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Is it right that Teachers/support staff are expected to carry out testing?

260 replies

CheltenhamLady · 31/12/2020 17:32

Just that?

Is it right or fair?

OP posts:
MrsHamlet · 31/12/2020 17:33

No.

H1978 · 31/12/2020 17:35

It isn’t fair. My dd19 is doing a higher assistant course in her old secondary school and they’ve been told they will have to do it. Coupled with having to teach classes with teachers off, they’ve been expected to work like qualified teachers. It’s been very stressful for her and her friends.

PandemicPavalova · 31/12/2020 17:36

It's the most bizarre thing ever.

The tests are not easy to do, there is a minefield of health and safety, what if you accidentally hurt a child or they gag and sick on you!

EndoplasmicReticulum · 31/12/2020 17:39

Nope.

Although in most cases the students will be testing themselves (anyone who has ever met year 9 will realise that this is not a sensible plan either).

Plus (and I know I go on about this a lot but it really does need saying) - the tests are at best 50% accurate at detecting positives.

Elephant4 · 31/12/2020 17:39

The government said very clearly - before Christmas, I've heard nothing since - that teachers would not be doing the testing. They said that teachers would be left to teach.

What is actually going to happen?

Lougle · 31/12/2020 17:40

Our school has put a request out for volunteers.

DecemberSun · 31/12/2020 17:40

I hope they refuse.

Not their job.

PurpleDaisies · 31/12/2020 17:42

No. It’s bonkers.

picklespark · 31/12/2020 17:42

I’m a teacher and I am not doing it. School staff should not have to; we aren’t trained for this.

halcyondays · 31/12/2020 17:45

No. If they had wanted to carry out medical tests they would have gone into healthcare not teaching.

Shinyletsbebadguys · 31/12/2020 17:46

I'm not usually a fan of the MN specific poor me from the small group of dramatic teachers on here (I officially exclude the numerous brilliant hardworking teachers on here and the ones that teach my DC because they are fantastic) but on this they genuinely have my sympathy. Its insane.

My ds1 has additional needs and good luck with him letting anyone but me swab him and ds2 involuntarily vomits every single time (two tests in two weeks as requested by the local authority and now another due in two weeks due to the school delay).

I would not wish my DC reaction to the tests on anyone , especially their teachers (I mean I don't even wish it on me but I did give birth to them so if anyone is going to be thrown up on it's only fair its me).

Plus ds2 is in a class of 52 and ds1 in a class of 31 . Even if only half the DC react like mine that's completely unfair to expect the teachers to deal with.

YuleAreBeingUnREASTIEable · 31/12/2020 17:46

We got an email from dds school saying staff would be trained to test and asking for parental volunteers. I thought the staff now wouldn’t administer but would give instructions and watch them do it.

sarahC40 · 31/12/2020 17:47

I’m not volunteering for that. Currently have two colleagues unwell with it and I don’t want what they’ve described to me.

PurpleDaisies · 31/12/2020 17:48

@YuleAreBeingUnREASTIEable

We got an email from dds school saying staff would be trained to test and asking for parental volunteers. I thought the staff now wouldn’t administer but would give instructions and watch them do it.
Anyone who has seen pupils trying to glue in worksheets properly will know how well that’s going to go. Given that these lateral flow tests are even less accurate when they’re not administered by medical people, they are going to be worse than pointless.
Achristmaspudsskidu · 31/12/2020 17:50

I am starting to suspect it will never get up and running-there are just too many problems.

If teachers aren’t doing it, as they are teaching, who will be?
If it’s TA/admin/site staff, who will be doing their job?
If it’s volunteers, without dbs checks (not apparently needed) they will all need to be supervised. By who?

When Alfie tests positive, his close contacts are notified. What happens then? They are all picked out of class and told, then either their parents are phoned (if consent for the crap tests isn’t given) or put back in class and told to carry on. I would imagine levels of concentration will not be high and there will be much illicit texting of parents and pupils feeling unwell. Having been identified as a close contact myself, you do end up symptom spotting!

Then, they all spend the day as normal in 5 different lesson with 30 different children at a time and then get the bus home. Then get the bus in the next day and wait in the hall for half an hour with all the other contacts and teachers and do their own tests. After half an hour of waiting, 5/60 come back positive. They are pulled out and kept somewhere separate (not sure where yet, there are no spare rooms) and told they are positive. 2 go white and one faints and two more cry. No one is free to cam them down as they are on the phone to their parents. Their parents are phoned but have gone to work and can’t collect them for 4 hours.

The rest of the ‘negatives’ go back to class and rinse and repeat the process whilst the school now have to go back and find the close contacts of the 5 new positive children. 2 teachers also test positive and have to go home. There is nobody to supervise their lessons now. Obviously once home, they are still required to teach remotely despite being covid positive, but all classes still need to be supervised.

The next day, 14 people and 4 teachers test positive.

The next day, another 15.

What a lot of work and it doesn’t seem to be containing the spread...

Just my thoughts.

EndoplasmicReticulum · 31/12/2020 17:51

As a parent I'm not going to consent for my children to be tested in this way.
If enough parents didn't consent it wouldn't get anywhere, would it?

WanderingMilly · 31/12/2020 17:53

Yes, it's true. I am support staff (non-teaching role) and have just been informed I will be testing pupils and staff from next week, even though our students aren't back until 11th Jan anyway.

Independent school so we get sent the governmental stuff but there's no money for private schools so it's all extra unpaid.
Given the lack of space/cleaning/PPE currently, I can see I shall be bringing in all my own protective equipment too.

I can't see the point, given that we have younger children too, who will go untested and who will undoubtedly spreading virus everywhere. To be quite honest, I think I'd be safer working in a bloody supermarket....

CheltenhamLady · 31/12/2020 17:55

@EndoplasmicReticulum

As a parent I'm not going to consent for my children to be tested in this way. If enough parents didn't consent it wouldn't get anywhere, would it?
I haven't heard that parental consent is to be sought. I think if a child turns up for school they will be automatically tested.
OP posts:
PurpleDaisies · 31/12/2020 17:56

I haven't heard that parental consent is to be sought. I think if a child turns up for school they will be automatically tested.

This is totally wrong.
No parental consent, no test.

EndoplasmicReticulum · 31/12/2020 17:57

No, they can't test children without consent.

happystone · 31/12/2020 17:57

No not fair not right. Government fuck up again what a surprise

year5teacher · 31/12/2020 17:57

I would if I had to, I wouldn’t enjoy it but I’d just get on with it I think. I can see why others wouldn’t.

OverTheRainbowLiesOz · 31/12/2020 17:57

They have said school staff should be doing the testing. Seeing as they got rid of a lot of staff in the cuts it doesn't leave many option for the heads. The heads have no idea how to set up testing and have not yet received any tests from government.

My daughter (NQT teacher / zero medical training) has had a questionnaire asking what she is prepared to do and this will have to be juggled with year 11 / key workers kids in school teaching and online learning.

Apparently the kids will be supervised doing their tests. Given the hysteria which breaks out among teens during normal jabs that should be fun.

What could possibly go wrong?

AaronPurr · 31/12/2020 17:58

I think if a child turns up for school they will be automatically tested.

Why would you think that? Confused

No consent, no test.

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