Email from DfE to Headteachers. Schools prepped to shut again?

[AntiMaskersAreTwats]

Do you think this means it likely schools will shut again?

@marktayloruk

They should be.able to.take their textbooks home, surely?

There’s not a textbook per pupil. It’s a class ser (or a set of one between two) that gets shared around several classes.

We have got very low cases in our secondary - no need to close!!

@AntiMaskersAreTwats

Yep! I’ve had mine for probably 6 months! And I firmly stand by it. Never had a problem with it before until ^^ above jumped on the bandwagon. *@mnhq* so I’m not changing it! Ban me if you wish.

So the length of time you have had your username makes it ok to say that other people who don't share your views are twats?

I am the one who NC as above and, as I said, I will not post again under that name if it's offensive to other people.

However, I do stand by my views about masks being filthy, horrible rags. Most of the "single use" ones lie around in pockets and bags, and are worn around chins and foreheads between shops and before getting on buses. People drop them and pick them up and put them straight back on. They share them. They wear them under their noses. From a practical pov, they make your glasses steam up, and they're a PITA.

However, for all that, I do actually wear them, because I'm not a complete dick and am not going to argue the toss about something relatively trivial, compared to our loss of liberty and livelihood caused by lockdowns.

The point I made under the name "ProMaskersAreTwats" remains the same. It was polite and inoffensive, though not everyone will agree with it. You made an assumption that I have young children who would need to be home-schooled in the event of another lockdown, and I said this was an erroneous assumption.

HTH.

@AntiMaskersAreTwats

Well my friend’s school has only had this email twice before…and both times schools closed. I think schools will be closed after Xmas.

Schools would be mad not to plan for this eventuality, and I don't think anyone can read anything definitive into anything.

If schools are closed after Christmas, then furlough would have to be reinstated, along with payouts for HRL and SE. The only thing that ensured lockdown compliance among a large enough swathe of the population was the financial compensation. Now the money isn't there, so it's very, very unlikely that there would be any compliance.

TAs are staff, they are getting ill too. Teachers who are ill are having to teach online when ill including vomiting on screen or provide work from home and are not able to rest when they have covid. It is disgusting.

Well then I hope they force everyone with similar names to mine to change their username .

Plan B is being voted on this week and even then it’s not a definite how it will go.

Not sure anyone can be certain what is coming and when.

Because they’re listening to all the scientists and also know that Labour are going to support the vote?

@Awalkintime vomiting on screen?

No one is forced to work when ill. Teachers take sick days like anyone else. What are you on about?

@JanglyBeads

Because they’re listening to all the scientists and also know that Labour are going to support the vote?

Labour probably will get it through but it’s not including closed schools.

Not very close to it

Sick teachers are often required to work from home by setting cover and , in this modern age, occasionally dialling in and providing live lessons. They shouldn't but it happens.

In order to prevent or mitigate against the loss of education and staffing issues you see.

@Awalkintime

TAs are staff, they are getting ill too. Teachers who are ill are having to teach online when ill including vomiting on screen or provide work from home and are not able to rest when they have covid. It is disgusting.

If teachers are sick, whether it be with Covid or anything else, they should NOT have to teach online. I am staggered that there are any teachers doing this. If so, they should refuse.

[quote Remmy123]@Awalkintime vomiting on screen?

No one is forced to work when ill. Teachers take sick days like anyone else. What are you on about?[/quote]
While they shouldn't have to, teachers mostly set work when ill.

[quote Remmy123]@Awalkintime vomiting on screen?

No one is forced to work when ill. Teachers take sick days like anyone else. What are you on about?[/quote]
They are in teaching. I've never taken a sick day in 12 years and been able to just rest. Always worked from home while sick in every school I've worked in. It isn't really a sick day when you still have work to do.

CallmeHendricksGingleBells
I don't know any schools who don't expect it.

I appreciate after the chaos and incompetence of Gavin Williamson's period as Secretary of State, proper contingency planning may be a surprise, but as someone earlier wrote, I would not read too much into it.

@AntiMaskersAreTwats

throughout most of the pandemic the DfE has sent a daily email to all schools, uni, LAs, early years settings and anyone else who requests it. Its currently going out twice a week, but will increase to daily if there is a need. This is in addition to the specific guidance

@Awalkintime

CallmeHendricksGingleBells I don't know any schools who don't expect it.

Well, mine doesn't for a start. They can "expect it" all they like, but "teaching online whilst vomiting" is unacceptable and so far beyond reasonable that anyone would be well within their rights to point blank refuse. "I'm afraid I'm too unwell to teach." End of.

Yours is one that is few and far between - sadly not many are like that.

How do you know that?

But whilst people agree to do it, (some) Heads will continue to expect it.

It's come up for discussion before, Callme. Particularly expected in secondary where planning isn't generally done a week in advance and can just be handed over.

Well given the 44k teachers who say the same on a group I am on on facebook then I presume I am not alone. So you mean to say those who are in power and pressure others to do so are not the problem and those who will suffer consequences if they refuse are the ones causing the issue? I think you are blaming the wrong people there.

@noblegiraffe, Are we talking about planning cover or actually teaching from one's sickbed?
I accept that many schools expect cover work (although mine doesn't, as plans are on the system ahead of time and the teacher in a parallel class would access it and make sure the cover teacher knew what to do), but the pp said she was teaching online whilst vomiting?

@CallmeHendricksGingleBells I know a lot of teachers who have been carrying in teaching when ill.
Esp atm with covid, many have been ‘teaching from home’ whilst they were isolating with covid, and even though they were ill (rather than asymptomatic).
The pressure to teach, esp if you have exam years is huge.