Page 3 | Save our schools!

motherrunner · 2021-12-20T09:29:41+00:00

So, the Government has had ample opportunities to invest in schools to reduce the spread of Covid ie air filter systems but instead we were given a few CO2 monitors (one per 3 classrooms) and told to ignore the red flashing light and open a window. Do we really think ex-teachers will ‘answer the call’ to save our schools? [[https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-retired-teachers-urged-to-return-to-classrooms-to-cover-staff-absence-as-omicron-takes-hold-12500466?fbclid=IwAR1-MPdPC7cU0AJB1pbgDY_oUYh-wOrQFoEUhhMdpaLXFMSrau22j2TeTJQ]]

shreddednips · 20/12/2021 11:12

@borntobequiet

they need to take a serious look

Unfortunately taking a serious look at anything isn’t their normal way of working…

Quite!

Itisasecret · 20/12/2021 11:14

What I have noticed, is the absence of the usual suspects on this thread.

I can’t think why that is?

Is it because the Govt stance around schools is insanity and no matter how many times you say “schools must never close” it doesn’t work?

Schools are closing and now, any warm body will do for childminding. It’s not education children are getting. Why is it none of these posters who care about education and equity are speaking up?

Could it be because they don’t actually care if their children are getting a quality education or not? They don’t actually care about the vulnerable children? If they did, they’d be very vocal about what’s going on. They aren’t, which makes it clear they have an agenda and it’s not supporting the vulnerable.

mrshoho · 20/12/2021 11:15

@herecomesthsun

I think having some teaching organised on line would be a very good thing and older or CEV teachers could do that, perhaps.

The thought of online lessons is even scarier to the retired teachers I know. Plus the risk of being ridiculed by certain groups and having videos posted on SM Who would put themselves in that position?

savagebaggagemaster · 20/12/2021 11:19

Just wait. They will have another solution up their sleeves when they realise this plea won't work. The Scottish government have said covid positive teachers can 'choose to ignore the isolation period' and get back into work!

https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/teachers-scotland-can-volunteer-not-self-isolate

herecomesthsun · 20/12/2021 11:21

Actually, I have 3 degrees and would be happy to make videos about relevant subjects if anyone wanted me to. The videos for homelearning that eldest DC uses have slides and a voice over, so it would be hard to put any of that on Tiktok or whatever the naughty kids have been doing.

I have also offered to our senior school to help with zoom interview practice for kids who want some help with this.

Dunno if anyone wants that sort of thing though.

noblegiraffe · 20/12/2021 11:25

It's already been done, herecomes. Oak Academy. Of course it was organised by teachers not the DfE so it is actually functional.

Teachers got slated as lazy for using it.

herecomesthsun · 20/12/2021 11:27

Does Oak Academy teach the specific texts for Exam boards though, say for English Lit?

And also, it would be helpful to have seminars where students could ask questions (not necessarily with the teacher's face on display if that's a problem).

I'm not sure Oak Academy does that.

TheRainbow · 20/12/2021 11:28

@Itisasecret

Generally, people have left teaching because of the toxic accountability processes and let’s be honest, teachers have been put on the front line of Covid. No whatabouterry, people in frontline education have unique circumstances no one else has. Especially primary and EYFS.

No one wants to go back, especially when they are returning to such unsafe work places. We had to close two year groups. The supply we could get went down, no one left. Not even MDSAs, literally any warm body will do and we couldn’t do that.

Well said.

noblegiraffe · 20/12/2021 11:30

And also, it would be helpful to have seminars where students could ask questions (not necessarily with the teacher's face on display if that's a problem).

Well that's live lessons. A different kettle of fish entirely.

mrshoho · 20/12/2021 11:31

@savagebaggagemaster

Just wait. They will have another solution up their sleeves when they realise this plea won't work. The Scottish government have said covid positive teachers can 'choose to ignore the isolation period' and get back into work!

[[https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/teachers-scotland-can-volunteer-not-self-isolate]]

Will we be given hazmat suits to wear also? I guess not if facemasks were considered too traumatic for some!

herecomesthsun · 20/12/2021 11:31

We desperately need to support the young people though, I'd love to do that if I could somehow from home (have to support my own 2 as well, mind you)

TheRainbow · 20/12/2021 11:32

@noblegiraffe

People who have left teaching know what it's like in schools in normal times. Chuck in the risk of catching covid just like the staff member you are replacing and it starts looking as attractive as a DfE Christmas party hosted by Gavin Williamson.

thanks for making me chuckle

herecomesthsun · 20/12/2021 11:32

@noblegiraffe

And also, it would be helpful to have seminars where students could ask questions (not necessarily with the teacher's face on display if that's a problem).

Well that's live lessons. A different kettle of fish entirely.

I think we need to mix the kettles of fish, as it were, to support the students.

Blubells · 20/12/2021 11:35

Schools are closing and now, any warm body will do for childminding. It’s not education children are getting. Why is it none of these posters who care about education and equity are speaking up?

Maybe we're lucky, but our school has been and is doing a brilliant job. Great teaching and very few absences. So I have no need to complain

But I still desperately hope the Government doesn't force out school to close!

Blubells · 20/12/2021 11:36

Sorry our

thelittlestrhino · 20/12/2021 11:36

@savagebaggagemaster

Just wait. They will have another solution up their sleeves when they realise this plea won't work. The Scottish government have said covid positive teachers can 'choose to ignore the isolation period' and get back into work!

[[https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/teachers-scotland-can-volunteer-not-self-isolate]]

Have they? I know if we're NOT positive with daily LFT and a PCR then we may be allowed to return without self-isolating. I've not seen anything to support the suggestion that Covid +ve teachers don't need to self-isolate. Not that I've been actively looking.

The self-isolation rules in Scotland are different to south of the border, and these would be more in line with what English teachers are expected to do. Up until now we couldn't 'test ourselves' out of the 10 day self-isolation period.

mumsneedwine · 20/12/2021 11:40

But schools are Covid safe. We were told that so many times it must be true. Teachers need to stop wining and just go to work - or resign. No need to get an earlier vaccine, it's all fine, kids can't catch or transmit Covid. Teachers are just workshy bastards. 🤬🤬🤬
At least that's what everyone said in March. Weird how the narrative has now changed to oh shit, we are running out of teachers and they are getting sick so need to get some old ones back in. Oh and OFSTED might turn up and tell you that school is a bit rubbish.
Still not seen any co2 monitors. And my windows still open an inch.

MichaelAndEagle · 20/12/2021 11:45

But schools are Covid safe. We were told that so many times it must be true. Teachers need to stop wining and just go to work - or resign. No need to get an earlier vaccine, it's all fine, kids can't catch or transmit Covid. Teachers are just workshy bastards. 🤬🤬🤬
At least that's what everyone said in March

Not everyone. A very vocal group of people, yes. But not everyone. I understand it must have felt like that though.

I for one, am just appalled that almost 2 years on we have not got a better solution than this. This is rubbish for everyone, children, teachers, parents... absolute crap.

mrshoho · 20/12/2021 11:49

Exactly, it is crap! When you look at the amount of money thrown around to fight this pandemic and then look at what was earmarked for schools it is awful.

MsJaneAusten · 20/12/2021 11:52

I’m a teacher. I’m currently off work with post-covid syndrome, after catching covid in school. It’s been an absolutely dreadful experience - not only because of how ill I am, but because of the guilt of leaving staff to cover for me and pupils without a specialist teacher.

I’m fed up of politicians talking about mitigations in schools when there have been none, and ‘us for them’ wankers totally missing the point that school staff want schools open, but safely. Where is the actual plan to make things better?

This would be mine:

cancel GCSE and A-Level exams NOW. Take the pressure of ‘will they? Won’t they’ off staff, students and parents. Give schools time to properly prepare CAGs.
allow secondary schools to move to part time timetables (e.g. KS3 mon/tues, KS4 wed/thurs, KS5 Fri) Oak Academy for the rest of the week. This will mean that class sizes can be hugely reduced, teenagers get face to face contact with trusted adults at least once a week, staffing shortages become less of a problem and supply teachers can be redirected to primary schools.
ensure that supply teachers are entitled to be fully paid if they catch covid (and for any complications later)
stop OFSTED inspections completely, except for those in response to a safeguarding issue. Redeploy inspectors into primary schools. No, they probably can’t teach, but they can supervise classes in order to keep schools open as childcare at least.

toomuchlaundry · 20/12/2021 11:54

Bloody hypocrite saying we must do everything to protect education, when the Government have done nothing.

Interestingly, many posters who came out of the woodwork to vocalise about vulnerable children in the last 2 years, seem to have gone quiet, especially on the thread where someone asked would you sacrifice Christmas so schools could stay open in January. Many posters on there were saying they didn't have children so didn't care about schools and they wanted Christmas.

mrshoho · 20/12/2021 11:59

hear hear @MsJaneAusten. We need decisive leaders to act early. Sorry you have been so unwell with it.

noblegiraffe · 20/12/2021 12:03

Us4Them have been posting on twitter about how outraged they are at the suggestion that they should get a booster jab to protect education.

Seems that they're not actually that bothered about doing anything to keep schools open for the poor kids who have missed out on so much after all.

mrshoho · 20/12/2021 12:05

And bragging about how they will abuse the keyworker provision if they have to without any guilt! Fools!

Itisasecret · 20/12/2021 12:08

@noblegiraffe

Us4Them have been posting on twitter about how outraged they are at the suggestion that they should get a booster jab to protect education.

Seems that they're not actually that bothered about doing anything to keep schools open for the poor kids who have missed out on so much after all.

That is because they were never about supporting education and our children's welfare. As you and I both know. It is all a front for a rather extreme organisation with some very, very unhinged ideas.