I'm a teacher and Boris you have failed us

[NewnameNelly]

My school has no ppe, we have a cleaner wiping touch points all through the day. We have antibacterial hand-wash and sanitiser, but it still isn't compulsory for us to wear masks/face shields. Two weeks in to us starting back and I'm off sick waiting for a home test and I've been trying to get hold of one for the past 2 days and all I am getting is this. Come back later, what when I'm calling an ambulance or dead. So much for having key workers as a priority. University lecturers are making students wear masks and so are they but us teachers are being completely forgotten. If you want your children to have an education, you need to protect and look after the teachers! Boris you have failed me!

I am very sorry to break it to you but the Tories hate teachers. You're too left wing and unionised. Far easier to berate you than help you.

It appears that way, does it? I wonder who they think taught them at Eton?

*doesn't it

You are right. The children have been failed too.

This is why schools will close. The head in the sand brigade on Mumsnet think if they say, ‘schools must stay open‘, then they will. No staff = no school. We’ve only just begun and that’s why Boris hinted at school closures tonight. They know.

I’m really, really appalled that teachers are expected to sit in poorly ventilated rooms with no PPE and 30+ pupils not wearing masks. How is that not going to go wrong? My DCs (secondary school)wear masks in lessons but there’s only a couple of others that do this, and one has been deliberately coughed on by another pupil for doing so.

I’d love to be wrong but I honestly don’t see how all of this and bubbles of 200+ can possibly be wise...

The helpline told me appointments go on at 8pm. Had no luck booking one until then.

I wish more would talk out i deregistered my kids today i didnt want to but had no other choice.

I hope you're ok Nelly, and that you manage to get a test soon.

I'm seriously considering not sending mine back tomorrow, my youngest is getting quite anxious and said lots of children were coughing in class today.

I'm off with covid. I caught it at school. There are several of us off and some kids. I've infected my dh and dd. Took me three days to book a test for me and dh, and dd who had symptoms later, never managed to get one in the 5 day window. So although I know she had it because she had the same symptoms as us, she's not officially recorded.

I empathise with you OP. This government does not have the best interests of parents, kids or teachers.

I'm in despair. I've bought my own plastic gloves, wipes, hand sanitiser. My hands are raw from practicing good hygiene and I have still caught it. I have been extremely vigilant, but this is not working. We need to have it in writing that ALL teachers must wear PPE, specifically visors and we cannot be expected to teach 5 classes a day. Most schools are not new academies, but old pokey buildings. We need to empty modern spacious offices that are currently empty, we need the support of our government. Without us Teacher's, there is no-one to educate pupils. By comprising our health, you are comprising the children. Why is this so difficult for this piece of shite government to understand? Secondary teachers are feeling this nuclear fall out more than primary schools, we are being expected to travel all over the school for every lesson, so the year group bubbles do not come in to contact and look what is happening! We had 2 suspected cases of Covid this week, no email to staff, I found out by being in reception, who were calling the children's parents.

I am obviously waiting for a test, but I am sure I have caught it from the symptoms I am experiencing. However, there are NO tests available. I'm a key worker, we are a priority!

@Jeremyironseverything I saw your post on the other thread, I'm so sorry for you and your family. How can they treat us like this? How is this okay? I've started a new job and I'm off already, how is this helping with children's education?

I'm so sorry, OP. You should have had better protection. We should have had blended learning to allow for proper social distancing in schools. You should be able to get a test.

The government has failed you, and your colleagues and our children too.

The teachers wearing a mask protects the students. The students who wear a mask protect the teacher and their fellow students...

Students do. Not understand covid. They want Windows shut, their cold, they sneeze and don't cover it, cough and don't catch it.

There is only so much, teachers and schools can do

NewnameNelly I hope you recover soon.

Bojos response to rising cases is to say pubs close at 10 and shop workers should wear masks. And yet teachers are expected to work 8hrs in poorly ventilated rooms and come into contact with anything between 30 and 300 children. Teachers were on MN in the lead up to the start of term telling us that this was insane. Parents shouting "open schools lest my DC drive me further insane and my employer fire me" with little regard to the safety of teaching staff. I'd rather be bored, I'd rather be poor, and I'd happily home school my DC if the resources for his GCSE syllabus can be be provided. But it can't. If I deregister no resources will be made available and I shall have to pay for his exams. I wish i could just take him out because I do not want to be complicit with this wholesale total disregard to the value of others lives.

My son is anxious and sad all the time now. He's worried about his teachers and he's worried about his parents.

I work in a role where similarly its all about the welfare of other individuals, and despite being at a greater than average risk of contracting Covid at least my employer is held accountable for providing for my safety.

I'm sorry this is happening to you. Get well soon.

BTW we do mixed learning but I'm still in crowded room with 25 students!!

Come back later, what when I'm calling an ambulance or dead.

How will having a test change any of that?

Op I agree if they want to keep education going , we need lots of space. It's jenny harries. She said no ppe was needed because of the protection in schools. I think she needs to get into the classroom.

We've lost control of testing, again... We are fighting covid blindfold which is what WHO accused us of back in march.

We've been given a get out of jail card because we went back in an Indian summer and now winter will hit.

It's going to be utter carnage.
Dh will be forced to work from home so dds can be kept at home if cases rise.

I don't think teachers are alone or unique in this situation, and I'm sorry you feel so let down. Tests are hard to get for everyone and that is incredibly frustrating.
I do think we need to balance our respective risks though and take into account the emotional/psychological impact PPE wearing can have on children alongside the anxiety this may cause some individual adults/professionals.
You could very well catch it in a supermarket or other public space, we just all have to muck in and be vigilant with all the other measures and that's the best we can do.

@zombiefan having a test means, I know I'm at risk if it comes back positive and I can do my duty to alert the school I'm at that I have coronovirus and those that are vulnerable (we have 2 teachers with cancer) are made aware and can self isolate and any children I have taught, their parents or them may be vulnerable as well. People can be asymptomatic and pass this on, I would hate to think I could get worse or I could go in feeling better and not knowing if I had coronovirus and pass it on. I think you need to look at my post more as a I'm a key worker, we need tests on a first come basis due to working with a large amount of people. If you wfh and you went to sainsbury's once a week, you aren't as likely to spread it to as many people as I am 🙄

PP - Tests should be essential for key workers. End of.
You didn't read my OP as I mentioned I'm practicing good hygiene and BJ should be making it mandatory for teachers to wear face masks/shield and have tests readily available.

If you aren't going to read my post I'm too ill to break it down to you right now. Of course we could catch it anywhere, but where is our support to minimise the risks?! It's there for hairdressers, shop workers, waitresses, Drs, lecturers and nurses - and this is completely right. But what about the teachers?!!

And the teacher bashing 6week holiday, you work 9-3:30 begins 🙄

I hear you. I wanted my children back in school but they are not covid safe for the students or the teachers. We have all had two days off sick within two weeks of school reopening. Colds not covid but it just shows how quickly things spread. My daughter has two year groups isolating at her secondary. I have been laid back about the whole thing, sensible with masks, hand washing, distancing but never doing anything to raise anxiety with the DC, we had a completely normal summer as much as possible. Now DS is anxious and days he feels unsafe vat school. This did nt come from me, I have nt discussed how I feel in front of him and he doesn’t watch the news and like I say I made summer as normal as possible for them. It’s a horrible situation, for students, teachers and parents. It needs to be part time with more distancing and space, half in school half remote learning. there are 35 in DSs class, how can that be covid secure? I know there are children that will miss out this way but if schools close completely they will kids out on their whole education for goodness knows how long at least this way they all get something even if it’s not full time and it’s safer for everyone. I know as well it will be difficult for parents who need to work outside of the home but if schools close completely again then it will be even more difficult for parents. I don’t know what the answer is but it’s not DS in his primary bubble of 70 or DD in her secondary bubble of 80 ( and I know we are lucky having a small secondary).

I accept that the school should provide PPE, or government provides schools with PPE.

But meantime, if you feel that strongly about it, why not get or make your own?