Us for Them

[namechangchange]

I've name changed for this.
Had a wee look over on that page tonight as I have a ( possible ex) friend who's really active there and shares things all the time.
There is a post on tonight where people are actively threatening to take on the police as they have " weapons to match them ". I get we are all scunnered but I'm really worried by it. It has nothing to do with keeping schools open or protecting children!

@ItsIgginningtolookalotlikeXmas

Someone has posted on their fb page that their child's teacher has passed away from Covid. How many comments do you think there are sympathising with this man or his family? (If you're thinking anything above zero, you'd be wrong).

I popped on to snoop after this thread and saw that. Truly awful.

Interesting twitter thread here which throws up a lot of questions about Us4Them and their extraordinary influence.
twitter.com/karamballes/status/1343359587932626944?s=21

If you'd prefer a sensible, rational group in Scotland on safe education to follow I'd recommend this one. It's mainstream and cross-party. Neither snti teacher nor snti parent.

www.facebook.com/5050inschool/

Thanks Ginty. At least the SG did foresee and advise of primary schools going back for KW/ V only before / at the start of the hols for some. I suspect a u turn the day before for our English colleagues/ parents.
Must admit, anxiety levels were high last night but we have a few weeks to get cases down before the 18th. Unfortunately the effects of Christmas mixing haven't hit yet.

They really are sinking to new lows now. It could be laughable but I find their two latest campaigns particularly sinister.
They have been calling members to obtain evidence of empty hospitals and post videos on line. How utterly disgusting and disrespectful to our NHS that is in the middle of the worst crisis ever seen. Most people see through these lies but unfortunately there are other people who believe this shit.
They are also encouraging members not to engage in home learning. How is that going to help children? It's terrible and I'm sure the founders of this group will ensure their own children are still learning.

Yeah, one if my best friends was an ITU nurse in Kings College. She's back up now but she messaged me last night ( she's still on the group/ friends WhatsApp as a group went down from Glasgow Uni) and they ones that are still there said it's very grim and they're having a terrible time trying to look after everyone who needs it. Also, nearly everyone in ITU is unconscious so gravely ill.

Of course, I can't and won't write this on the UFT page but I'm just so fed up with those on mumsnet and UFT who are pretending there's not a huge crisis going on.

We don't get to choose to stay home in January, neither do lots of others. * I know WFH is near impossible with young children so not saying that's the answer longer term but people staying home as much as possible between now and the 18th Jan is surely so important for everyones safety.

I joined in June I think when it looked like Edinburgh was going back one day a week and signed petitions and wrote letters etc. But I left when it was getting too mad. I’m not a teacher but I want our teachers happy and healthy and feel as safe as they can. I finally left when a woman was harping on about how she would claim her son has anxiety so he could get out of wearing a mask to the many “likes” of other members. My daughter has anxiety and it is debilitating (but doesn’t affect her ability to wear a mask). It pissed off that these people think it’s okay make stuff up for their own ends and drag their kids into their lies as well.

@ItsIgginningtolookalotlikeXmas

They are currently saying they won't engage with online learning (I assume their dc don't get a say in this). No doubt they will still complain about what is on offer.

Absolutely agree with this. As a teacher, I won't be able to please everybody, Like the last time, there will be some kids who do everything, some who do a little and some who do nothing. I feel sorry for the kids of the UfT brigade. That lot - will be the first to complain that either - 1 Teachers wasted time going over concepts already covered in online teaching when their child had done absolutely everything 2 Teachers didn't go over stuff covered in online teaching when they had not allowed their child to complete the work set

Lose lose situation

I joined then left because its gone from complaining about what kind of learning our kids would get to conspiracy theories, complaining about everything and threats towards teachers etc.

I do think, however, we should still campaign for better online/blended learning but that's all we should be doing.

As a parent and professional I would happily throw myself a campaign to put pressure on the government to fund remote teaching/ blended learning using more premises so that adequate distancing can happen and recruiting teachers and support staff to allow this to happen.

UfT are now campaigning to take their children to school on the first day back and refuse to leave until we "do what we are paid to do by their taxes ".

Only we will be doing that already. And how horrible and harmful for the pupils . I know they are an echo chamber but I reported the post and Facebook said there was no grounds to remove .

They are showing that they do not have their children's best interests at heart. Frightening the lengths they are taking this too.

The current arguing over the hospitals is disgusting

Healthcare staff are saying they're busy but they won't accept it

I don't understand at all. The founders of this group are well educated, professional and privileged middle class people. How they live with themselves, condoning and encouraging this action is beyond me. I would plaster their names all over and encourage people to boycott their businesses.

@BelleSausage

They are lunatics who can’t deal with reality. Anyone who joined with them helped stoke that fire and it’s now going to be children’s education that suffers.

If we’d been allowed to go back with rotas and blended learning we’d not be in this mess and children would have a steady and secure education system.

I fully blame everyone who got involved with Us for Them for the fact I can’t see my family this Christmas and my entire department are having to isolate. I also blame Us for Them for the rise in teacher bashing and general unpleasantness towards education.

Never has so much been done by so few to harm the lives of so many. I hope you are proud of yourselves.

Totally agree with you. It was unsustainable from the beginning and groupsl like them lobbied the government for the u turn they made. A disaster. Children could have had consistent learning all the way through if it weren't for them.

@Lidlfix

As a parent and professional I would happily throw myself a campaign to put pressure on the government to fund remote teaching/ blended learning using more premises so that adequate distancing can happen and recruiting teachers and support staff to allow this to happen.

UfT are now campaigning to take their children to school on the first day back and refuse to leave until we "do what we are paid to do by their taxes ".

Only we will be doing that already. And how horrible and harmful for the pupils . I know they are an echo chamber but I reported the post and Facebook said there was no grounds to remove .

The person who is wanting that claims to have been a teacher. It concerns me at her lack of thought for the situation for the children and the skeleton staff who will be in.

It's laughable how it's gone from "Oh thank you Nicola for getting schools back full time in August. I'm crying tears of happiness" etc etc to the vitriol that's aimed at Ns and the SG now.
Not to mention the absurd suggestions they come up with. I can see one of our parent who is on there. She's a PIA as a parent so not surprised to see her expressing her opinions on there.

I saw the video if the woman who'll take her child down to school every day / refuse to do any home learning. She must have a lot of time on her hands
I have a friends and family teaching abroad and when schools are shut there's not outcry re a missed education. I really feel like moving/ working in another country sometimes. The UK has become far too like the far

*pressed post too soon there!

One final point- I don't think they've realised that the picture they're having children colour in for their latest call to action is from the movie 'soul' - about a music teacher who dies...

Yeah @Outsidemum1 but does he die of Covid? How many teachers have died of covid? Ha we've got you there! ⚡️⚡️⚡️CALL TO ACTION! BAN THE MOVIE SOUL⚡️⚡️⚡️ etc etc 

Their argument is fundamentally flawed anyway. We want our kids in schools, we don't want enhanced safety measures, we don't want masks, we don't want social distancing, we don't want any of the things which might help keep schools open to actually happen. I mean of fucking course we all want that- none of this and just normal life, but fortunately the rest of us are rational human beings who realise that just isn't the hand we've been dealt for now.

Their numbers aren't as high as they seem to think, either. If all of them take their children to school every day schools are closed, they're not exactly going to end up with hoards of children, overwhelming staff and taking control of the building. Just a couple of sad, confused kids, standing outside a school.

I've felt that my main job as a parent during this pandemic was to keep my kids' lives as normal as possible, stick to routines where we can and explaining things in an age appropriate way that doesn't cause fear or panic. It seems this group are doing the opposite to that. I feel the needs of the children have been sidelined quite significantly.

🤣

I was thinking the other day - re the next school closures due to snow. They will do a CALL TO ACTION / blaming of the SNP for not buying enough snow ploughs.

PS Apologies for the poor punctuation in the message above- was being 'attacked' by small children.

@icanboogieboogiewoogie

Their numbers aren't as high as they seem to think, either. If all of them take their children to school every day schools are closed, they're not exactly going to end up with hoards of children, overwhelming staff and taking control of the building. Just a couple of sad, confused kids, standing outside a school.

I've felt that my main job as a parent during this pandemic was to keep my kids' lives as normal as possible, stick to routines where we can and explaining things in an age appropriate way that doesn't cause fear or panic. It seems this group are doing the opposite to that. I feel the needs of the children have been sidelined quite significantly.

Exactly. Well said.

@Outsidemum1

🤣

I was thinking the other day - re the next school closures due to snow. They will do a CALL TO ACTION / blaming of the SNP for not buying enough snow ploughs.

PS Apologies for the poor punctuation in the message above- was being 'attacked' by small children.

It's ok, our school seems to get a snow plough. I nearly got knocked down by it on the recent snow. We'll be ok 😂🤣

Just had a look and the last five posts are relating to the situation in England but they're all commenting as if the articles refer to Scotland.
It appears that people don't read beyond a headline but I'm unsure of the admins thinking behind the postings. Just to stir people up for the sake of it perhaps?