Schools MUST stay open.

[motherrunner]

I hear this a lot on MN.

Schools maybe ‘open’ but they’re not really depending on where you live.

I’m in Tier 2, due to go into Tier 3 next week prior to the lockdown rules.

Since Sept Yr 10 have isolated twice (4 weeks out of a 8 week half term), Yr 12 and 13 three times (6 weeks of a 8 week half term). My own DS is isolating due to being in contact with a positive until next week and I am isolating until next week as one of my pupils tested positive (and before anyone asks why I wasn’t 2m away well let’s just say, that’s school life).

Before lockdown in March my school had to close just to the numbers of staff off, at one point admin staff were supervising classes.

This morning I read a comment from a poster on the ‘lockdown my thread that teachers just have to ‘hope’ they get a mild viral load. Have we become so disillusioned with this virus that because “schools must stay open” then we minimise they health of school staff?

I am happy to be back teaching my pupils, I’m not happy that I feel unsafe. I am not happy that other workplaces have ‘Covid secure’ measures but I have sanitiser and a ‘hope for the best’ attitude.

So, if you really want schools to stay open then please email your MP and voice concerns about safety and hopefully we can stay open in a meaningful way because there’s a difference between ‘schools open’ with us delivering a quality education and ‘schools open’ with a body providing childcare.

Rapid? They don’t know what rapid is. Some schools still waiting for laptops 😂

I'm so worried for my teacher friends. Thrown under a bus again.

Nice to see that schools are still seen as magical places that COVID can't touch. It's lovely to work in Fairyland every day.

If schools have to close (and I can see the arguments for why they might have to), I don't think they should be bothering to provide online/remote learning for the under 10s. Or, if they do, it should be on a completely voluntary basis for those who have a SAHP. It would be far better to abandon the pretence that a lot of these children are being educated at home and accept that children are going to be (even further) behind when they return. Online schooling is just an extra burden on parents. If school is education not childcare, home is childcare not education (well, at least not formal education).

If the schools shut, then teachers need to see their pay slashed like everybody else. That will quickly end teachers wanting another long term, fully paid holiday.

Education and childcare need to be prioritised. Children need to learn and interact with their peers. Parents need to be able to work so they can continue to house, feed and clothe their kids.

Vulnerable groups need to be shielded and any vulnerable teachers or teachers with vulnerable family members should be allowed to stay at home for the same as furloughed workers get.

Everybody else needs to get on with it. Any teacher who doesn't want to teach, shouldn't. There are other jobs out there. Not for long if the chicken littles have their way.

If teachers want to feel safe, then boost your immune system with good food, vitamins and exercise. Keep to a healthy weight. Covid is zero risk to healthy, fit people.

"If teachers want to feel safe, then boost your immune system with good food, vitamins and exercise. Keep to a healthy weight. Covid is zero risk to healthy, fit people."

So what do the 60 year old teachers, ta's and dinner ladies too.

Whilst we are it why not scrap the whole 2m SD, masks etc and just advise everyone to take more vitamins...

@ReneeRol

If the schools shut, then teachers need to see their pay slashed like everybody else. That will quickly end teachers wanting another long term, fully paid holiday.

Education and childcare need to be prioritised. Children need to learn and interact with their peers. Parents need to be able to work so they can continue to house, feed and clothe their kids.

Vulnerable groups need to be shielded and any vulnerable teachers or teachers with vulnerable family members should be allowed to stay at home for the same as furloughed workers get.

Everybody else needs to get on with it. Any teacher who doesn't want to teach, shouldn't. There are other jobs out there. Not for long if the chicken littles have their way.

If teachers want to feel safe, then boost your immune system with good food, vitamins and exercise. Keep to a healthy weight. Covid is zero risk to healthy, fit people.

We've just been told, well nothing. We've just been told there will be no mitigations for us. We will continue to work unprotected at the height of a dangerous pandemic.

Can you not see anything about your post that paints you as a vindictive arsehole?

@ReneeRol but the vulnerable staff are not being given the option to have the equivalent of furlough pay and not work!

@ReneeRol. Really zero risk to fit healthy people. Are you absolutely certain of that?

What about those suffering from long COVID?

@StaffAssociationRepresentative

Rapid? They don’t know what rapid is. Some schools still waiting for laptops 😂

And down to 10% of what's needed.

So likely 10 tests per school again?

Boris and his gov are so out of touch! They could have started lockdown in time for the start of half term when children aren't at school and many parents take leave from work to provide childcare anyway.
I so despise this f'ing government for not being able to plan beyond the end of their noses! ANd for many many other reasons too.

If the schools shut, then teachers need to see their pay slashed like everybody else. That will quickly end teachers wanting another long term, fully paid holiday. Education and childcare need to be prioritised. Children need to learn and interact with their peers. Parents need to be able to work so they can continue to house, feed and clothe their kids.
Vulnerable groups need to be shielded and any vulnerable teachers or teachers with vulnerable family members should be allowed to stay at home for the same as furloughed workers get. Everybody else needs to get on with it. Any teacher who doesn't want to teach, shouldn't. There are other jobs out there. Not for long if the chicken littles have their way.
If teachers want to feel safe, then boost your immune system with good food, vitamins and exercise. Keep to a healthy weight. Covid is zero risk to healthy, fit people.

Is that you, Ecosse? :o

I'm vulnerable, mid 40s and in a pretty strong asthma medication.

Sen school. I love the kids and we are hands on when they need it, for some it's constant contact. Not many are vulnerable, some parents are.

The only changes have been to alternate some classes for some activities to fortnightly and open windows, tonnes of spray etc. Hand washing. When we now know most transmission is air borne. Staff teams have several teaching assistants in them. We've a rigorous risk assessment within guidance but it still feels flimsy. No masks. I know classes who've all shared the same cold so far. We've had a few bubbles closed and confirmed transmission. Some local sen schools have fully shut due to high transmission.

Almost all children come in on council organised transport, taxis mainly. High risk, some have journeys of 30 mins. Many of the escorts and drivers are over 50.

It was starting to get too cold to teach with windows open before half term.

No wonder cases are rising worryingly in sen schools.

teachers need to see their pay slashed like everybody else. That will quickly end teachers wanting another long term, fully paid holiday.

I think this is slightly unnecessary. I think most primary school teachers should be furloughed, though. Most secondary school teachers will be able to have a go at teaching online, but there is very little value in online learning for younger children.

Schools in Northern Ireland reopen on Monday after a 2 week break, hospitality and beauty industry staying closed for another 2 weeks. The numbers of new cases have dropped significantly in the last few days so let's see what happens next week when schools are open. They can't blame pubs etc for the rise in numbers.

Children need schools to be open, but at present that isn't being done safely due to government rules. Schools either need extra buildings and staff or reduced schooltime for pupils. Teachers are being put at risk every day.

TheKeatingFive
Because this idiotic government won’t agree with ANYONE so if the unions make other demands then maybe just maybe the government will at least put some safety measures and funding into schools!

If they want parental support, then the way to do that is to focus on sensible demands they can get behind.

I've left your first bit in because the unions tried this and got shat on by the media, the government and some very vocal people on here + the group twats usforthem.

Remember the "schools should be open as normal and at all costs" (para) mantra, I wonder how many of them (if any) have changed their tiny minds

If the schools shut, then teachers need to see their pay slashed like everybody else. That will quickly end teachers wanting another long term, fully paid holiday

If schools shut, teachers will be teaching remotely. I haven't seen a teacher call for schools to close. And neither have you.

Education and childcare need to be prioritised. Children need to learn and interact with their peers. Parents need to be able to work so they can continue to house, feed and clothe their kids

You're not wrong, is why hasn't the government made it so.?

Vulnerable groups need to be shielded and any vulnerable teachers or teachers with vulnerable family members should be allowed to stay at home for the same as furloughed workers get

You do realise that vulnerable teachers still have classes to teach, don't you. they'll be working online. They won't be furloughed. Teachers would be laughing if they could get furloughed.

Everybody else needs to get on with it. Any teacher who doesn't want to teach, shouldn't. There are other jobs out there. Not for long if the chicken littles have their way

You're so full can-do, aren't you? You should try being a teacher.

If teachers want to feel safe, then boost your immune system with good food, vitamins and exercise. Keep to a healthy weight. Covid is zero risk to healthy, fit people

Of course! Have you heard of long Covid?

If schools shut, teachers will be teaching remotely. I haven't seen a teacher call for schools to close. And neither have you.

Primary schools should close. There is no point in primary school teachers teaching remotely.

ReneeRoll
If the schools shut, then teachers need to see their pay slashed like everybody else. That will quickly end teachers wanting another long term, fully paid holiday.

What no 80% furlough for them? Do you hate them that much?

Education and childcare need to be prioritised. Children need to learn and interact with their peers.

Maybe the government could put some money forward like they have been asked to and refused?

Parents need to be able to work so they can continue to house, feed and clothe their kids.

Then put the blame where it should be and not at the teachers.

Bizarre to think teachers should be furloughed. We should be investing in how we can safely educate.

Pomegranatespompom

Not as bizarre as those that think that their pay should be slashed because they have no idea what the teachers will be doing.

But yes investment in education would be better, but a haters gotta hate (not you)

The two people I know with Long Covid (now in wheelchairs) were both super, super fit before March.

Remember the first rule of the internet.

Don't feed them.

What a shit time we are all having.
Agree best to ignore the more flamboyant posters 🙄
Honestly I’d be happy to pay for safer conditions/improved resources.

@ReneeRol

If the schools shut, then teachers need to see their pay slashed like everybody else. That will quickly end teachers wanting another long term, fully paid holiday.

Education and childcare need to be prioritised. Children need to learn and interact with their peers. Parents need to be able to work so they can continue to house, feed and clothe their kids.

Vulnerable groups need to be shielded and any vulnerable teachers or teachers with vulnerable family members should be allowed to stay at home for the same as furloughed workers get.

Everybody else needs to get on with it. Any teacher who doesn't want to teach, shouldn't. There are other jobs out there. Not for long if the chicken littles have their way.

If teachers want to feel safe, then boost your immune system with good food, vitamins and exercise. Keep to a healthy weight. Covid is zero risk to healthy, fit people.

Daily mail comments section is that way >>>>