Disposable teachers?

[RomanRita]

Anyone else feel that the Government is preparing to sacrifice the well-being of school staff to prop up the economy?
I wonder what the response will be once teachers begin to get sick.

Italy has shut down schools and one thing I haven't read about is a shortage of medical staff. Other horrors, yes. Not sure why.

I am finding it truly terrifying that the government could be bringing in actual laws to force schools to stay open.

I am finding it truly terrifying that the government could be bringing in actual laws to force schools to stay open.

I think they've already said they're doing that, but tbh I don't see how it works in practice. If your staff are ill or self-isolating, how do you force a school to stay open? Leave the premises unlocked and empty?

Tbh I think anyone who can afford to will keep their kids at home anyway.

The latest from TES is talking about skeleton staff working at school and supervising kids whose parents are ‘essential’ workers (NHS/police etc I suppose)

So basically babysitting.

But are teachers essential workers? How am I supposed to teach my actual classes of exam kids online if I’m babysitting a bunch of year 7s or if my own child is off school?

I’m part time, I’d rather go and supervise activities/teach at DS’s primary school that is 5 minutes from home 3 days a week and be with him, instead of schlepping 18 miles each way for work at the senior school I teach at and not actually be able to teach my classes properly.

If your staff are ill or self-isolating, how do you force a school to stay open? Leave the premises unlocked and empty?

Direct you to get supply teacher in, I guess?

I was wondering about this. I have a primary school opposite my house but I drive 25 minutes to a primary school in a neighbouring village. It makes sense to stop teachers commuting and go to the nearest school. I'd also be far happier about babysitting keyworkers kids if my own were at home not far away. I could leave them then, at home eating rubbish and watching tv / doing all the work they have been set/ arguing and fighting / eating all the food at age 11, but i'd not be happy leaving them both to be away all day in my usual place of work.

Problem is that the school opposite is still LEA and mine is academy. The gov kind of shot themselves in the foot there. My trust will only send me to my trust. Our nearest other trust school is 30 miles away.

Teachers are Not being treated as disposable. Most teachers , probably around 80% , are young enough and healthy so will be exposed to minimal risk. ( based on rates of asthma and diabetes in the uk)

you take risks every time you get in a car.

The other 20% or so should be allowed /forced to self isolate.

You will probably also have arou d 10 to 20% of kids who will have to be iolsated

Class sizes will be a bit bigger, but this is an rather unusual situation with no good solution, only less bad options

I suspect it's much harder for families of young children with vulnerable parents , and for hospital staff who will face to face with it every day

Never doubt the self pity of teachers...

You’re not being sacrificed. You’re being asked to do your job. As all other professions are.

I’m a doctor. We’re exposed. As are many others. We just have to get one with it.

I'm in the at risk category. I'd like to know what happens to my pay if some young nqts with no kids and no risk factors go in and I can't. Do they get paid and not me?

And if you're a doctor or nurse - you signed up for that. I signed up for teaching. Not a usually high risk profession.

Controversial statement... but I honestly think if schools don't close we are as in the front line and actually at more risk than NHS staff.

I had to go to the hospital there to lift a prescription, there was only communication via telecom and script was passed through a slot in a hatch.

Our local GPs have all closed and are diagnosing and triaging via telephone. Those working in the hospital are protected via PPE, masks, gloves etc.

We are being thrown into classrooms of 30+ kids where social distancing is impossible because the classrooms are overcrowded and it's not feasible to space kids out with 1-2ms between them.

I'm scared and angry that our health and safety is being compromised on an ill though out, highly criticised plan. The schools need to be closed.

I think the idea behind continuing the schools, is to prevent grandparents having to step in to look after the kids. By the time we get to the Easter Holidays, it will be a lot clearer.

And if you're a doctor or nurse - you signed up for that. I signed up for teaching. Not a usually high risk profession.

It took longer than usual for this to crop up

No need to be sniffy. It's not a fight - I have family and friends in the NHS one of whom is working in Addenbrookes with the patients at the moment. But they're accepting of it a job and they have the professional knowledge and ( at the moment, equipment) to safeguard themselves but I do not. Speaking to them this weekend, we thought the best solution would be to choose certain schools and open them to key worker kids but train staff and equip them first. That would have to happen this week.
I'm happy to do that. I'm not happy to continue flinging myself into a vector everyday without support. And I recognise, as my hp friends recognise, that a hospital is a massively different setting to a school.

So stop being snippy with me.

@phlebasconsidered Yeah of course it's just young NQTs that have no children and aren't at risk.

Out of the 4 NQTs at our school 2 of us are at risk due to health conditions and 1 has a young child.

@matildatoldsuchdreadfullies

Supermarket staff have a counter between themselves and the customer, they are wearing gloves and they are dealing with adults who generally maintain proximate social distancing.

I cam only speak for myself but I spend a large part of the winter trying stave off illness. Last week I sent a pupil home three days in a row sick with a bad cold (coughing everywhere) because their parent refused to keep them at home as it was inconvenient.

Of course there are more at risk, that was badly worded on my part. My autoimmune condition occurred in my 20's. It's just that it's less likely- although of course possible. And less likely they will have caring responsibility for the elderly. Of course ALL staff at risk should be protected, regardless of age. My niece has the same inherited condition as me and also chose to teach. She's in the same position at 26.

I’m a doctor. We’re exposed. As are many others. We just have to get one with it
My GP surgery is doing phone triage now, you are not to go in unless prearranged. I have other health issues I would like to get checked out but I won't get an appointment and it wouldn't occur to me to ask, given current crisis. But making sure a group of 13 year old learn all about what triggered World War 2 continues to be essential?
What is essential is childcare, let's face it, with a side order of exams. It is not essential that every child gets the "experience" of education if that includes more children per class, spreading more germs around more quickly.

@Ariela

Well over 50% of kids are collected by grandparents away. They're actually at a much higher risk if their grandchildren are spending all day at risk of contacting the virus.

My whole approach is going to change this week, if I can pull it off. Spending lots of time in the open air, weather permitting, rearranging seating in the classroom to create a semblance of social distancing, keeping the classroom well ventilated and playfully introduce further hygiene measures through monitoring roles etc. I am bricking it though; my class is not likely to be following any government guidance on self isolation irrespective of how poorly they are, we are in an area of great deprivation and parents will not be able to stay home from zero hours contract work with sick kids.

I don’t think they would be able to arrange adequate state run childcare for essential workers though at shoo notice. People are too selfish to look after doctors and nurses kids as they don’t want to catch the virus . Too many say not my job description not my job.

We are being thrown into classrooms of 30+ kids where social distancing is impossible because the classrooms are overcrowded and it's not feasible to space kids out with 1-2ms between them.

Yep. And we have no hand sanitizer and no sinks in classrooms in my school. A kid literally coughed on me on Friday and I could not wash my hands for an hour and a half until lunchtime rolled around.

Never doubt the self pity of teachers...

You’re not being sacrificed. You’re being asked to do your job. As all other professions are.

I’m a doctor. We’re exposed. As are many others. We just have to get one with it.

Do you have PE equipment and hygiene?

We just don't.

Now is not the time to play the martyr card. This really is a ‘we’re all in this together’ situation
^^ well said!

I do normally stick up for teachers but I have friends who are teachers who were looking forward to their summer off and are a bit miffed they aren’t getting a break at the moment as earlier in the week they had been quite made up about a media report saying schools would be shut for 16 weeks. It’s seems 16 weeks on full pay was quite appealing while the rest of the country working in the private sector worry if they will still have a job at the end of all this. Lots of other workers are having to mix with other people, whether that is other workers (in a factory setting) or customers/members of the general public (retail/medical). Teachers really aren’t the only ones at risk.
School staff are also not the only ones dealing with children day in, day out. But because the majority of early years settings are private, meaning parents have to pay for it, their staff are not calling for blanket closures.

I’m happy to open to look after front line staff’s children.

So long as certain things are stopped for the duration-:

Ofsted
Data drops
Report writing
Wall displays
Lesson observations
PMR
Lesson plans/objectives/deep marking.

I’m happy to care for and educate a mix of age groups in an unfamiliar setting in a fun way, especially if I can bring my own children in.

I will not be doing so, if it’s subject to the usual ridiculous scrutiny that is making teachers leave the profession in droves.

I’m a teacher. I want to keep teaching. I don’t want the schools to close. Students and young People need continuity, and with the exams round the corner and no plan for how to deal with cancelled exams these kids are worried about how this will affect their future.

I also think keeping kids off school will cause a huge impact on the economy. All the parents who cannot work....

I also don’t feel on the front line- I don’t get close to the students I teach. I’ve been leaving doors open in my classroom so barely touching anything the students would handle; I’ve brought food from home and eating in my office.

I’d be gutted for the kids I’ve taught for two years who have put their heart and soul into their studies not to get a chance to show their abilities!