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Original poster

If it's OK for teachers to have to carry on working....

256 replies

jomartin281271 · 31/10/2020 20:40

If it's OK for teachers to have to carry on working, why isn't it OK for MPs to go back to Parliament and work no PPE and no social distancing? These MPs know how dangerous it is out there and there's no way they'll put themselves in danger, but they're quite happy to throw teachers under the bus. And by the way, I'm not a teacher, I'm an appalled parent.

OP posts:
thetoughhaveleft · 31/10/2020 22:15

@MoonPomme restaurants are closing precisely because of the risks to customers and staff! I'm not sure exactly what your point is here?

Hercwasonaroll · 31/10/2020 22:15

So what is the difference between teachers and pharmacists / shop workers/ carers / gas engineers hmm

Shop workers PPE limited prolonged contact with others
Carers PPE
Gas engineers PPE and tiny contact with other people
Pharmacists PPE, one in one out policy, limited contact with others

SimonJT · 31/10/2020 22:16

@MoonPomme

'Shop workers etc don’t spend five hours a day in relatively small rooms with around 30 other people who are not wearing masks.' Shop workers dont. Waitresses do. But instead of 30, or even 30 an hour, make that 60 an hour for 10 or 11 hours a day. Its shit. The main difference is people dont need to eat overpriced mass produced meals. Children do need educating. Thats why teachers will still have jobs. My colleagues and I might not be so lucky.
Very few wait staff without a mask will be within 1m of 30 people for five hours each day.

In cafes and restaurants tables are spaced out to allow staff and clients to be socially distanced. This is impossible in most classrooms.

commandatori · 31/10/2020 22:16

@vipersputpaidtomylastusername

Oh dear me. So what is the difference between teachers and pharmacists / shop workers/ carers / gas engineers Hmm
Sorry, can you tell me one thing that is similar in the way gas engineers and teachers work? I had someone round the other day to fix my boiler and he wore a mask and I didn’t even go near him. How is that remotely the same Hmm
Ayupmeduck · 31/10/2020 22:17

@ShatnersBaboon

It's fairly shit for everyone who can't work at home. Teachers can wear a mask and maintain a 1m distance from others if they choose to, just like shop workers, bus drivers, social workers, bank clerks...
It's virtually impossible to teach wearing a mask. Everything you say is muffled. When teaching phonics children need to be able to see the shape of your mouth, correct enunciation is crucial. when a child has fallen over and cut their knee or wet themselves how do I help them from over 1m away? Twatish posts like yours just illustrate the lack of understanding of what we actually do all day.
thetoughhaveleft · 31/10/2020 22:18

I went to the doctors with my dd the other day. We had to wait outside the building to be let in, one patient at a time. The doctor was wearing an apron, a mask, a visor and gloves. We also wore masks throughout. The reason for our visit was a mental health related one, not in any way related to Covid.
On Monday both me and her will return to our respective schools and both will be amongst huge groups of people with almost no protections. Schools are NOT Covid proof. They never were.

Ayupmeduck · 31/10/2020 22:20

Wasting your time @commandatori
I think some people are just wilfully ignorant.
I'm not posting on this thread because I think we are special or deserve a medal but just to be treated with basic respect and something above contempt would be nice.

Tootletum · 31/10/2020 22:22

Ever thought it might be the other way around? Government now know its not the risk it seemed but having fucked the economy they have to go through the charade. And focus groups keep telling them that we're lapping up this authoritarian shit, which is why we keep getting more of it.

commandatori · 31/10/2020 22:24

@Ayupmeduck

Wasting your time *@commandatori* I think some people are just wilfully ignorant. I'm not posting on this thread because I think we are special or deserve a medal but just to be treated with basic respect and something above contempt would be nice.
I know, I’m letting myself get annoyed for no reason 🤦‍♀️ I’m going to go and watch tv now!
LastGoldenDaysOfSummer · 31/10/2020 22:26

Most reasonable people accept that teachers have been treated really badly by this government's lack of support for even the most basic safety conditions.

There are a few very odd people on MN who have a pathological hatred of teachers for some perverse reason. Weird in the extreme.

Best not to engage. They don't believe what they are saying they are trying to cause hurt for some sick gratification of their own.

Fizzydrinks123 · 31/10/2020 22:27

The reason the GP is wearing PPE etc is because they will definitely come across cases of covid and it is to prevent spreading it to all the other majority of the patients that don't have covid and want to see gp for other things.

CarpeVitam · 31/10/2020 22:27

@Summerfreeze

Teachers can wear a mask and maintain a 1m distance from others if they choose to

Who is dense enough to actually think this let alone type it?!

Dense indeed! 🙄
RubyViolet · 31/10/2020 22:28

Some nasty minimising going on here. It’s abusive. There are some Teachers and school staff who are rightly or wrongly feeling unsafe.
I sympathise with you all and appreciate your efforts.
This is tough for you all without the abuse on here. Peace.

BringBiscuits · 31/10/2020 22:29

Today 21:10 DonaldTrumpsChopper

I usually have a huge amount of sympathy for teachers (from a family of teachers) but every single person I know in the private sector is desperate to work, to hang on to their job, to save their business etc.

And some of us had to work through the last lockdown, with no time off at all.

At least teachers have a job, which is valued and protected.*

Well said.

Inkpaperstars · 31/10/2020 22:29

I thought I heard that Parliament is not closing this time around.

Joeblack066 · 31/10/2020 22:31

@1stV45

How many times? It's about reducing overall contact, so if people who can wfh do so, the risk is reduced for everyone.

I'm a teacher too and I'm really sick of hearing this now. If you don't think your role is important enough to carry on, go and do something else.

Well said!
user1471530109 · 31/10/2020 22:32

@BringBiscuits

* Today 21:10 DonaldTrumpsChopper

I usually have a huge amount of sympathy for teachers (from a family of teachers) but every single person I know in the private sector is desperate to work, to hang on to their job, to save their business etc.

And some of us had to work through the last lockdown, with no time off at all.

At least teachers have a job, which is valued and protected.*

Well said.

You are completely and spectacularly.missing the point. No one said we aren't grateful for our bloody jobs. We just want some respect with some mandatory PPE. FFS. I thought most people on this site were literate and intelligent? It's like reading a comments section on the DM!
thetoughhaveleft · 31/10/2020 22:35

The reason the GP is wearing PPE etc is because they will definitely come across cases of covid and it is to prevent spreading it to all the other majority of the patients that don't have covid and want to see gp for other things

Not correct. This was a tiny surgery with one doctor only. My daughter was the only patient in the building during our appointment. There were no patients in when we arrived and we were the last appointment of the day. He wore it for us, just in case. Perfectly reasonable of course, just as it's reasonable for teachers to wonder why we don't justify any protection at all.

Fizzydrinks123 · 31/10/2020 22:37

Yes well said - we are all working - just those that can work from home are doing that, which allows us that can't work from home to be in an environment where people weren't in the pub after all day in the office.

Our media re useless about explaining anything.

OverTheRainbowLiesOz · 31/10/2020 22:38

Why don't people care about safety measures for teachers?

By extension extra protection / screens / opening windows / PPE / masks in corridors would help the whole local community.

Hercwasonaroll · 31/10/2020 22:38

The reason the GP is wearing PPE etc is because they will definitely come across cases of covid and it is to prevent spreading it to all the other majority of the patients that don't have covid and want to see gp for other things.

Schools are full of covid cases. Asymptomatic spread is rife. Still no PPE for teachers.

Gps won't see anyone with covid symptoms where I am. Wheras I've had a kid in my classroom say "I had a covid test last night". I also had another cough all over me, mum complained and said it was allergies. It wasn't.

Ayupmeduck · 31/10/2020 22:41

'Teachers' are not a homogeneous mass.
There's a big difference between teaching early years/primary/secondary/SEN pupils and what that entails in terms of distancing, masks etc.
I'm not sure that teachers necessarily want more PPE or the closure of schools but rather a recognition of the challenges that they are facing right now

Hophop26 · 31/10/2020 22:41

OP has it occurred to you that in going for such a strict lockdown the measures are actually providing some extra protection and mitigating some of the risk to teachers? Schools need to stay open as long as possible for lots of reasons, if everything else is more tightly restricted that will lower the risk in the classroom which is a good thing and instead of being “appalled” be glad that the government is doing something that is making schools safer than they were yesterday

OverTheRainbowLiesOz · 31/10/2020 22:41

My daughter had a COVID case in her class. She still teaches across bubbles. Not much social distancing going on.

echt · 31/10/2020 22:42

At least teachers have a job, which is valued and protected.

No they don't. It is not valued and not protected.

And really, enough already with the forelock-tugging, yes master gratitude for working. Hmm