Wish I wasn't a teacher because of Covid

[NebularNerd]

In my family/friends circle, I am the only one who will be face to face with 150+ people per day with no PPE, no social distancing, nothing.

I have one relative who is not expecting to return to the office this year.
Another who now only works in the office two days per week, in a building where numbers are severely restricted, one way systems, spaced out desks etc.
Another friend who is also able to wfh for the foreseeable future.

I can't help but think that had I made a different career choice I would not now be faced with contracting a potentially life threatening virus and passing it on to my clinically extremely vulnerable husband or elderly parents.

I will go to work and try to ignore what's going on in the world and do my best. But I wish I could be made to feel safer - screens, masks, fewer pupils, something.

I hope I'm worrying for nothing, but it is getting difficult to sleep at night.

My understanding is that, in recognition that each and every School is different and unique, that it is up to each and every School to decide how they can and will implement any Guidelines they are given by Govt - National and Local.

In the first instance I highly recommend that School Staff (including Teachers) take up their individual and school-wide concerns with their SLT and become involved with the decision-making process regarding educating all the enrolled pupils.

Some Schools are going to be able to do this reasonably easily and some Schools are facing massive difficulties.

The very big problem is those Schools that face real difficulties ensuring a SD/CV19 education for all it's pupils.

This is where a School's SLT prove their mettle and use all their local communty's resources to enable their pupils' education.

Each School's Local Community desire that their children are educated as much as anyone; so Schools need to tap this local resource.

@ssd

I'm angry teachers are having this forced on them. I feel its criminal. I work in retail with everyone in masks and screens up at the tills. One way systems etc.

I feel people who work in schools are being thrown under the bus. And they don't deserve it. No one does!!!!

Thank you.

I think people need to be mindful of the fact that you can contract Coronavirus and have debilitating long term symptoms. There are lots of threads on MN about it. It isn’t just a case of get it and die or get it and survive. I would urge anyone working in school to have the necessary time off to fully recover if they are affected like this even if it’s several months. Sadly this will affect the students but your own health must come first.

@mnahmnah

In the first week back, we’ve got the parents of every child in the school (1200!) coming in over two days and an evening. Yes, social distancing and sanitising is in place, but it doesn’t seem very sensible in protecting staff and our families. As well as the students and their families. Then we have two more evenings in the two following weeks, including open evening for yr 6. Yes, around 100 families from across three counties wandering the school. Add on childcare issues for these evenings, because I don’t want my children to pass anything in to grandparents after mixing at school.

As well as being around hundreds of different students each day with no PPE. And even teenagers don’t follow social distancing well, judging from the occasions I have been in school over lockdown. So yes. I’m nervous.

This is obviously such a heated debate, and none of the solutions are great, but a school having open evenings etc. Seems extraordinary! Gobsmackingly so! I hope this can be cancelled if needed. Surely it's unnecessary?

@Back50

Exactly, children have suffered the most throughout all this and if you (teachers) can't see that then maybe you should take up a different career

No one wants to see schools closed. I have children myself. I see how happy they are to be back. All we want is for safety to be a priority. Is it that much to ask. Its safe for the children - yes. They are rarely affected -yes but what about the teachers? Other staff? It is NOT bloody acceptable.

@neveradullmoment99 I understand that but what do you want.

At my DC school they have staggered start/finish times, bubbles, one way system, washing hands throughout the day, as will teachers, own packed lunch/drinks. I honestly don't understand what else you want

The chances of having a positive contact are now very low, far lower than when we were all going about our business in late Feb through March before the lockdown. And we have readily available testing now so that any cases can be isolated. I think that people who can work from home being asked to work from home protects those institutions where people can’t do that (hospitals, schools, shops and so on).

I work in a London hospital, we were terribly exposed at the beginning and 30% of us have since tested positive for antibodies. The PPE was restricted to ITU staff and the rest of us just got on with it. We had half a dozen staff die 0.08% of staff, 0.2% of those infected. This was when the virus was raging around and we were being exposed to quite a bit of viral loading.

I and most of my colleagues (high BAME, quite a lot of us fat, many aged 50+, in less than good health) had worse colds than covid. It is a risk for some and we now know what the risk factors are, and a mild infection for most.

The thing is all the kids at the school are going to take it back home anyway. It doesn't matter if you are a teacher or a parent really does it? One kid at school gets it, all the kids get it, each goes home and the parents get it. We're all in the same boat.

Any comment from teachers about the restaurant workers working 7 days currently? No?

@Stressing

The thing is all the kids at the school are going to take it back home anyway. It doesn't matter if you are a teacher or a parent really does it? One kid at school gets it, all the kids get it, each goes home and the parents get it. We're all in the same boat.

Good point!

@Nowtherave

I'm a teacher too. IMO the risks are minuscule (depending on where you are I suppose). I can't wait to get back to school. The amount of hand wringing on here from teachers gives us all a bad name so I just want to put it out there and reassure parents that hopefully, you are not sending your kids back to petrified teachers. I know of one staff member out of about 40 in my federation who has this level of anxiety. I have kids myself and the worst thing about all of this is other people's anxiety. I'm more worried about them spreading that to my kids than Covid (and vice versa). I mean no offence at all to the OP but perhaps you should consider being signed off work if you cannot rationalise the risks involved. I hope you will feel better when you are back in the busy swing of things. PS you need to speak to your head if you are not allowed to wear PPE and have an individual RA done. Our federation allows staff to wear PPE if they wish.

At last someone with an ounce of common sense speaks! The risk to you’re health is probably greater travelling to school than dying from Covid!

You know hundreds of thousands of people have worked in busy warehouses, distribution centers, factories, supermarkets and offices throughout the pandemic right?

My DH is one. For the first few days I made him strip off on the doorstep. Then we became complacent, got used to the risk, weighed it up and resumed normal life.

[quote Back50]@neveradullmoment99 I understand that but what do you want.

At my DC school they have staggered start/finish times, bubbles, one way system, washing hands throughout the day, as will teachers, own packed lunch/drinks. I honestly don't understand what else you want[/quote]
Children to wear masks in primary in certain situations or if the situation becomes worse. More of an emphasis on social distancing with lined off areas as standard in all classes. Advice on how to teach children without going up to them. I have children coming right up to my face atm. They really dont understand and how on earth am i suppose to help them when they are stuck? Its impossible from 2 metres!!! What will happen in winter when they cant take the children outside? When there is no ventilation when the windows have to be closed? Just at the time when things will probably get lax in schools.

@Nowtherave
"I'm a teacher too. IMO the risks are minuscule (depending on where you are I suppose). I can't wait to get back to school. The amount of hand wringing on here from teachers gives us all a bad name so I just want to put it out there and reassure parents that hopefully, you are not sending your kids back to petrified teachers. I know of one staff member out of about 40 in my federation who has this level of anxiety. I have kids myself and the worst thing about all of this is other people's anxiety. I'm more worried about them spreading that to my kids than Covid (and vice versa). I mean no offence at all to the OP but perhaps you should consider being signed off work if you cannot rationalise the risks involved. I hope you will feel better when you are back in the busy swing of things. PS you need to speak to your head if you are not allowed to wear PPE and have an individual RA done. Our federation allows staff to wear PPE if they wish. "

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS

@Stressing

The thing is all the kids at the school are going to take it back home anyway. It doesn't matter if you are a teacher or a parent really does it? One kid at school gets it, all the kids get it, each goes home and the parents get it. We're all in the same boat.

True. I do think what the fuck is the point. Might as well just not bother with precautions.

@neveradullmoment99
No way should primary school aged children be made to wear masks. This really makes me sad and after that a teacher wants this. If you are that scared/anxious of the virus then please do resign

The very big problem is those Schools that face real difficulties ensuring a SD/CV19 education for all it's pupils
That'll be all schools then.

[quote Back50]@neveradullmoment99
No way should primary school aged children be made to wear masks. This really makes me sad and after that a teacher wants this. If you are that scared/anxious of the virus then please do resign [/quote]
No. According to this thread there are no risks anyway.
Heres to not bothering with precautions!
Yay!

Back to normal, nothing to worry about. Chance of a bus hitting us :)
Great. I feel relieved. Thanks so much! :)

I work with staff who have already had Covid. They survived (clearly: we aren't as yet propping up dead teachers in front of classes) but they are not yet well, and I am talking months ago that they contracted Covid, and these were healthy, fit people.

@neveradullmoment99
There are risk in all jobs and most parents will have explained to their children about social distancing etc in school. I honestly think you are thinking too much in to it

I'm in a college - measures put in place are shit. The place is dirty, toilet situation is abysmal. The front desk is 2m from the wall - so I'm OK as long as I stand with my back to the wall for the 2 hours I'll spend in a room with 24 adults where the window doesn't open. I've been made to feel like a nag for complaing to the H&S team.

moreto I am used to you undermining teachers on this forum and there really is no need to call me a prat. I was not implying you were lying. I was pointing out that 16 is a small class so easy to distance and not a class of 30. Perhaps you shouldn't have bothered with the number 16 in your post since it added noting to your air of superiority.

Away with your lolling.

@IfNotNow123 I support restaurant workers being able to work in a Covid secure environment. They should have masks, visors and social distancing. Customer numbers should be limited. There should be time allowed for frequent hand washing and additional cleaning. They should also be treated respectfully by customers. I think it’s disgusting that some people have abused restaurant workers if they can’t get a booking. I am a teacher. You deserve safe working conditions as do I.