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/

Johnson of this morning's Andrew Marr show:

Boris Johnson told the BBC tougher measures may be required in parts of the country in the coming weeks.

He said this included the possibility of keeping schools closed, although this is not "something we want to do".

But he added ministers had to be "realistic" about the spread of the new variant of the virus.

Mr Johnson said the government was "entirely reconciled to doing what it takes to get the virus down," and warned of a "tough period ahead".

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So, he's actually said that realistically schools may continue to be closed, although they don't want to do this. Coupled with doing whatever it takes to get the virus down.
So, let's have the press conference sooner rather than later Johnson, rather than waste anymore time.

@ArosAdraDrosDolig

I’m watching the NEU live stream. I don’t see how schools can open after this?

Why do you think this? I’m desperately hoping teachers won’t go in tomorrow and it will force all schools to shut but I can see teachers being ‘forced’ in by their head teachers. What about in private schools?

Independent school teachers have teh same rights under S.44, it is for all workers in the UK. NEU, NAHT and Unison members have been told that they will be fully supported by their unions if their school tried to take any action against them for this.

The feedback is many Heads are welcoming the s.44 letters as it makes the decision easy for them- they won't have enough staff and therefore will have to close.

@bartymao

Thanks for that link, I must admit I instantly recoil from anything that sounds extreme politically, however that was extremely useful and helpfully and focused Solely on the findings and reviews of imperial, London school of hygiene and tropical medicine and sage, that school is not safe for the adults, children are getting covid in rising numbers and that school needs to close to protect everyone including wider communities.

Over 100 thou listening in!!

Safe, what does safe mean is the very crux of it all, no head teacher could prove its safe to be on site if 3 scientific bodies say, no, it's not.

@SoscaredforJan I agree. I want schools to close but I fear teachers will be made to feel silly or overreacting for sending in the S44 letter.

It seems to me that it’s fairly obvious that schools should close but no-one wants to put their head above the parapet (other than the Union) - I mean where is Kier Starmer not to mention Gavin Williamson! 70,000 teachers on a zoom call on a Sunday and the education secretary doesn’t feel the need to show his face?? Baffling!

So scared

Imagine the utter legal nightmare this is for a head, they may not realise it themselves which is why they have been advised to take legal action..

You say.. It's not safe, she/he says, yes it is.

3 weeks later yiu are in hospital, seriously ill and you have said its not safe and she said it was..

What would the next steps be? She /he says in court.... Well I thought it was?. They say but your employee referenced 3 scientific bodies to say it wasn't, but you, with no specialism in this area thought it was safe and put undue pressure on her to work!!

Can anyone imagine the fall out..

• sorry, legal advice..

Why won't the media ever ask them - why aren't you making schools safer?

With masks and funding to allow social distancing / laptops for blended rotas etc etc - all the many, many measures that with a bit of money and creativity HTs could implement that have been laid out umpteen times by scientific experts and by teachers on here. Many schools DID implement greater safety in the summer with extra money, as in the case of my DDs school.

Why didn’t Andrew Marr bring up the NEU advice to teachers to not go to school tomorrow??

Probably for the same reason he never presses government ministers on anything but treats Nicola Sturgeon like shit on his shoe. He's a shill.

They say but your employee referenced 3 scientific bodies to say it wasn't, but you, with no specialism in this area thought it was safe and put undue pressure on her to work!!

Good point. HTs, even those obsessed with attendance, need to think this through.

As far as I can tell no other schools, worldwide (including in developing countries) have gone back with no mitigation against airborne transmission - and in fact an explicit requirement not to wear masks. I doubt the person simply asserting it was safe with no backing evidence would win.

Masks are a basic, cheap safety measure. I don't believe there is any evidence to support them interfering with learning, particularly for older kids. I've just heard a friend's primary school has all teachers in face masks. So some schools are defying orders. But this would make it even less likely that the HT would win in this scenario.

I just totally don't understand the attitude to teaches and education. I, for one, wouldn't stand in a room of children without the protection of a mask.

Why can't all lessons be done by zoom and, where kids haven't got access to laptops at home, or have keyworker parents, they go to school as normal but both they and the teachers have to be masked up at all times?

Why didn’t Andrew Marr bring up the NEU advice to teachers to not go to school tomorrow??

The BBC is the government's propaganda machine.

They haven't broadcast any real news in months... Refugee camp burnt down in Bosnia, Earthquake in Croatia & neighbouring countries, ... and even Brexit only gets a "little" mention as an afterthought!

Remember when Boris Johnson dodged his Andrew Neil interview and was interviewed by Marr instead?

Marr is the soft interviewer. Of course he didn't bring up inconvenient stuff like a teaching and support staff walkout on health and safety grounds.

Haven't rtft.

I originally was on the side of keeping schools open. I don't think we can do that anymore, at least not even a little bit safely.
It has now got to the stage where expecting children and teachers to go in is scandalous.

Online learning is not ideal, it is not ideal as a NHS keyworker that I am going to be going back to virtual appointments. However, the powers that be recognises that we deserve protection and that working this way helps prevent the spread, protecting society. Teaching staff deserve the same protection, they are no less important than I am.

I do not like the fact that I will WFH most of the time, with a house full of children around. It is shit and it will be shit for many parents and downright impossible for some. That isn't the responsibility of teaching staff though.

Well, I’ve now talked to a few teachers and they all seem to be going in a normal as they are worried they will be quietly edged out. Seems as if this corrupt government have won again.

I’m obviously naive as I thought the BBC were unbiased.
A couple of teachers at my school aren’t going in. Waiting to see what Head does.

Well, my colleagues, who I would have said were all a bit woolly union-wise, are all in the process of amending and sending our letters. I'm surprised.

Is there a summary of the content of the meeting anywherw? Im no longer teaching in school. Very interested where this will lead. Strange times.

Boris blaming school closure on the teachers no doubt and deflecting responsibility 🙄

The government has not made schools as safe as they COULD be.

Not anywhere close to as safe as they could be.

It's an unsafe environment for teachers (and kids) and I very much hope they stay off and don't feel pressured into going in. They can't ALL be sacked. Power in numbers.

They've gone in all the way up to Xmas without proper protection.

The Government created this situation, not the teachers.

The Government created this situation, not the teachers
This.

I think my new approach each time people blame teachers or get into the usual goady behaviour is to ask them:
Do you support opening of schools in a way that considers the health and safety of pupils and staff?
Do you want to minimise disruption to children's education and working parents?

If the answer to those questions is yes then can you please stop having ago at teachers because you agree with us! Now, if you direct your anger to the politicians who have shown zero regard for staff, pupils and families that would be great.

*The government created this situation, not the teachers.
*
So much this.

We've had a communication from our primary school where they asked us not to believe negative media blaming teachers and schools, telling us they know as much as the general public as they get no communication from the government.

I feel so badly for schools right now. They've had a rubbish time due to under investment for years, now they are having to do what the government should be doing. It's completely unfair on school staff and teachers.

My sister in Australia messaged me to say that she's hearing that 'teachers are refusing to return to school'.

I explained that this isn't quite what's happening....

The NEU is being quite clear that this is not industrial action (Strike).