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Original poster

There is no army of volunteers waiting to be called to keep schools open

145 replies

noblegiraffe · 13/12/2021 00:21

FYI.

So if you see anyone putting this forward as a serious suggestion, they're an idiot and anything they say about schools should be disregarded.

We can't even pay people to do it right now.

OP posts:
EllaPaella · 13/12/2021 14:33

I was on a thread back in March 2020 when a Mumsnetter told me that I (as a nurse) should be willing to hand my children over to random strangers who had volunteered to look after them if schools shut down so that I 'could go and get on with the job I was being paid for' HmmConfused Erm... that would be a 'no' thanks very much.
People are idiotic and selfish, nothing like a pandemic to demonstrate the reality of that.

BurningTheClocks · 13/12/2021 14:46

When schools shut the first time, in March last year, supply agencies told vast numbers of the teachers in their books that they were not eligible for furlough or any sort of support. The teachers also had trouble accessing any support from government.
So many found other jobs.
Now there’s a huge lack of staff, and those like me that are still going are being very selective about where we work.

Weekbeforechristmas · 13/12/2021 14:54

Prioritise teachers by all means, but most of us are double jabbed by now.

Of course schools closing is disruptive but if there are no staff, it has to happen. Double jabs don’t stop covid. Triple jabs still don’t stop covid. When you’re in a room with thirty other people there’s a good chance you will get it.

EvilPea · 13/12/2021 15:08

How are those co2 monitors going?

All fitted and working?!!!!!

Weekbeforechristmas · 13/12/2021 15:19

@BurningTheClocks tbh I think supply teachers have been crapped on for nearly two decades, it’s hardly surprising that this has happened.

ImmutableSexQueen · 13/12/2021 16:05

A death wish? How old are you?

"Co- viid! Co-viid!"
Roughly a thousand deaths a week, recently. It's not just a runny nose.

CoffeeWithCheese · 13/12/2021 16:19

My kids' school head know that if it comes to needing it and I'm available - I'd go in unpaid to cover if it kept the kids in school now (likewise the infant school they went to previously have the same offer from at least 2 qualified teacher with DBS parents). I don't do supply anymore because it was no longer a viable way of earning a living with how things had changed so I'm in the middle of career change retraining - but still have QTS and up to date curriculum knowledge and a current DBS. Did supply for long enough that I can wing a good few days connected to what's the most recent work in the kids' books easily enough.

As for sending me to a random school elsewhere to be treated like shit - no way, but yes, if it came to it (and they didn't give me my eldest's class cos she goes happy whenever I'm in school), I'd do it to get them over a shit patch.

As for "can't get any supply teachers" - a large part of that is not due to covid, but because they'd already left the job as they couldn't make a living with schools bringing all their cover in-house etc... fine when there was the wriggle room to cover it that way - but when there isn't and all the supplies have gone off to stack shelves in Aldi or whatever - you get where we are now.

OnceuponaRainbow18 · 13/12/2021 16:26

I’ve decided I will start calling in sick from Jan… not sure why I’m constantly putting myself at risk, when half the teens won’t even bother putting a mask on to keep others safe.

AnkleDeep · 13/12/2021 16:37

Retired teacher. Not a chance in hell. Not without reasonable provision for our safety.

BogRollBOGOF · 13/12/2021 17:00

@CallmeHendricksGingleBells

"Since then school have frozen parents out of school life."

Well of course they have. For the vast majority of the time since then we haven't been allowed to have external visitors on the premises.

School has had plenty of external visitors- sports coaches and music teachers are in weekly. I'm not begrudging that, it enhances school life and a broad education. It just makes a nonsense that DS hasn't had dyslexia interventions for nearly two years because parent volunteers (oh yes, used to be me!) haven't been allowed. Ironically only being exposed to one school community is a lower risk than being a professional working across many schools.

But hey, the #1 lesson of Covid is that money talks. Lets open IKEA before playgrounds... and only open them on the same day as pubs when parents are in uproar at the batshittery.

LaurieFairyCake · 13/12/2021 17:07

Dh (deputy head) said that when they were calling for testing volunteers

The only ones that volunteered you 'don't want near your children'

Literally people on sex offenders register and a couple of drug dealers

He's laughing a lot at that idea

FrippEnos · 13/12/2021 17:13

@Comefromaway

Retired teachers..... volunteering, presumably for free.

In other news Santa has been replaced by a flying pig.

Don't be dissin the Hogfather.
Original poster
noblegiraffe · 13/12/2021 19:27

@EvilPea

How are those co2 monitors going?

All fitted and working?!!!!!

Not seen one yet in any of the rooms I teach in. I think my school has had its delivery so it can't have been very many.

The DfE was getting pestered with queries like 'my monitor is permanently in the red zone, what do I do now?' so they've said that schools should buy their own air filters from Dyson.

They are not giving schools money to buy air filters from Dyson.

Which is why my mind boggles at the suggestion that this army of volunteer idea is to show they've tried everything to keep schools open.

OP posts:
amillionmenonmars · 13/12/2021 19:36

Haaaaaaaa Haaaaaaaa haaaaaaaa.

Left teaching last year. Two years till I can draw my pension so living off my savings.

Hell will freeze over before I go back into the classroom. This governement has thrown all school staff under the bus. Teachers have been warning for months that schools cannot remain open without staff. And now they are shutting. Gosh.

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 13/12/2021 19:50

I suppose at least they and everyone else have stopped pretending that it doesn't spread in schools.

Gaslighting teachers on that count was really pissing annoying.

OP posts:
RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 13/12/2021 20:30

I have a CO2 monitor. It is charged via my desktop computer (only USB charging). The battery on it is so shit, that by the time I've moved it to each corner of the room and got a reading, there is no power. So, it sits on my desk. I'm alright, my desk is pretty well ventilated.

Abraxan · 13/12/2021 20:36

@RoastedParnsip

Happy to volunteer if it means my child continues their education and their mental health stays intact. Closing schools should be the last of anyones concerns while the pubs and nightclubs are open!
I see this kind of comment often on Mumsnet.

Afaik at no point during the pandemic have pubs and clubs been open when schools were closed. Schools were usually the first to reopen. I know last summer, some had to wait til September - but that was due to summer holidays, so they wouldn't have been in anyway.

starrynight19 · 13/12/2021 20:47

We have the co2 monitors but actually no idea what happens when they go red. We just crack on as we have been doing.
We actually have one retired volunteer in our school helping out. She literally only just came back a month ago and she has left again after we are having an outbreak in school.

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 13/12/2021 21:13

Yes, the idea that volunteers will not only work for free, but also be happy to go into covidy schools where the reason that they're needed is because all the staff caught covid, probably in that school, is an odd one.

OP posts:
RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 13/12/2021 21:34

We have the co2 monitors but actually no idea what happens when they go red.

Well yes, that too. They go red, the kids go 'ooooh', I turn it off and we carry on.

MrsHamlet · 13/12/2021 21:41

@EvilPea

How are those co2 monitors going?

All fitted and working?!!!!!

Ours are fitted and working. They go red by ten am with the windows open, someone says "miss the thingy's flashing red" and we all carry on.
Aderyn21 · 13/12/2021 21:52

I'm a former teacher, now a sahm. Theres no way I'm going into a school and teaching other people's children for free. The govt has done nothing for me, so I'm unwilling to bail their arse out of trouble unless I'm getting something on return!
For too many years, volunteers have been relied upon to plug funding gaps in public services. The govt does nothing for free and so they need to pay people properly for their labour, as they expect to be paid gor theirs!

ImmutableSexQueen · 13/12/2021 22:02

I think they'll promote it as a 'war effort', something you do for your country in it's hour of need. Like dying of radiation sickness because someone had to put a lid on Chernobyl. Maybe they'll mess with our pensions if we won't go...

julieca · 13/12/2021 23:41

I don't think most teachers would fall for that type of propaganda.
Schools will just close.

Original poster
noblegiraffe · 13/12/2021 23:53

Michigan is thinking of using school bus drivers to solve the same problem

www.bridgemi.com/talent-education/short-teachers-michigan-schools-may-use-bus-drivers-subs-under-gop-bill

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