Teachers not self isolating

[Clearasmuddypuddles]

I’ve been notified that I have taught a student who tested positive for COVID. He sits on the front row of my classroom. I cannot physically be 2m away from him when explaining the work at the board. I have to hand out worksheets and supervise work, from 2m of course.

The entire class (over 70% of which are more than 2m away from this child) has to self isolate. I don’t, because as a teacher I am meant to be 2m away.

This is the case in every school I know. Staff are putting themselves and their families at risk because they are not allowed to self isolate when they have been in contact with a positive case.

@starrynight19 because the one single child would have taken out 11 teachers today. The other 4 we also have would have probably taken out the rest of the workforce and so we couldn’t open.

It’s not about safety, it’s about the government’s mission to keep schools open whatever the cost.

Happened to me too OP.

My desk at the front isn't 2m away. The board isn't 2m away. No one is 2m away. Yet the students isolate but teachers don't we're "not part of the bubble". It's shit.

Clearasmuddypuddles and then they wonder why it’s not working in high schools and that age group has the highest rate of infections

Hang on though @mrsm43s , what about when OP pops along to teach in the classroom next door, which is of the same dimensions as her original class, and potentially infects all the children in there?

Your argument only holds if all OPs possible students are isolating away from her. As you well know, or should well know, the other students in the school are waiting for her to teach them in person.

As pps have also said, your comment is also totally tone deaf to her own health concerns.

There is a point to self isolation given that teachers can cross all bubbles and teach anywhere. The students self isolating are protected from her, but if she goes along to the classroom next door, they might as well all go and meet up with their friends too.

Same happened to DD. She taught a vlass of Y12 for 5 hours and one child tested positive. The rest of the class, including those seated more than 2m away, isolated. DD not allowed to, even though she has been in the room breathing the same infected air for hours.

@mrsm43s my family were put at risk last week when I wasn’t told I had taught a positive person. I then could have seen my vulnerable mum at the weekend.

Now they have rectified the situation and will inform me then maybe my family are at no greater risk because I’m not self isolating,- apart from the fact that me and the 11 other teachers are all still in school, possibly infecting each other or other staff, possibly contributing to the rise of infection in our school. Which increases my risk level. The safest thing for my family is to know immediately when I’ve been in contact, and then to allow me and other staff to properly isolate to ensure our risk level doesn’t increase further. It’s not so much about me, it’s about the other staff as well who could then potentially infect me. Or could spread it to more students who could then infect me.

OP I do feel for you and in my school (also secondary) you would be told to isolate. This week we’ve had 8 teachers isolating just because of 2 positive pupil cases in school. We’re not a big school and it’s been a really hard week, but our SLT are genuinely trying to keep everyone safe.

I'm more surprised that the entire class was told to self-isolate than the fact that you were told not to.

I've just had to do 2 weeks self isolation because a child on my front row tested positive. The school said they "couldn't tell me to isolate or not to isolate it was my choice". I decided to isolate to be on the safe side but I completely agree with you that the rules are ridiculous

[quote Clearasmuddypuddles]@mrsm43s my family were put at risk last week when I wasn’t told I had taught a positive person. I then could have seen my vulnerable mum at the weekend.

Now they have rectified the situation and will inform me then maybe my family are at no greater risk because I’m not self isolating,- apart from the fact that me and the 11 other teachers are all still in school, possibly infecting each other or other staff, possibly contributing to the rise of infection in our school. Which increases my risk level. The safest thing for my family is to know immediately when I’ve been in contact, and then to allow me and other staff to properly isolate to ensure our risk level doesn’t increase further. It’s not so much about me, it’s about the other staff as well who could then potentially infect me. Or could spread it to more students who could then infect me.[/quote]
To be fair you simply won't know, as many cases are asymptomatic. In your shoes, I would always assume I could have taught a positive case. I work for the NHS and have made that assumption right through, hence only seeing my parents with serious precautions to keep them safe.

To be fair you simply won't know, as many cases are asymptomatic. In your shoes, I would always assume I could have taught a positive case. I work for the NHS and have made that assumption right through, hence only seeing my parents with serious precautions to keep them safe.

Exactly. As a teacher, I have assumed that whenever I have been in school (full time since June 1st), there is a possibility - indeed increasingly a probability - that my classroom has contained at least 1 asymptomatic infected child or adult.

Hence I isolate or at least keep extremely strict social distancing and mask wear everywhere outside work.

I have seen my elderly parents once in 2020, two weeks after school closed for the summer so I could isolate for 14 days.

I am of course also at risk from my DD (Y13) and DH (also in education, huge setting), but I do not isolate from them. Even I have some limits - I am CV, they are not.

@OverTheRainbowLiesOz

Why is it one rule for everyone EXCEPT teachers?

1. Government doesn't give a shit about teachers safety
2. A large proportion of parents don't give a shit.
3. The media doesn't seem to give a shit.

Until it affects them of course, which it will soon.

Sadly I agree with this. I'm very pissed off at the parents especially.

The entire class (over 70% of which are more than 2m away from this child) has to self isolate
Wow, where about a are you that you’re allowed this? Not a single school here sends home more than the two pupils either side of the positive case. I’m jealous. (brings back memories of The four Yorkshiremen sketch 😉 )

@Clearasmuddypuddles

I’ve been notified that I have taught a student who tested positive for COVID. He sits on the front row of my classroom. I cannot physically be 2m away from him when explaining the work at the board. I have to hand out worksheets and supervise work, from 2m of course.

The entire class (over 70% of which are more than 2m away from this child) has to self isolate. I don’t, because as a teacher I am meant to be 2m away.

This is the case in every school I know. Staff are putting themselves and their families at risk because they are not allowed to self isolate when they have been in contact with a positive case.

In my school every member of staff working in a class has to self isolate if anyone in the room tests positive. Who’s told you that you don't need to?

Why are the rules so vastly different in each school? 🤔

We can see a clear picture where the majority of our pupil positive cases - lots of them - sit in the front row. Almost like the teachers are passing it in as they talk. We are just under 38% of staff having tested positive and I will see how high the percentage would be had they all been tested?

Op, don't worry worry about, 2 meters really is a magical distance.

Even if your one millimeter over 2 meters the covid aerosols will be stopped in their tracks by the force field that springs up and protects your nose, eyes and mouth.

When the guidelines were issued, our best of British gave those covid germs a damn good talking too. I can assure you, they fell into line.

In a secondary, SoonToBe60?

Two or three positive pupils (which most schools have) could wipe entire the entire teaching faculty.

Haha those of you who think that teachers should stay 2m away from pupils. That would actually be impossible in 3 of the rooms I teach in. I am less than that whilst standing at the board, let alone whilst circulating around the room. I ventilate the rooms as best I can but one room is very poorly ventilated and that’s the one I teach 18 17 year olds in crammed in like sardines. That is the reality!!! 🤷‍♀️

In our school it’s front row only that’s deemed close contact as less than 2m. So when a teacher has tested positive the whole of the front row of all the classes they teach have had to self isolate. No teacher has had to self isolate yet due to a pupil testing positive....

I agree with you all! I have taught 5 kids who have tested positive. Not one staff
Member has been sent home to self isolate.

Every hour we are exposed to more and more kids at secondary. At primary they have endless time in their bubble. Yet all I read is that teachers don't want to work! Drives me mad

This is criminal negligence.

@starrynight19 we are a primary school and year 5 were sent home on Monday. But only one class were sent home and the teachers are still in. Where is the logic in that, when they are just sat in the PPA room uploading work? It just seems like an unnecessary risk to the rest of the school community.

In my school every member of staff working in a class has to self isolate if anyone in the room tests positive. Who’s told you that you don't need to?

The head, based on DfE advice.