Sept - Dec 20 were our Hospitals full of education staff?

[McFarts]

Not a teacher bashing thread!

I would genuinely like to know if there is any data out there specifically for the period when schools were fully open. In comparison the rest of working age population? I know lots of teachers were encouraged to exercise section 44 back in January, was there any evidence based data published to support them?

None in my school 🤷. They’re not statistically more at risk than any other public facing role. They have unions though and like to shout the loudest.

The main factor this time round is the new variant.

You understand that many teachers aren’t worried about themselves, but instead their communities right? And that you can write a section 44 letter because you’re worried about the safety to OTHERS. I have never known so many people spectacularly miss the point of schools being closed. It wasn’t simply to protect staff but whole communities. Not sure how many more threads people need explaining this....

not a teacher bashing thread 🙄 is like starting a sentence with “I’m not racist but...

@vonny63

The main factor this time round is the new variant.

How so @vonny63? there will always be new variants, virus's mutate and we will see many many more variant of CV19.

Id just assumed that the action encouraged by unions must have been evidence based. I fully support anyone who genuinely has concerns for their safety in their work place, but id assume that there would need to be evidence based documentation to support such actions.

@MrsHerculePoirot

You understand that many teachers aren’t worried about themselves, but instead their communities right? And that you can write a section 44 letter because you’re worried about the safety to OTHERS. I have never known so many people spectacularly miss the point of schools being closed. It wasn’t simply to protect staff but whole communities. Not sure how many more threads people need explaining this....

not a teacher bashing thread 🙄 is like starting a sentence with “I’m not racist but...

Fair point, i wasnt however aware it was to protect their community. I don't recall anything about protecting communities being in the NEU's press releases.

Ive not read any other threads specifically asking if there is data to support teachers actions, thats not to say i there hasn't been any.

As i said in my OP this isnt a teacher bashing thread, you are perfectly entitled to disagree! however please dont compare a parent questioning the safety in schools to that of a racist!

In the schol where I am a governor we had 2 members of teaching staff who were hospitalised, along with the husband of another which has been judged to be a school transmission.

In contrast to the social care facility where I work (smaller staff team), where we have had 3 staff and 2 service users in hospital, one in an induced coma.

@TravellingSpoon

In the schol where I am a governor we had 2 members of teaching staff who were hospitalised, along with the husband of another which has been judged to be a school transmission.

In contrast to the social care facility where I work (smaller staff team), where we have had 3 staff and 2 service users in hospital, one in an induced coma.

Sadly there seems to be lots of MN teachers who have experienced this .

Id honestly would have thought that there would be some data somewhere, that documents and measures risks, within each employment sector within working aged people.

The section 44 letter, which was widely available on the internet, clearly stated "The person(s) I am seeking to protect are myself, my family, our pupils, their families, my colleagues, their families and members of the public.".

"was there any evidence based data published to support them?" Yes as per all the graphs, links to data, SAGE reports etc. that have been widely and repeatedly linked to since the middle of December on any thread involving schools on MN.

If you aren't having a pop at teachers, then I don't know why you'd need to say anything about teacher bashing, let alone start such a goady thread that clearly is trying to make out that school staff aren't at risk. Do you honestly think that large numbers of teachers and school staff handed in section 44 letters on a whim? Have you read the sage minutes and looked at the regular published data from December/January?

Do you think schools are closed to protect teaching staff? If you do, I’ve got news for you! It’s to lower community transmission. No one has ever claimed or really pushed that school staff are overwhelming the NHS in their numbers. Not that I’ve seen, anyway. I think you know that, though.

I find the teacher bashing on MN and also on twitter quite shocking

In essence, it's the only profession I'm aware of that is required to work in badly ventilated indoors spaces with many people around them without PPE

It makes absolutely no sense.

I say that as someone who supports schools reopening, but do it please in a way that will support teachers, students and communities. Rotas, PPE, ventilation. Simple

Don't insult our intelligence, that children somehow magically don't transmit the virus. Of course they do and the research is clear and accumulating over time.

Yes to schools reopening. But do it well. Properly. If schools have to close yet again because of increased community transmission that will be a much worse outcome for the young people and children.

You all assume an awful lot about my intentions of this thread

I simply asked if teachers were more at risk of hospitalisation than any other work place. I fully supported teachers actions in January! i simply dont recall any data....i have now been set straight thank you very much!

There really isnt any need to speak to me in such a goady manner, some of you really need to get off your high horses and stop making so many ill informed assumptions.

This might give you a clearer picture of teacher vulnerability. Even if not in hospital they are catching it more than most.

The NEU, who were the union supporting members if they wished to submit S44 letters, were extremely clear about their goals and Mary Bousted was interviewed pretty regularly over that period. She repeatedly explained that the union's concerns were around community safety and the sustainability of school opening.

Nobody wants schools closed a minute longer than is necessary, but stop/start working, collapsing bubbles, having to switch frequently bewteen remote and physical provision and reintegrate children who have been off is hugely disruptive and so the NEU, along with anyone else genuinely concerned about children and schools, was hoping for an approach that minimised the length of time over which education will be adversely affected.