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?

[TaxTheRatFarms]

@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.

Nope, I’ve read the thread and while teachers are raising these issues, absolutely no teachers are saying that children should stay home.

Saying “safety measures aren’t in place” isn’t the same as saying “Schools should never open!”

The vast majority of teachers are going to go back to work regardless, safety measures in place or not. But I would be much happier going back to school with basic safety measures in place, as that way schools are much more likely to stay open and children won’t receive a disrupted education.

Can you explain why you wouldn’t want that to happen

[Sparkles715]

@zigzigplant

Ask any member of school staff to tell you about the number of sinks compared to number of children in their school. Ask about the number and location of facilities for children and staff. Ask about the practicalities and timings of supervising 30 children to wash their hands properly. Ask secondary teachers if/how they will be able to wash their hands between every lesson as they dash between classrooms. Ask schools if they are able to have cleaners on site during the day for cleaning of toilets shared by hundreds of children. Ask schools if they are able to use their dining hall or if it’s being hampered by the lack of cleaning available (as stipulated in the DfE guidance).

The point is that @Friendsoftheearth is talking out of their proverbial and has no actual understanding of schools and how they work and how bad their facilities and cleaning are.

[TaxTheRatFarms]

But noble they’ve got one teacher fire d who might or might not wear a mask! Surely they are the font of all knowledge!!

I am that I have been sucked in.

[TaxTheRatFarms]

*ahem. Teacher friend.

[Cloudburstagain]

Well friends who are in the police, health service and dental line of work are working from home. The psychologists and paychiatrists I know are not seeing people face to face unless essential and in full PPE. Gp’s are only seeing a small number of people if they pass the screening process. A CID friend of mine at inspector level is fully working from home.

And ultimately teachers are there to provide an education and teach - they are not paid to be social workers and deal with hunger, violence and abuse.

[Cloudburstagain]

Psychiatrists

[GeishaInCroatia]

Literally at NO point have I been sat around on full pay (I haven’t even got full pay 😂) and yet you get posters saying all teachers are lazy... it actually pisses me off. Like do you think I do this for fun or could it be, because I care about the children?

I don’t think teachers are lazy but I do get the feeling that a large number hate their jobs and will do anything not to go back.

[Piggywaspushed]

zigzag, I'd have more resect for your views if you liked personally about yourself and your feelings rather than trot out a party line as if yous speak on behalf of all parents, not all of whom feel the same as you at all. That is why the government is panicking and feeding as yet unpublished and unfinished research to the press.

The use of 'our' in that context is a strategy, usually deployed by people who are actually in charge. When Boris says 'our children' he is speaking as a leader. When you say it, it just sounds like you think you have some kind of mantle of authority.


On the subject of sanitiser, I rather think most parents expect schools to provide it, some parents can't afford it ,and -as a teacher with quite severe allergies- I actually need to be reassured that the supply is controlled.

[Piggywaspushed]

talked not liked...

[Cloudburstagain]

I would love to go back and be valued as much as a Gp or hours even practitioner. In that strict social distancing was to be used.

Are medical professionals who were on the shielding list fully patient facing now does anyone know or are they allowed to work from home still since 1st Sept? As all CV and ECV teachers and TA’s are returning to work to provide that vital education for children, yet I cannot get an important medical procedure as I was told they are only doing emergency ones due to medical staff shielding and working from home.

[TaxTheRatFarms]

Thank you cloudburst and other who are supporting teachers and understand that we want schools to be open, just safely so there aren’t closures die to illness or rising cases.

(A relative of mine is a heart surgeon. He had to “work from home” during part of lockdown and he joked they were just sending him a really long scalpel and a pair of binoculars. )

[Friendsoftheearth]

zigzag I am going because it just becomes an echo chamber, but I wholeheartedly agree with your posts. Can you just imagine the outcry had carers, nurses and doctors decided to down tools because their area of work was not 'covid secure'....some had to bin bags ffs. I am checking out of this thread, closing schools again has zero public support.

[itsgettingweird]

Friends what is it you can't comprehend about the fact teachers are also saying the want kids back to school.

But they want it to be safe and likely to last long term.

And therefore they need covid secure guidance like every other workplace

Not one single person I saw at any point thought the nurse unions, dr unions and transport unions etc wanting PPE for their staff were trying to shut done hospitals, surgery's or the transport system.

They agreed they should be safe.

There was uproar when a train worker died days after being skate in the face from someone claiming to have covid. Uproar that protections weren't in place. (I know it wasn't proven he passed it to her in the end)

What will happen if a kid spits at a teacher claiming to have covid and the teacher dies of covid? My betting is the teacher will be blamed because they should have had more control over that child behaviour - or some other such crap.

[Playdoughbum]

We are not asking for schools to be closed. For the gazillionth time.

We are asking that there is money for cleaning supplies etc and that we have the right to wear a mask. Which currently we don’t have if the Head is an arse.
We would like the government to throw some money into helping schools be safe for children and staff. Not for schools to be closed. Not one teacher on this thread has asked for schools to be closed. Yet you keep bleating about this as if it’s something we have asked for.

And yes some parents will provide sanitizer. The ones who can’t be arsed to find lunch for their child or to read the odd letter won’t. Yes let’s make sure that gap between those who have parents who give a crap and those who don’t is levered open a little more eh. Or Boris could put his money where his mouth is and stump up.

[ZigZagPlant]

I don’t profess to be the fount of all knowledge, that doesn’t mean I’m not entitled to an opinion. Nor does it mean my opinion is automatically void. What is the entry level for having an interest in my children’s, or society at larges (avoiding the use of the word “our” for the benefit of a PP who took issue) children’s education?

My FIL is a HT, he agrees with me. I know a few teachers who have varying view points. Are only the ones who support your own entitled to comment? Did you need a broader understanding of my CV before I am able to participate on this thread?

It speaks volumes when you start picking around the argument itself to discredit another’s argument, rather than finding fundamental flaws or any sort of credible counter argument of your own.

[Piggywaspushed]

cloudburst and, then, no one ever blames those very people for any rise in sexual abuse. Not that they should be blamed but all sectors of care should be held to account for things which affect children. Some parents and factions have fallen totally for the Tory policy (born out of austerity) that schools must heal and solve everything, and that it is schools' fault if they don't or can't. Jeez, I am surprised we haven't been blamed for not finding a vaccine.

[TaxTheRatFarms]

Some posters have very suspiciously selective vision as I can see tons of teachers saying they want schools to be open, and literally none saying they think schools should be closed.

Very suspicious and quite sad behaviour of those attaching teachers for something they’ve never said.

[canigooutyet]

@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.

I am aware of the numbers. It was what motivated the doctors to sign that letter. No-one is disputing abuse in the home environment.

Maybe you can help with a problem I have.

14 year old has to wear one on the bus and in shops, yet in school he doesn't. But mum I'm in the shop for less than 5 minutes, I will be in the classroom for around an hour or two depending on the lesson.

Oh come on mum, why can't I go to mates house?
I refer him back to the guidelines.
But mum, you've been on public transport during rush hour, you think that's packed, you should see the corridors in school. And erm didn't you go to school? You telling me you had loads of space in or out of the class?

[ZigZagPlant]

On the subject of sanitiser, I rather think most parents expect schools to provide it, some parents can't afford it ,and -as a teacher with quite severe allergies- I actually need to be reassured that the supply is controlled.

Sounds more like a communication issue which can be easily resolved with a quick letter outlining the actual position. I.e “please ensure your children have hand sanitizer”

[TaxTheRatFarms]

It speaks volumes when you start picking around the argument itself to discredit another’s argument, rather than finding fundamental flaws or any sort of credible counter argument of your own

But no teachers have said schools should be closed. That’s quite a fundamental flaw in your argument.

[WhyNotMe40]

This thread has very clearly highlighted that if you are against the SAFE opening of schools in sept, you are either arguing for multiple school closures, or a Covid denier.

The trouble is that if you Covid deniers have it wrong, the ramifications are horrendous.

It reminds me of a news story I read about a young fit twenty something Covid denier in USA who went to a Covid party to prove it was a hoax. She died a couple of weeks later, admitting she was wrong.
It's a terrible price to pay for being wrong...

[Piggywaspushed]

Because literally no one with your fixed mindset accepts any of the elements of counter argument. Nothing would change your view.

Your HT FIL has enormous pressure on him at the moment. But he has far less day to day contact with the children than we do.

[itsgettingweird]

@Friendsoftheearth

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

100% agree.

Teachers who job is provide education to children are absolutely fantastic at also providing pastoral care, providing meals to kids who's families can't feed them, providing social care in the way of safeguarding against abuse etc.

To totally and utterly agree with you that teaches provide so much more than the education they are paid to provide.

And that's why I also support them 100% in their quest to be able to continue this long term in a safe way from September by asking for safety measures to be able to do this.

[Sostenueto]

Thank goodness my dgc are not in school anymore but going on to further and higher where they already know what's happening in September. Nothing in this world is 100% safe. Nothing in this world comes with no risk. The DC have to go back to school. The gap between disadvantaged is widening every minute. It cannot go on. If the Government won't sort it ( if you voted for Boris who is renowned in passing the buck then you were fools) then the schools are going to have to for the sake of the DC. Everyone on here says they have to go back then schools full of educated teachers will have to come up with systems to make it work. Do not rely on this inept Government. Now is the time for teachers to prove their worth to all those who don't appreciate their role as teachers. ( I do by the way). Get your heads together and get the DC back to full time education.