The government is trying to make you think schools will be socially distanced

[noblegiraffe]

The government are currently running a (well publicised) propaganda campaign to say that schools are safe. They are using social media influencers, journalists and friendly scientists (firmly ignoring any unfriendly ones like the Royal Society). Branwen Jefferys of the BBC tweeted “So how high is government anxiety about school return? A PR company acting on behalf of the Cabinet office is now emailing media offering experts to support the “messaging”. Strange way to approach news journalists ..”

And just about every news outlet running stories about schools seems to be rotating stock footage of half empty classrooms with teachers miles away from the kids. There have even been photos of kids getting temperature checks (not allowed). I was watching Sky news where a commentator was saying how awful it was that kids would be sent back to socially distanced schools. The PM gave a rambling speech to carefully spaced kids in a library. And in a visit to a classroom it’s clear that the kids were all shoved down one end in order to give some lovely spaced kids at the other end for the PM to pose in front of.
metro.co.uk/2020/08/27/boris-johnson-staged-school-visit-social-distancing-13188600/

Matt Hancock was on the news saying it was really important for teachers to stay 2m from the kids to avoid spreading the virus between all the bubbles they’ll be working in, despite knowing that this will be utterly and hopelessly impossible.

Why are the government lying? Why are they sending the ‘right’ experts to the press? Why are kids being spread out for staged photo shoots instead of honest pictures?

And why are the press largely going along with it?

Schools are going back, in a lot of cases to an estate that is unfit for purpose. Old buildings, no ventilation, large class sizes. Pupils will be crammed in facing a teacher who won’t be able to stand 2m from them. If it’s so safe, why aren’t they showing and acknowledging the reality?

YABU: what they are doing is fine and there are perfectly reasonable explanations for all the suggestions of socially distanced classrooms and schools in the media

YANBU: the lying liars are lying to us again

the TA's aren't suitable to be teaching the class until they get it sorted

Have you seen how many TAs are qualified teachers? I know quite a few who don't want to teach so are working as TAs including 4 former NQTs who finished their NQT year and went back to being a TA.

@MarshaBradyo

This is want some people have being saying that they want teachers to do.

Unfortunately it they won't be happy when they find out that its their child's teacher.

Do the schools know? or is it a don’t turn up on first day thing

I can't see anyone being so unprofessional as just not turning up

Personally, as it is a safety concern, I would try to resolve it first. Then negotiate an early release from notice period.

I knew this was going to be one of @noblegiraffe daily whipping up of anxious frenzy of the return back to schools.

Every. Fucking. Day

Just stop it Noble and just please quit what ever teaching position you have got as I sure as hell wouldn’t want you to be teaching any of my kids. Your like the dementor of school returns.

And I started it just to piss you off, Codex

Mischief managed.

@Gwynfluff

Will teachers really leave en masse? We are at risk of 1980s levels of unemployment and they are going to leave permanent jobs with pensions?

I’m not so sure.

We have a surprising number close to (and even beyond) retirement age, who can afford to stop working but continue because (i) we enjoy it and (ii) we have been prevailed upon to stay because we are very hard to replace.

I know I would prefer @noblegiraffe to be one of DC's teachers than some of the horrendous posters on here who claim they are teachers.

@ineedaholidaynow

I know I would prefer *@noblegiraffe* to be one of DC's teachers than some of the horrendous posters on here who claim they are teachers.

I also would be pleased to have *@noblegiraffe* as my DC’s teacher, someone who obviously has the interests of the whole community at heart.

I am sure noble can differentiate between adults on MN and children in her classroom, and relate to them appropriately.

I would be delighted for her to have taught my children, and I know whereof I speak.

I'm 57, with no mortgage, a well-paid dh, independent kids and a trust fund to live off until my topped-up pension kicks in if I need to. I can walk out tomorrow if I want to.
But why should I? I've always enjoyed my job, I'm very good at it and the school/profession needs me. All it needs to do is afford me the same safety precautions as other places of work.

@neveradullmoment99

Teachers can get tested but i have no idea how i do it. I need to do it through my work seemingly.

I have been tested today (I have a bit of a cough). No fast tracking whatsoever for me as a teacher.

@Codexdivinchi people who post things like this only make themselves look stupid

I can't see anyone being so unprofessional as just not turning up hmm

Well let’s see what Fripp says about the teachers doing it. Contract is being broken so that is obviously not an issue. Professionalism already gone. Wondering how much notice the school gets to cover.

@Codexdivinchi

I knew this was going to be one of *@noblegiraffe* daily whipping up of anxious frenzy of the return back to schools.

Every. Fucking. Day

Just stop it Noble and just please quit what ever teaching position you have got as I sure as hell wouldn’t want you to be teaching any of my kids. Your like the dementor of school returns.

Aaaaand, more gaslighting.

@Codexdivinchi, is that your advice to any teacher who thinks the current plans are dangerous? Because we can't just quit you know. Are you advocating increased taxation to fund the extra UC claims? Idiot.

@Codexdivinchi

Unfortunately Noble every body is going back to work and back to school. Retire of you can’t get your head around it. Party is over.

Not true though, is it? Did Us4Ourselves send you over?

@Codexdivinchi

Unfortunately Noble every body is going back to work and back to school. Retire of you can’t get your head around it. Party is over.

As a single parent to 3DC, one of which has complex needs and a chocolate teapot being more use than their father, I can assure you not a single minute of the past 5 months has been a 'party' here.

We're what you would class as 'low risk' but that doesn't mean I'm happy about schools going back with the lack of measures in place. I'll send my DC back because I'm being told I don't have much choice unless I want the last 5 months to be repeated for the next however long and because they need educating & need to socialise. Again, I'm not happy about it because the teaching staff / community are not being given any protective measures at all - regardless of how the Government try to dress it up.

CallmeAngelina did you say reported in a really stern voice in your head as you typed it?

@Codexdivinchi still looking stupid

@Codexdivinchi

CallmeAngelina did you say reported in a really stern voice in your head as you typed it?

I'm afraid I can't repeat what I was saying in my head as I typed.

Shitfuckoh there are 480 people in hospital out of 55 million . Hospital admissions are not going up - they are decreasing week on week. No healthy child has died of COVID in the U.K.

Im GLAD the government are pushing on with it because things need to get back to normal. No one is forcing you to send your kids in to school - dereg them. If you hand on heart think they will catch COVID and be seriously ill keep them at home.

And yet I know exactly what it was. I think I am becoming psychic in my old age!

@Codexdivinchi

Shitfuckoh there are 480 people in hospital out of 55 million . Hospital admissions are not going up - they are decreasing week on week. No healthy child has died of COVID in the U.K.

Im GLAD the government are pushing on with it because things need to get back to normal. No one is forcing you to send your kids in to school - dereg them. If you hand on heart think they will catch COVID and be seriously ill keep them at home.

BINGO!

No one is forcing you to send your kids in to school

Fines for non-attendance say otherwise.

All those posters telling people to deregister their children, you do know that some of the parents who will do this will be parents of vulnerable children, the very children so many of these posters have been saying 'you must think of'.