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.

@noblegiraffe

Hello, police? I’d like to report a photo of some food. Yes, food. On Facebook!

I think it was going to be eaten. By teachers.

Hello? Hello?

@noblegiraffe

Goodness, ma'am this sounds serious.

Can you tell me please, did they also have...chairs ?

@pollylocketpickedapocket

I’m not the Covid police and this wouldn’t bother me at all, but if it was say a child having a party at home with their bubble I imagine the answers would be a little different! This is Mumsnet, teachers can do no wrong!

But they are already in the same building, every day, using the classrooms, everyday, with no social distancing...because it has not been deemed a requirement 🤷‍♀️

"This is Mumsnet, teachers can do no wrong!"

Blimey, you must be on a different Mumsnet from the one I've been frequenting for the last 15 or so years. Teachers are hated on here, and regularly annihilated, particularly in the last year.

For the people saying teachers can do no wrong on Mumsnet......... Are you reading an alternate site?!
Serious question! On every single thread there seems to be teacher bashing!

We had a few outbreaks at work which were probably people sharing food and sitting together. We’ve very strict rules in place now but I completely understand when you are working together in difficult circumstances - it is nice to celebrate/ share things. We’re all so fed up now 🙁
I do think it’s possible to minimise risks with good hygiene.

@noblegiraffe

Hello, police? I’d like to report a photo of some food. Yes, food. On Facebook!

I think it was going to be eaten. By teachers.

Hello? Hello?

There are 9 adults in our year group bubble including teachers and TAs. Not allowed masks or visors in classrooms so if one of us gets Covid it is likely to spread throughout the bubble given the close contact with children, poor ventilation and lack of masks despite adults distancing wherever possible.

I wouldn’t begrudge staff eating food under the conditions the op described given that they are probably plating up their own food after hand washing and social distancing whilst eating. It is rubbish in schools at the moment so don’t begrudge staff a bit of joy within the rules. Our SLT do regular walk arounds throughout the day so they would know if such a gathering was taking place.

Oh, this thread has proper cheered me up on this cold Saturday evening!

I work in a school and there's no way this would have been allowed to take place. It's true that teachers and TAs in year groups would be working in fairly close proximity to each other, but we are wearing masks and visors in class, and distancing as far as possible. All the children are also wearing masks (primary school).

At lunch our staffroom is fully ventilated (and freezing) and we sit at tables spaced 2m apart. Masks whenever we're in shared spaces.

Maybe we are stricter than some, but whatever the case they're silly to put it on social media.

Staff and children in a bubble don't have to socially distance - you can't do the job with social distancing. Everyone seems to think we should be OK with that in order to have schools fully open.

Staff are also tested twice a week now.

Anyway, can we be clear? At which point in our working day do we become law-breakers?
Getting up close and personal to your child who is stuck on their maths is OK.
Early years teachers changing nappies and being wee'd on and licked is also OK.
Nipping in to the staffroom (or wherever) and swiping a cocktail sausage on a stick? Call the police!!!

@Crazydoglady1980

I agree with you OP, and situations like this compromise the school staffs arguments that their working environments aren’t safe. School staff are not the only professions who are working hard, putting themselves at risk and worried about contracting Covid, however sharing food and putting pictures of it online is reckless. The more people see others breaking the rules, the easier it becomes for them to justify it too. Would the reactions here be the same if it had been Police officers, nurses, social workers? I think not. School staff are working hard and have had to deal with lots of last minute changes but so have a lot of other people.

I agree. As a primary school teacher and a parent. It would never have been allowed at my school. Not amongst the staff and even amongst the kids if we found out about it!

To be honest, I think any teacher posting anything to do with work/colleagues/school premises on Social Media at the moment would be very foolish.
But I can't begrudge them this, and any miserable fucker who seriously thinks it was OK to email the school about it needs to get a life.

Well personally wouldn't be joining in on that but really by emailing you ARE that parent!
I mean just because their is food out doesn't mean that they weren't SD from one another.
It isn't a sensible thing to be doing and I am sure that health and safety would agree but you are being OTT with emailing.

@pollylocketpickedapocket

This is Mumsnet, teachers can do no wrong!

Almost as goady as the OP, well done

there, not their!

Wow, the teachers will be in a bubble and really careful about hand washing etc. They’re in school putting themselves at risk. Leave them alone ffs!

@CallmeAngelina

To be honest, I think any teacher posting anything to do with work/colleagues/school premises on Social Media at the moment would be very foolish. But I can't begrudge them this, and any miserable fucker who seriously thinks it was OK to email the school about it needs to get a life.

Exactly. I mean who the hell emails a school over this.

Yes, I know - you called me dim on the other the thread because I didn't understand that staff rooms in this country were closed. Apparently not closed after all.

Gosh, that was ages ago. Staff rooms (that is, rooms for socialising and relaxation) are mostly, if not all, completely closed. Some may be accessible to use a microwave or kettle, though in many schools and colleges these are put out of use. Subject offices may be open because people have to use them for resources and to work in. Normally they are designated for a limited number of people who come in on different days.
So, to all intents and purposes, in most schools, staff rooms are closed.

This could have been the school I work at. The picture was taken at Christmas by a member of staff.

We have had a difficult year. At present we have 50% of children whose parents seem to have landed ‘key worker’ jobs since the first lockdown.
Daily we have parents complaining about what we are doing, what we aren’t doing, how we are/aren’t doing it. Daily we have phone calls demanding places for Little Johnny because he’s very special and they couldn’t possibly work with him there.
We have parents exploiting the ‘two key worker status’ even when they’re on maternity leave.
We have parents who refuse to comply with our risk assessment; wear masks, refuse to use the one way system in the school yard, pick up children from other families, socialise outside of school and continue to metaphorically stick two fingers up at us. We have parents who drop their children off and go for a walk or run with other parents. Children tell us they are staying with cousins and are having sleepovers.
Speaking for myself, I have followed the rules since last year. I haven’t seen my eldest child properly for a year. Yet I can still look after the children of people who refuse to follow the rules.
It’s been bloody hard OP so don’t begrudge us a buffet.

When we ate this buffet, we were either socially distant or ate at different times.
And if it is us you’ve ‘reported’ to school, it’s so unimportant our headteacher hasn’t even mentioned it to us!

If this had been NHS no one would have batted an eyelid. In fact during the first lockdown many people donated food for treats to the NHS staff. This is a prime example of teacher bashing. It’s not easy trying to keep up with learning for your child but teachers are the wrong people to be blaming for the shitshow that’s happened over the last year.

I had a quick look at the teaching jobs page of my area earlier.

Normally, there would be 2 or 3 ads for headship positions.

There were 12.

Idiotic shit like this is partly why so many teachers and particularly head teachers are handing in their notice. They have had enough of vitriol, ignorance and downright rudeness. I cannot believe you actually emailed the school about this OP.

@Notsureifitssomethingornothing

Genuinely only name changed because I thought I might get questioned, or someone might see what area I live in. I might even have mentioned what school my dc go to in a previous post so I was trying to protect the anonymity of the people involved, especially if I am over reacting.

You are the overreacting

*noblegiraffe

Hello, police? I’d like to report a photo of some food. Yes,food. On Facebook!

I think it was going to be eaten. Byteachers.

Hello? Hello?

@noblegiraffe

Goodness, ma'am this sounds serious.

Can you tell me please, did they also have...chairs ?*

Well, there were chairs present...

Sorry Ma'am, this is clearly an issue for the Flying Squad...

@MrsLJ2014

Ugh, us teachers clearly need to just sit in a cupboard on our own day and night and only come out to teach your children! 🙄

This

I have one HLTA in my “bubble” who is also in my colleague’s “bubble” every day and has also covered three other classes in the last week.
Bubbles are just SO effective!