemingly happy to take no responsibility for the lack of children’s services and care.

[ZigZagPlant]

Zigzag absolutely no one is saying that children should stay home because there’s no hand sanitizer. Why on earth is there any need to exaggerate?

It’s been presented as an issue many times through this thread. On page 1 and there on.

[noblegiraffe]

KLAXON HAS GONE OFF ON FACEBOOK. SEND REINFORCEMENTS.

[Sparkles715]

@Friendsoftheearth I’m still waiting for your evidence and information relating to state school handwashing facilities and cleaning hours being adequate.......

[Piggywaspushed]

Why do you say our children? Are you the Queen?

[ZigZagPlant]

@Sparkles715

Out of genuine interest, do you have evidence to the contrary?

[YetAnotherSpartacus]

I feel for all teachers. If this virus affected young people badly then parents would be begging to keep their children off school. But because their children are likely to be OK and it is only the teachers likely to get really sick and/or die (possibly orphaning their own children) then they don't give a shit.

[ZigZagPlant]

Why do you say our children? Are you the Queen?

Because it was an entirely appropriate use of the word “our”

ODE our:-

belonging to or associated with the speaker and one or more other people previously mentioned or easily identified.

[Triangularbubble]

I would personally buy my children’s classes a year’s supply of soap/sanitiser if it would actually help keep their school open. (I’ve already asked the head and the caretaker but they’re apparently swimming in detergents, soap, sanitiser and cleaning products already.) We come back to the brave face thing from another thread - if you want this stuff and aren’t funded for it, instead of sending chirpy letters about looking forward to seeing everyone in September, ask for donations. Masks and space to distance is harder, but the complaints about soap and sanitiser are hardly insurmountable.

[noblegiraffe]

zigzag is another one. Come on people.