Teachers social gathering at work

[Notsureifitssomethingornothing]

Hi, I have name changed just in case my previous posts mention my location. I’m not sure if I’m overreacting or not, and I’m not normally the Covid police: I can understand a bit of low level rule bending as things are tough at the moment. However, I have seen a post on Facebook showing a social get together for some of the staff at my dcs school. It is a photo of a finger buffet laid out on a table in a classroom, with a big bowl of crisps, a cheese board with one knife etc and is described as an ‘end of term party’. 7 people are tagged in it, as in x is with y and 6 others.
Would this annoy you/make you cross, or would you just think let them have their fun? I’m classed as a key worker (as is about 50% of parents in my area judging by school attendance) but as I work from home I haven’t sent my dc in. It’s been really tough at home but I thought I was doing the right thing, mainly out of respect for the school staff. The school had already announced they would only be opening to kw+v children prior to Boris closing school because lots of staff members felt unsafe.
Is there legislation regarding this at the moment? I do feel cross but have had issues with the remote learning provision and not sure if my feelings are clouded by already being a bit unhappy with the school.
How would you feel if you were aware of this happening at your dc’s school?
In ‘normal’ times I am very happy with the school and my children are content there. I don’t want to be ‘that parent’ but I have emailed them asking why this went ahead and whether a risk assessment was considered. Just not sure if I’m making a mountain out of it due to skewed perspective with lockdown etc.

Primary staff are allowed to cross bubbles. Our slt care about our staff so try and keep bubbles as tight as possible with staff not having to move much but it's allowed. It's the children who are in bubbles. Apart from at breakfast club or course and also when they go home with siblings to a different bubble.

I probably wouldn’t get too worked up about this OP.

I do however find it disingenuous to compare teaching staff with frontline NHS workers. I know it’s an incredibly important job but nurses are literally chucked in a room full of people who are seriously ill/dying of Covid - they are around the actual virus day in, day out so of course they should be prioritised for vaccines/full PPE - and that’s not to mention the massive toll it must be on their MH to provide care for people in those situations. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if many of them end up with some kind of PTSD with what they must be having to witness.

In my (government) workplace, all food sharing has been banned since April last year.
The disciplinary policy has been altered to include social distancing and anyone caught breaking the rules (such as sharing a packet of biscuits, using the wrong staircase or gathering in the tearoom) faces disciplinary action and potential dismissal.
If the teacher in my kids school were posting photos like this on social media I'd be pretty passed off tbf.

@frazzledquaver
I really feel like my DD's school has no understand of the isolation and alienation that the families at home are experiencing as it's all "look what fun we are having in school with no social distancing and staff crossing bubbles".

You think it’s fun in school at the moment??? From the perspective of staff (teacher and support staff) who have to be in school every day, mixing with children talking about their play dates, sent in dosed up with calpol etc ... it looks like a privilege being able to stay safe at home. Be thankful for what you have.

We all need to understand that things are difficult for us all in different ways - isolation and stress at home VS fear and anxieities in schools. And recognise that this has been (and will be for the months ahead) a time like no other for educators and parents alike - school staff have put aside their own daily and continuous anxieties and worked their socks off - parents too are doing an amazing job for their children. We will all need to support each other to undo the damage caused by this horrible situation and that will not be helped if people use every little incident to attack and criticise each other. We will all need to move ahead on the same side - with the needs of all our children at the forefront and centre.

@Reachersloveinterest

In my (government) workplace, all food sharing has been banned since April last year. The disciplinary policy has been altered to include social distancing and anyone caught breaking the rules (such as sharing a packet of biscuits, using the wrong staircase or gathering in the tearoom) faces disciplinary action and potential dismissal. If the teacher in my kids school were posting photos like this on social media I'd be pretty passed off tbf.

Are you able to social distance in your job? Are you part of a bubble?

You clearly have no idea of what it's like in school despite the millions of threads in here explaining.

I bet they had no greater risk doing that than by being in a classroom.

Plus a photo of a knife doesn't tell you if they gelled hands between each use or wipes with antiviral wipe.

Sherystrull, my workplace is not a school and therefore different. However, just because some methods of reducing Covid risk are impossible in schools, doesn't mean that they can all be ignored.
I'm not bashing teachers. They are, from what I can see locally anyway, doing their best in tough circumstances. I can understand that they are worried. The idea of being allowed an 'end of term party' while simultaneously complaining how much tougher your role Is than anyone else's just makes my eyes roll.

reefedsail to be fair, 4/5 adults per classroom must be quite rare. Especially with only 8 children. Outside of special schools or EYFS that would only happen if there were 2-3 children with 1:1s in the same class.

The absolute maximum number of staff on a room where I work would be 3 - 1 teacher, 1 TA and a 1:1. And most classes would only have a single adult. I'm not 100% sure but I think that's far more normal. Our bubbles are 2 year groups each but that only includes the children, not the staff. If staff are mixing as widely as children, I think most would say that the school is not fulfilling it's duty of care to staff. Schools can't be safe but they can be as safe as possible and staff mixing, especially socially, is not the way to achieve that.

I'd actually love it if we were allowed to mix more. It would make life more bearable. But we aren't and I think most agree with that policy.

[quote SoRuff63]@frazzledquaver
I really feel like my DD's school has no understand of the isolation and alienation that the families at home are experiencing as it's all "look what fun we are having in school with no social distancing and staff crossing bubbles".

You think it’s fun in school at the moment??? From the perspective of staff (teacher and support staff) who have to be in school every day, mixing with children talking about their play dates, sent in dosed up with calpol etc ... it looks like a privilege being able to stay safe at home. Be thankful for what you have.

We all need to understand that things are difficult for us all in different ways - isolation and stress at home VS fear and anxieities in schools. And recognise that this has been (and will be for the months ahead) a time like no other for educators and parents alike - school staff have put aside their own daily and continuous anxieties and worked their socks off - parents too are doing an amazing job for their children. We will all need to support each other to undo the damage caused by this horrible situation and that will not be helped if people use every little incident to attack and criticise each other. We will all need to move ahead on the same side - with the needs of all our children at the forefront and centre.[/quote]
I think everyone is experiencing it differently, that's all I was saying.There are different ways people are suffering in this. I was suggesting that the OP, who presumably is following the rules and therefore hasn't been in the same room as someone outside her household, would have a different perspective to someone who was trying to make some fun when they are obliged to go out to work. Different kinds of pain. If you are not experiencing the ongoing isolation, you don't know what that's like. I'm not working in a school, so I don't know what that's like. I do know what my experience is of the communication from my DD's school and how distressing it is for her.

Oh fuck off OP..

And an even bigger "fuck off" with the "decided to only open for keyworker children" shit also posted...we submitted our letters on the advice of our unions with the support of our headteachers who had also been advised the same...the government then closed schools to all but keyworker/vulnerable ch the next day...our letters was for 2 weeks...the government imposed lockdown for a lot longer so piss off with your faux naivety!

How do you know people weren't wearing gloves /using spoons?? You don't! But I'll bet you still order takeaway?? So your post is deliberately goady and nasty.

Sick of the teacher bashing! Luckily all my families have been absolutely full of praise and total support!

If you think thousands of key workers aren’t doing this across the country every day then you are being very naïve but they are foolish to post it on social media.

@Reachersloveinterest

I agree. That was the point I was trying to make as well. Every work place is different so can't be compared.

I haven't said that my job is harder than anyone else's though. I think probably you don't mean me with that.

What makes my eyes roll (and not saying you've done this by the way!) is people making judgements on other peoples working conditions when they have no idea what they are actually like.

@Wherediditgo

I probably wouldn’t get too worked up about this OP.

I do however find it disingenuous to compare teaching staff with frontline NHS workers. I know it’s an incredibly important job but nurses are literally chucked in a room full of people who are seriously ill/dying of Covid - they are around the actual virus day in, day out so of course they should be prioritised for vaccines/full PPE - and that’s not to mention the massive toll it must be on their MH to provide care for people in those situations. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if many of them end up with some kind of PTSD with what they must be having to witness.

Hell yes, I'm an SEN teacher and we take some risks sure but I could not agree more that this is absolutely nothing comparable to covid wards. Or any wards

Hell yes, I'm an SEN teacher and we take some risks sure but I could not agree more that this is absolutely nothing comparable to covid wards. Or any wards

And I say again, absolutely do not want to take away from the great work you are doing too

@Wherediditgo

Hell yes, I'm an SEN teacher and we take some risks sure but I could not agree more that this is absolutely nothing comparable to covid wards. Or any wards And I say again, absolutely do not want to take away from the great work you are doing too

No recognition needed. I love it& more than happy/ no worries

[quote Boredsobored]@saraclara exactly - so 2 or 3 teachers mixing but not the whole school? That was my understanding anyway. Most primaries don't have mixing in the staff room like they used to. Regardless you're far more likely to get covid from another adult so sharing food and socialising is really stupid.[/quote]
2 or 3 teachers and their TAs. So three classes is likely to mean 9 adults. Possibly plus floating staff who have to be allocated to a bubble somewhere.

Plenty to have a little lunch buffet for a birthday/end of a half-term without bursting a bubble.

There is no social distancing in school. With the best will in the world, it's impossible. I don't think parents understand just how impossible it is. I'm sure the schools have sent out many newsletters about implementation of social distancing and 'bubbles', and I'm sure many schools try to adhere to the guidelines, but when a child needs their meal cutting up, or when they grab the hand of a teacher, or they hug their friends, or share pencils, or hand their work to a teacher, or sneeze, or cough, or grab the door fames, or touch absolutely anything, or put their fingers up their nose and in their mouth...it's clear that all the work that the staff put into implementing social distancing plans is utterly pointless and unworkable.

If you want your child to have minimal exposure to Covid, keep them home.

All this being the case, let the staff have their bloody buffet, probably less risky than being around the kids anyway.

Really daft posting it on social media though, as there will be parents (and I doubt OP is alone) who actually believe that social distancing and 'bubbling' is being adhered to in most schools, and that their school is the exception and it needs pointing out.

Lastly, like us you're a wfh keyworker and the reality of it is no-one acknowledges the challenge, sacrifices and difficulties we've faced - other than other colleagues really. The school won't thank you

I'm a TA working all day in a KW bubble then go home to help my 4 children with their home learning. Hubby is WFH but too busy (main earner) go help with work. Just here to keep them alive 😂. So why should I thank you for doing the right thing???

I'm only halfway through reading this thread, but - deary deary me!

To those people saying "I'm a nurse and this is really bad". Or "not allowed in my workplace" etc - well when you are breathing the same air as 30 -250 children plus a couple of adults all day every weekday - in a place WHERE MASKS ARE NOT ALLOWED (except in the corridors where you are fleetingly breathing the air)...
Well then sharing food, or sharing air for a few more minutes seems pretty insignificant.

And to dear Clav quoting the staffrooms are the biggest risk thing... Well if everywhere else is secure with masks, then it probably is. As per the country it is referring to. But in my experience staffrooms have been closed since last march and classrooms with no masks or ventilation are a pretty fucking huge transmission risk.

I don't blame them for their buffet, but I think they are breaking the rules.

A group of 8 people got fined £200 each this week for being in a makeshift pub. Construction workers and it was a room on their site with a pool table, tv and a fridge. There was a bin with empty cans and beer bottles. No till, no cash. Just colleagues staying behind after work, social distancing, and enjoying a beer they had provided for themselves. Against the rules.

The world has literally gone mad. So ridiculous to get upset by this.

If you are not experiencing the ongoing isolation, you don't know what that's like. I'm not working in a school, so I don't know what that's like.

Since March I have done both.

March to September I worked from home. I'm CV and also have a specific role in school during covid times which means I can work more effectively from home. My colleagues were all in work full time as we have large KW and vulnerable children bubbles and did from March.

September to December I worked in school, out of the home. As said I'm CV but was still expected to work in crowded classrooms with no protection, no masks and no social distancing. I taught 270 children a week - it's not just secondary who have staff crossing bubbles. I was pretty much isolated too even there, from other adults. My in school role means I cross all classes, so wasn't in a bubble, so I ate alone, had my tea alone, did staff meetings alone via a screen, etc.

I then caught covid and was in hospital and off work for 7 weeks.

On return the guidelines had changed in school. I was allowed to wear a mask and I was allocated a bubble. I only taught one year group and was allowed to sit in the same room as other staff in my bubble, albeit socially distanced.

Since January I've been back to wfh. My colleagues are all in work full time.

None of its fun. I can't say that I've particularly enjoyed my job since March. Hectic, stressful, stupid long hours, no distinction between home and school life due to it being remote and online, the 'good' bits have been taken away pretty much. And as I said before, catching covid wasn't fun either. Being in hospital wasn't fun. Struggling to recover a few months later isn't much fun either.

I have empathy for everyone throughout this. Whether wfh, woth, furloughed, whatever - none of its fun right now. We are all struggling in different ways.

Rather than taking swipes at one another we should all be supporting one another as we all try and get through it in one piece!

Small primary schools were shafted and some worked nearly every day

Yes, this. Do people seriously think teachers got time off in lieu or paid?

I was in most days, and had to bring my then 17 month old with me as we couldn’t afford two weeks’ extra nursery.

Just as I will have to do the same if we work over the summer.

Anyway, I do think the teacher was a fool for putting this tea party on social media (if it’s genuine), but case in point for small primaries - there are five adults permanently in our Y6 ‘bubble’ due to four children having severe needs and 1:1. Plus a cover teacher for PPA once a week. More than enough for a socially distanced buffet in an empty classroom.

I'm in early years and there is no distancing possible in my workplace. My colleagues are the safest people I can socialise with and pretty sure that will be true for the teachers at that school.

So was this social media post

A-written by a member of school staff and made public?
B- posted by a member of staff who is a ‘friend’ of yours?
C- posted by the staff members on the school’s social media page?