Schools - why are they doing this?

[Scrooge89]

Why are the media preparing us for school closures? They simply can’t do this to us…

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-59673271

Not to my children. My youngest struggled so much at home and was one of the 25% who couldn’t go to school (although I saw how much some people fudged the key worker card I may have to do it).

@TessasTesla

But the narrative that parents who express their worries about schools moving to online learning AGAIN and the horrible, detrimental and long lasting effects they witness in their children’s mental and physical health and development are just feckless and after a free babysitting service is just also toxic.

Most of us find that teachers in real life go over and above, are kind and incredibly professional but some of the MN posts that appear to be from teachers are so hostile and judgemental towards parents who have had to juggle full time jobs and support our children through the horrible challenges that online learning at home brought. Many of us don’t live in big fancy houses and we don’t have the equipment to share so 3 children can follow lessons all day. Families sit on top of each other, trying to work and study, all around the kitchen table, everyone’s stress levels through the roof and the lack of social contact doesn’t help either parents or children. And no, Zoom quizzes and parties are not a substitute for face to face contact.

Many women will lose their income if there is another prolonged school closure as their employers will demand more than in previous lockdowns (lockdowns becoming a new business as usual) and our reserves are empty. We also haven’t had holidays to get some respite from all the stress and are still trying to get over the trauma that we experienced during previous lockdowns.

Teachers at our school are so understanding of parents and vice versa, it’s a great partnership. They know the horrors families are going through during lockdown and show more empathy than many pro school closure posters on MN. Maybe it’s just that online, people are venting just to cope with the shit that is Covid, parents and teachers alike. Here are some to all teachers on MN and all parents who are worried about their children.

There has been an enormous increase in young children being prescribed glasses as a result of online learning. It's such as shame and we really are letting this young generation down.

I agree with everything in this post. Thank you to teachers for everything you do but I do hope schools don’t close in January for my DS’s sake and all the other children that have struggled throughout the pandemic. The impact school closures have had on our DC and also many parents should not be understated.

When do these workers get a break.

Are you objecting to teachers’ holiday allowances? There is nothing to stop you training to be a teacher if you would like them, too.

@Appuskidu

When do these workers get a break.

Are you objecting to teachers’ holiday allowances? There is nothing to stop you training to be a teacher if you would like them, too.

Absolutely. But for the people in the back, we have statuary holiday, the rest is UNPAID.

@AchillesLastStand We understand. A lot of us are parents with school aged children too.

There’s a misconception that you have two groups, teachers, and then parents.

Many teachers on here are also parents who have juggled remote teaching and homeschooling, and have seen the impact that school closures have had, not only on the children that we teach, but our own children.

My son has been off school most of the last two weeks due to covid.

He's got home from school tonight and he's burst into tears after looking in his bag and finding a couple of nice things in there he wasn't expecting to find.

He was really really touched and its meant a hell of a lot to him. He's not complained once about missing all the other christmas stuff at school and I think this just broke through all that.

I've emailed school to tell them thank you for sticking it out to the bitter end.

[quote motherrunner]@Iheartbaby Start a thread about them then. I’ll join in support.[/quote]
But the threads are always about teachers no other profession has to keep starting threads like this because they just get on with the job with out having to act hard done by

As a school we are making sure we are prepared. We are taking laptops home and anything else we might need to record lessons in the days before we are due to return. We are ensuring passwords, etc are up to date and that all children are still on the software we use - we have had some children leave and some join, so checking all is okay there.

If schools did stay closed then it would be like previous with children in - for us that was over 50% in each class, often a lot more. So staff need to be able to have lessons ready for both online and in person lessons, which viciously takes more time to prep for.

We do not expect a lockdown, at least not one which is involving schools. But with things as they are, we can never be 100% certain.

So let's be prepared just incase, but at the same time be planning to be back in, as we are now. Surely it's much better to prep for the worst, rather than having to make sudden changes in 4th January!

This thread wasn’t started by a teacher.

You can ignore threads you don’t like, you don’t have to post goady shite on them.

But the threads are always about teachers no other profession has to keep starting threads like this because they just get on with the job with out having to act hard done by

This thread WASN’T started by a teacher…

@Iheartbaby There was a thread on AIBU this week about a worker walking out of the office as her colleague had been a contact of covid. Teachers are contacts all the time. We don’t walk out. Did you post your toady crap on that thread?

*goady

@Rahra

To be fair it’s only ‘taking out’ large numbers of pupils and staff because of the isolation rules not because they’re all actually ill.

If it wasn’t covid and just a normal cold/flu whatever most people who are isolating would have been perfectly fine to come in.

And yes I have worked in a work place where lots of people were dropping with covid and I still had to come in.

So, you have to go in - just like every school member of staff. Not sure on the point there tbh.

Fwiw we have several children off with covid. They are poorly enough to need at least a few days off, albeit without isolation could be back sooner.

Whether or not children should be coming in whilst still suffering with any type of virus is another question. Often children do come in full of cold and it's really questionable whether they ought to be in - but that's always been the case. We've always had times when you've got one or two little ones asleep in the corner of the classroom full of cold, especially at this time of year.

We are finding that when they've been off for the full Qom days they come back much brighter and happier, especially compared with previously when they have a day or two max off with a heavy cold/virus and then are back, clearly not right. Seems to take them much longer to bounce back when they are straight back to school then when they've had time to rest properly and get fully better.

@Iheartbaby

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4427135-I-just-walked-out-of-work-over-covid

Here you go. Someone complaining who isn’t a teacher and actually walked out. Unlike what teachers can do.

Shop workers, bus drivers, police, anyone that works with the public is surrounded by people who they are not sure if they vaccinated or not snd plus these worker are not about to have two weeks off from work. When do these workers get a break. These workers are going to have to carry on and deal with the public.

Until extremely recently teachers were certain that they were surrounded by totally unvaccinated people who weren’t wearing masks and were far closer than 2m away. All the others you mention might have been in that situation for a short time, not for six hours per day. Those workers will get their annual leave, just as laid down in law, same as teachers and other school and nursery staff.

@CarrieBlue

Shop workers, bus drivers, police, anyone that works with the public is surrounded by people who they are not sure if they vaccinated or not snd plus these worker are not about to have two weeks off from work. When do these workers get a break. These workers are going to have to carry on and deal with the public.

Until extremely recently teachers were certain that they were surrounded by totally unvaccinated people who weren’t wearing masks and were far closer than 2m away. All the others you mention might have been in that situation for a short time, not for six hours per day. Those workers will get their annual leave, just as laid down in law, same as teachers and other school and nursery staff.

Like many other workers, that’s my point teachers are acting like they are the only ones.

@Iheartbaby Like how you ignored my post that showed other workers DO complain.

It’s like Iheart just couldn’t stand the positive reaction that Honey’s post was getting and couldn’t resist trying to turn it negative again.

Needs a new hobby.

@Whichjab

Yep

I've been saying that for weeks

@CarrieBlue

When do these workers get a break. These workers are going to have to carry on and deal with the public.*

What a ridiculous statement. They’ll get a break when they take their annual leave…!

@OnceuponaRainbow18

What a Christian statement for this time of year 🤣🤣

The annual leave that they can't use properly as can't travel anywhere for a decent rest

Sorry but a uk holiday nice as it can be and I'm a fan of uk hols is NOT a decent rest (with kids anyway).

@Iheartbaby
Like many other workers, that’s my point teachers are acting like they are the only ones.

No, not like any of the workers you mentioned - that’s MY point. As I said, which other profession is working under these conditions?

@OnceuponaRainbow18 - was that supposed to be a tag for the poster who I was replying to? I made exactly the same point as you - all workers are entitled to annual leave.

Sorry but a uk holiday nice as it can be and I'm a fan of uk hols is NOT a decent rest (with kids anyway).

For an awful lot of people a U.K. break is all they would get in a non-covid year - do you mean to be so dismissive?

[quote whenwillthemadnessend]@OnceuponaRainbow18

What a Christian statement for this time of year 🤣🤣

The annual leave that they can't use properly as can't travel anywhere for a decent rest

Sorry but a uk holiday nice as it can be and I'm a fan of uk hols is NOT a decent rest (with kids anyway). [/quote]
Well teachers have to follow travel rules too. So teachers can't use their leave "properly" either (not that I ever go abroad for my holiday, so I disagree a UK holiday can't be relaxing). Not sure what your point is.

@CarrieBlue
Not dismissing uk at all.

I love a uk hol and been all
Over uk all times if the year

But for a proper rest I'm sorry
But A packed car- tents- rain or worse expensive Meals out or self cater
Heaving traffic in school
Holidays expensive days out is not what a consider a rest. A change yes but not a rest

Still they do say a
Change is a stood as a rest so 🙅‍♀️