Teacher / school staff solidarity needed

[OpheliasCrayon]

It's my last day of term today, but I just wanted to know if any other teachers were really upset by yesterday's news that secondary children were going to go back staggered in Jan and we needed to do online learning.

I'm primary and sen so, I'm not secondary, but I just burst into tears, I don't trust the government to stick to anything, I've been asked to prepare this anyway in case of bubble closures or if the government change their minds any further and I don't trust the government to stick to anything.

And furthermore I am very certain that they have no power of rational thought due to their insane ideas to roll out mass testing in schools. We're teachers not medics.

I just cried though. I can't take any more this term and this just felt like such a low blow from the government, dropping this on seriously exhausted teachers right at the end of term.

I know we do all plan during the holidays- that's a given, but it just felt like such a cheap shot because the government left us literally no time to prepare anything in school and basically have said here - happy Christmas, now you can prepare for this during your holidays (along with all of your usual planning) and have even less of a rest.

I just wanted to know if any other teachers felt like this?

And if you're not a teacher or member of school staff and have any inkling of having ANY sort of a go at us for what we can / can't / should / shouldn't do in school... Can I please urge you not to. I know that everyone has a right to free speech but I have no wish for this to turn into yet another teacher bashing thread (of which there have been many) when I know that I am at my absolute wit's end with this, completely exhausted and tearful and just wanting some solidarity from fellow education workers.

My school have been nothing but absolutely fantastic throughout about everything so my upset is purely at the government, just to be clear, and how they're treating us

Thank you

It sounds dreadful, thenewaveragebear, I hope you're feeling a bit better now?

So much gratitude to our support staff at our school too, they've had so much helped onto them this term.

I hope you manage to get a decent break at Christmas .

I’m primary SLT. I was doing well until I had to phone EYFS parents to tell them that their nursery or reception age child would need to isolate up until and including Christmas Day.

I feel like I have spent the term taking on the anxieties of parents but also staff. That’s my job but that aspect has been harder than ever. I have a CEV toddler at home as well so there’s an added dimension there.

Thankfully everyone I work closely with at school has come together and supported each other. That has helped massively.

My oldest DC goes to a lovely infant school with a very experienced ‘old school’ Head who has always looked unflappable. We sent a thank you email to the staff earlier in the week as I know from personal experience how hard it will have been. The Head pulled DH over on the school run to thank him for it and he said she looked on the verge of tears. So if any parents are reading this and support how their school has worked this term, please do send an email - it means a lot.

OP I felt like this yesterday. Thankfully I work in a school that doesn't panic. My SLT already had 7different plans for January based on different scenarios. Yes I spent the day rushing round like a blue arsed fly trying to organise other bits but I've now switched off. I absolutely cannot work over Christmas and I refuse to. I'm not touching anything until Jan 4th, when I will go in early and figure out online teaching. I'm not changing everything completely, we will muddle through.

I've drawn a line. The government have fucked us over a few times now and I'm done playing this game. This is my holiday. I'm deleting my school email app. That is it.

I understand how you feel OP.

I am a primary teacher in Scotland. The news that secondary teachers in England are being expected to do this has upset more than I thought it could.

It speaks to how our profession is undervalued. Maybe even unvalued. My view of my own job has changed - I never considered myself as childcare or healthcare. It is upsetting and depressing. My health and that of my colleagues is irrelevant.

It comes at the end of the year when we have been asked to do things that we never thought we would be asked. Teach online with a few days notice and no previous experience or training. Organise return to school with ever changing guidance. Teach full time with no social distancing during a pandemic. Teach face to face and online to self isolating pupils at the same time with no extra time or resources. I know everyone has had to adapt, but some of these weren’t adaptations, they felt like a new job.

And despite feeling all of this, like that vast, vast majority of teachers, my main concern is offering the best I can to the pupils in my class. The fact is the government doesn’t want the best for your children. They want to pass the buck.

I'm a parent of secondary and primary we were all infected by our primary child! I've been fairly unwell so not impressed. Schools however have done their absolute best within the guidelines and limited resources the tories dealt them. Talking to staff and teacher friends they have limped thru these last few weeks running on fumes- For the tories to come up with this testing regime beggars belief! Very much in the their normal theme towards public sector- good idea but no funding, no notice massive task with zero detail or consultation But who cares cos its not their private sector mates or their kids involved!

I feel so sorry for all teachers and teaching staff, thank you for all your hard work,time and dedication to the children and school.thank you for caring about our children and keeping them as safe as you can.I do not see how mass testing can be done in schools by school staff and/our volunteers.what teacher wants to shove a swap up a child’s nose,how many parents will be on MN complaining about the teacher who put to much pressure on the swan and hurt there child’s nose.how are they going to get all consent forms out. Where will it take place.will teacher be allowed to wear Ppe for this. The government is crazy the dfe is crazy

@TheHollyandtheIvyyyyy

OP I felt like this yesterday. Thankfully I work in a school that doesn't panic. My SLT already had 7different plans for January based on different scenarios. Yes I spent the day rushing round like a blue arsed fly trying to organise other bits but I've now switched off. I absolutely cannot work over Christmas and I refuse to. I'm not touching anything until Jan 4th, when I will go in early and figure out online teaching. I'm not changing everything completely, we will muddle through.

I've drawn a line. The government have fucked us over a few times now and I'm done playing this game. This is my holiday. I'm deleting my school email app. That is it.

Good on you!!!! Great attitude and you enjoy that rest - bloody well deserved after this term!

to all teachears and staff.

@DBML

Hi op

I’m a teacher in secondary, but I like you, have felt pushed to my limit. I can only conclude that they do what they do, because we always produce the goods....and that perhaps if we stopped, they’d be forced to do things differently too.

For that reason, I popped my laptop away yesterday at 3pm and will not be picking it up until January 4th.

What’s the worst that can happen? Someone says ‘why haven’t you planned?’ I’ve got a very reasonable answer that actually I was neither given time nor money to do so.

Kids are the ones who suffer? Suffer is a strong word isn’t it. Children in third world countries suffer. My year 11 will not suffer if his teachers are unprepared the first week back...he might be confused and get shoddy work to do, but he won’t suffer.

So, that’s what I’ve been driven to...a complete rethink of how I manage my time and how much I’m willing to keep going above and beyond and the answer is...not much.

We only have to worry about it all if we choose to.

This is really thought provoking. Thank you

We are back in next week - no holiday for us yet. We are also going back a day early in January for a just added inset day, during the shortest Xmas holiday we've ever had anyway- at the worst time of year in a global pandemic. We already lost over a week of our holidays in august. It's honestly insane. Even the calmest most positive staff are cracking now!

So, that’s what I’ve been driven to...a complete rethink of how I manage my time and how much I’m willing to keep going above and beyond and the answer is...not much

Me too. Exactly this. I'm not working at all until 4th Jan. I don't have my work emails on my phone, laptop is away. Entitlement, from gov and kids (not parents or colleagues), has worn me down this term.

@midnightstar66 it’s madness that schools are still opening into next week.

I find it so upsetting how our teachers are being bullied and belittle by this government.the dfe should be ashamed of itself. My children’s teachers and school staff have been amazing. It make me angry to think how upset there are feeling after working so hard

I strongly applaud all the teachers who are putting their phones and laptops away and refusing to participate in their own bad treatment. Good for you. We need teachers. We need them beyond the pandemic too, and the way we are going, the profession is going to be even harder to fill than it was before (and that was already bad).

Just don’t do any extra work. If we keep pandering to the government, they will have to learn that quality of education will decrease.

Grateful thanks to all teachers and school staff.

Please have a break. Focus on you own families until 4 Jan. You owe no one else any more after this term. please rest.

I think this reckless move from the government is the final straw.

I'm sure there'll be many more to come. But this one has unified everyone = it seems.

There's no way they'll spin this or dig themselves out of the deep deep hole they've fallen into.

I'm a parent. I have my ups and downs with school. Not always supportive. But honestly - this is the biggest pile of shit I've ever heard of. It's (weirdly for me) brought me wholly onto the side of the teachers and schools. And I can't imagine that shifting now. I always knew that this government was full of clueless arseholes. But this has really brought that home.

I'll leave this here ...

schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-staff-offered-1k-bonuses-to-work-on-school-testing-prep-over-christmas/?fbclid=IwAR3TdBqKQJu1xCjBQVv5J6PeC8JHYxHh1VA0CZjizqLVk1ydDyNOOqCf9-0

What are your unions doing? Have they been active? Are you pushing them for support? You need to speak up!

Unions are pretty useless in my experience. They tend to create an embarrassing fuss about the small things, thus making us a laughing stock with the public whilst pissing off school leadership. Then when we have something we can genuinely moan about, it's a hundred times harder to be taken seriously. Also, they don't have any legal power really. They have been very vocal telling the government off throughout all of this but I guess they can't battle it if the government don't want to listen.

I'm part of a union for legal advice and that's it.

The unions continue to meet directors for education and define a combined message from them all in what is reasonable.

It's a really fine line in the union defending members whilst directors are under pressure to keep to the party line (especially in conservative councils). They also need parents onside and the wider community onside too.

Parents are usually against teachers, I think the tide is turning.

@thenewaveragebear1983 solidarity and tea for you

As well as reception duties I'm both the attendance officer and the medical/first aid officer in my secondary. Normal days are super busy, on days when we've had a positive case I've not had time to go to the loo all day. I get the horrible feeling that we are exactly the staff who will have to be involved in this testing, even if not the testing itself then the mountain of admin, on top of our other jobs.
I've said to my union rep that I'll seriously look at leaving if this is the case

This shambles has had the unprecedented effect of uniting all the education unions. This never happens.

The headteacher unions, governor union, teaching unions and college unions plus the Church of England education authority have issued a joint letter to the government that is well worth a read. They all say this proposal is unworkable in the timescale given and with the lack of guidance available and they will support any of their members who refuses to work on it till the start of next term.

neu.org.uk/media/13741/view

[quote Pieceofpurplesky]I'll leave this here ...

schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-staff-offered-1k-bonuses-to-work-on-school-testing-prep-over-christmas/?fbclid=IwAR3TdBqKQJu1xCjBQVv5J6PeC8JHYxHh1VA0CZjizqLVk1ydDyNOOqCf9-0[/quote]
I've only got very nasty swear words to use in response to this.