Staff party blamed for outbreak in school

[Silversun83]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-54161544

The head says he thinks it was ill-advised despite them not breaking government restrictions at the time.. Though surely 8 of them attending another person's house WAS against the restrictions.. (Which was only two households inside or six people/two households outside)??

@SoManyActivities

The rules prior to Monday were up to 30 outside weren't they? So if the party was outside they weren't breaking the rules?

I understand the head's frustration, particularly if he wasn't informed of the party even after the outbreak, how could his staff not tell him?

However, it was unprofessional to publicly blame his staff like this. I get that there is so much pressure on headteachers at the moment to keep their school safe, and he didn't want to look bad, but to write it in a letter like that to parents just seems a bit off.

It does beg the question though, should teachers curtail their lives, even within the rules, because of their day job? Teaching is already shitty enough!

Up to 30 from only TWO households. Up to six from six households.

??? how many groups of 2 households would have a total 30 people?

I think the fact it differs between countries made it more complicated!

@mrshoho

??? how many groups of 2 households would have a total 30 people?

Well, quite.

@NaughtipussMaximus

He’s pissed off because they didn’t invite him.

😂❤️

Does anyone else pick up that Me Aspin was gutted not to be invited so lashing out in FOMO induced rage? I am picturing him and it’s not flattering...

Ridiculous they broke no rules.

Mr

@mrshoho

??? how many groups of 2 households would have a total 30 people?

Exactly, that can't be right???

It would mean 15, or more, in one household?!

I'm so confused right now!

what an eejit the blameshifting Head is. First, he says three staff who did not attend the party, were infected at work most likely by close contact with colleagues who did attend.

Then claims " it is now clear the school's procedures are robust and not at fault for the outbreak."

Eh? at least 3 staff were infected at work. by staff members.

To be fair, I do get the HTs frustration - when you have worked that hard to make the school 'Covid secure' only for it to be ruined by your staff going to a party, and then not even informing you even after the shit has hit the fan, I can imagine he is well pissed off!

But it's still really unprofessional to do what he has done and publicly blame them in this way.

Imagine working there, eeeeeek!

He’s just pissed he was left out. Can’t think why he sounds so much fun..,

Also, presumably a load of the other people from the party tested positive, otherwise it can't be proved that the party was responsible can it?

@mrshoho it was up to 30 from two households which is why we now have this change to the rule of six to apparently simplify things (not that it really has with the exceptions and Covid secure stuff). So I’m not exactly sure how they were acting within the guidance as the article states. Still doesn’t change my opinion on what the head did- he has shown poor management and destroyed trust in him and between the teachers and parents.

The letter was a shameless attempt at covering his own arse/undermining his staff - whatever he thought and whatever was said privately should have stayed in the classroom.
Even being generous, if he was attempting to console parents/restore trust by stating it was nothing to do with the school's risk assessment/measures in place, it was still an unprofessional cack-handed way of doing it which won't help him in the future.
I have to admit - even though I have not been out much at all in the last 5 months - I didn't realise the outdoor rule for up to 30 was for 2 households only. That must be for multi-generations living together under one roof.
The letter on the school website is unprofessional imho and now that it has gone from local headline news in Rossendale to national news on the BBC, I would be surprised if Mr. Aspin retains the respect of his staff. It all looks like a blame-game Shaggy exercise and does not show the leadership in a good light.

If it was gatherings of 30 from 2 households only, how weren't they breaking the rules then? If even the BBC and headteachers aren't actually clear on whay the guidelines are/were at the time, then what hope do we have?!

I do agree that letter is so unprofessional, you can feel his rage. He didn't need to give that level of detail, he could have just said 'it has transpired that it was something outside of the schools control' or similar. But he has gone all in!

Teachers really are treated with contempt in this country.
Sounds like a grim place to work.

Even if he had known the head would've had no right to tell them not to attend. What a horrible, shaming letter.

This won't end well. 8 possible resignations by October half term.
It seems he felt embarrassed, and annoyed, that he didn't know about it and wasn't invited!

Ahhh if they were a group of footballers enjoying a party in their own time I bet you my last dime the answers wouldn't be so sympathetic.......

Well no because footballers are vastly overpaid for playing a game whilst teachers are modestly paid and risk their own health to teach our kids 🙄 daft comparison

@70isaLimitNotaTarget what do you mean? (I don't understand the comparison).
Genuine question 🙂

I agree he shouldn’t publicly blame them.

But they did break the guidelines (not the law) which had consequences for their ability to do their jobs, so he has every right to be angry (although not in public as that’s not professional). It’s not a case of mind your own business when it impacts your work.

If you come to work hungover/ can’t come to work because you’re hungover don’t you think your boss has the right to be angry?

At work (not teaching) we’ve gone to great lengths to ensure Covid guidelines are followed, make sure everyone can and does distance at work. This is our responsibility as an employer to look after our staff. It is also for business continuity.

If my team went and met up outside work, not social distancing, and not within the guidelines and a number got infected, I’d be furious. All our efforts in the workplace wasted, with potential for significant business impact.

He is clearly pissed off at not being invited.

If the teachers were at a party with lots of people just before the start of term, it’s a bit irresponsible yes, even if no laws were broken.

I do think it’s a valid point though that the issue has not come about from being in school, and it’s reasonable to let parents know this. But he could have been a bit vague.

The whole school has had to close because the teachers breached the 'two household' rule that was in place at the time.

Yes there are limits to what an employer can require of staff (eg social media policy, not bringing organisation into disrepute) but I would have thought adherence to pandemic regulations (whether law or guideline) is a reasonable one. Because - as we cansee here - breaches can lead to closures.

Are you part of the teacher bashing brigade.
Mind your own business. Teachers are not hermits.