NEU tells teachers not to go to work on Monday

[Workyticket]

skwawkbox.org/2021/01/02/breaking-union-tells-teachers-not-to-go-to-work-on-monday/

why can independent schools cope?

Eton couldn't. It had to close early for Christmas due to a large covid outbreak.

Teaching is also, a vocation.

Bullshit. Not any more, it isn't. I lost my vocation somewhere in all the vitriol but I can't afford to leave , so I won't.

@PinkFondantFancy

I'd allow access to all children, since you ask. My children's hospital clinic appointments are happening with a plastic pinny and paper mask, to protect the children, not to protect the drs. They're in a small room, without ventilation, for prolonged periods, seeing many many families per day, making physical contact with the children.

Amazed your childs appointments have gone ahead. Ours have all been cancelled. 2 different hospital trusts and appointments not able to go ahead in person. Both appointments are needed but just not possible at this time because a. Its not safe and b some staff have been redeployed to deal with covid

• heads are not epidemiologists and teachers and volunteers are not professional medics.

Schools can be made safer but will never be totally covid safe unless perhaps held entirely outside.

The cascade of measures also get interpreted in different ways there is no consistency and everyone is at the mercy of everyone else.

Speaks volumes doesn't it when even the government can't come out and defend their stance with science.

This tweet was deleted in record time. I wonder why.

It's a job. For some it's a career. But the sense of it being a vocation went out the window a long time ago, around the time it all became about performance related pay, targets, and triple marking in three colours "for ofsted"

I get that, in a way, Ulelia. But I didn't see teachers marching about this, only their pensions! The teachers, lecturers and unions seem to have gone along completely with this trajectory.

I understand that good teachers tryna do their best, may not agree with the whole exam factory bx, and that is sad. But they are not speaking about it that much. The only time you hear anything is when their salaries, pensions or Terms & Conditions affected. Understandable. But not the High Road wouldn't you say?

@RMRM

You've already been told it's not a strike and that teachers will be working to provide remote education. You really are a Flipping Nightmare.

As far as my teacher daughter knows she is back in on Monday for year 11s and vulnerable / key worker students. No tests delivered to school so far!

As long as teachers are ok not getting paid

That’s fine. But just so you’re clear that means no keyworker provision. No vulnerable child support, including phone calls and visits when there is no response. No follow up with social Services regarding concerns for vulnerable children. No preparing reports, attending meetings or anything else required to remove a child from an unsuitable household. No paper packs of work prepared or delivered. No online teaching live and no prep of prerecorded lessons. No links on google classroom or Teams. No marking. No delivering supermarket vouchers.

But I didn't see teachers marching about this, only their pensions!

You do understand that teachers are only allowed to strike about their working conditions, right? When the pension strike happened, unions desperately tried to sneak in all the other shit alongside the pension issue into the press. Because we weren't allowed to strike about that.

The problem is twofold. The main issue is that there are two important issues that are impossible to resolve. It is vitally important to children, their parents and to the future of the country that children are properly educated at school. On the other hand infection rates have gone through the roof and no one wants to be in a room with other people. This is impossible to resolve in a way that is satisfactory.

The secondary less important issue is the self righteous exceptionalism in the way some of the teachers on MN talk about themselves. As if they are the only people who might have to work harder, or suffer any detriment because of covid.

My son's college has texted him not to go in, except for the BTEC exam on 11th.

When they'll all be crammed into one room and the windows don't open. Teacher keeps going on about their sodding bubble. It's not a frigging bubble: It's a Venn diagram!

Can you IMAGINE if doctors and nurses had done this during the first lockdown? At least they have professional integrity.

Meanwhile doctors and nurses are on twitter begging for the schools to be closed because their hospitals are overwhelmed with the rising infection rate. They are also seeing more children and young people in hospital with Covid. Since we've established that they have professional integrity- perhaps we should try listening to them?

I wish they would respond to this. My anxiety is through the roof and I've been forced to eat a second daim bar.

If my wage is “drastically reduced” then I won’t realistically be able to pay my rent because I’m an NQT and therefore not on loads of money, and would have to move back home with my parents, who are vulnerable. Is that what you would like to happen, @Flippingnightmare? Like, that’s what you think I deserve for being a teacher, is it? Nice.

@noblegiraffe

norovirus can also be deadly

Compared to covid? Let's see your figures.

Not the point, there is still a small risk of serious illness and death. Which is what covid appears to be for the majority of people.

I think the idea that teaching is a vocation has allowed unrealistic expectations of teachers both within schools and society and this is fuelling the teacher shortage as it becomes more and more difficult to be a teacher and have a life outside of work.

I'm surprised that all England didn't hear my sigh of relief when I read of this development. It's not before time.

I congratulate the NUE and their members for standing up to the shitshow which is the current government. Anyone who is complaining because little Johnnie will miss school - shame on you.

@Flippingnightmare

All the people talking about furlough, LOL furlough is for struggling sectors to retain jobs, not to pay people who can't be arsed to o in.

Can you IMAGINE if doctors and nurses had done this during the first lockdown? At least they have professional integrity.

The main difference between doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals is they have PPE and work in a controlled environment. Teachers have no PPE, no real social distancing and our only defence is a bar of soap.- would you go and mix freely in a cramped room for 6 hours a day every day with 30+ other people and no protection? Teachers are trying to teach, maintain standards, support children (and their families) support home learning for isolating children as well as the 100s of other elements involved with being a teacher. They do this is very difficult circumstances and usually with a smile plastered on their face hiding their own fears and concerns. Your ignorance regarding schools is astounding- if you don’t understand what you are talking about it is best to not talk!

@Beebityboo

I wish they would respond to this. My anxiety is through the roof and I've been forced to eat a second daim bar.

I'm also desperate for a response. I'm knee deep in celebration wrappers. 😂

@christinarossetti19

I'm not intending to be rude, but I'm staggered by the number of people on MN who clearly care deeply about their children's education, but don't seem to know that the government legislated that schools need to provide online learning in the event of school closures in October.

It was all over the national press.

As cantkeepawayforever says, the quality of this will be compromised by the government not fulfilling its promises to provide laptops and other tech to schools with lots of children who don't have these at home and the general chaos of its decision-making.

Agreed.

I'm equally staggered at the number of people on MN who are kicking off about some (NOT ALL) schools not providing work through the first lockdown when THE GOVERNMENT SUSPENDED THE CURRICULUM.

Fair 'nuff noble, maybe they are caught up in the machine (maybe we all are). Maybe some teachers caught between a rock and a hard place. But what the teachers union are doing and how they are going about it is tenuous IMO. The goose laying the golden egg and then smashing it is a fairy tale that comes to mind.

Now can Wales do the same please?

@MartiniDry

I'm surprised that all England didn't hear my sigh of relief when I read of this development. It's not before time.

I congratulate the NUE and their members for standing up to the shitshow which is the current government. Anyone who is complaining because little Johnnie will miss school - shame on you.

It’s a big deal to stop school for lots of reasons. People can support the walk out if they feel it is right but minimising doesn’t help.

I don't know if thats a fairlytale I imagine though ...