The Forty Seventh Republic! Happy Valentines and get some half term rest

[Staffdontblowitnow]

You are most welcome to this school staff support thread to get us through stressful times. It is meant for school staff only – a sort of room of requirement. Baiters, haters, goaders, and bashers can jog on somewhere else.

If you are NOT staff and just have a general education query please start your own thread.

You can play here if you are a member of one the following groups-

-ABBA - anti bashers and baiting association
-SWAB - school workers against bashers
-SWOT - school workers opposing teacherbashers
-STARS - schoolworkers together against ranting + slurs

Do not give the staffroom password just in case it attracts the wrong sort

Other requirements for staff room entry include the ability to find the staff room, the ability to find a clean mug in the staff room, knowledge of the photocopier codes, and the ability to sniff out where the booze is stashed - Thirsty Tuesdays, Fizz Fridays now in operation.

If you come with a stick to goad us then that is not allowed in the staffroom and you will receive a detention

Wtf is he banging on about 'cautious and irreversible?'

Why irreversible? That's bloody frightening!

I've seen some twats. Women are delicate and easily offended and don't say twat.

I meant in the republic vs outside with the lunatics (the difference is really stark) but it's probably even more so with other places.
Some of the theory is really outdated...

• men swear more
• men are more competitive
• men interrupt more
• women lack confidence when talking
• women are more polite
• women are less likely to disagree
• women make more indirect requests

My go to theory for open evening is that women do the "conversational shitwork". Kids love that one 😂

I don't understand the irreversible thing either... what does he mean? This is the last lockdown if it doesn't work you're on your own?😳

What does he mean by irreversible. Sounds like lunacy to me.
Everything is annoying me on here today.

@RandomGrammarPun

And yet "to fangirl" is used massively and unironically by gay men. And usually ironically by women.

That's interesting too because that's about prestige and being part of a group. If we say it about ourselves, we're using it to suggest that we're part of a group (like the n word being "reclaimed") that we're proud of. When other people say it about us, it's generally used in a demeaning way. A lot of it is to do with intent... which may not even be in the forefront of the mind of the person who is using it.

I presume he means eg 'once we've opened schools even if cases go up quite a bit, we won't close them again'.

To be fair, it could be an explanation for why he's going to proceed in very small steps?

It could be his way of saying he won't be taking any chances this time and won't open up until he's sure the risk of numbers spiraling again are low.

But that doesn't sound like Boris!

Traditionally minority oppressed groups like gay men often invert taboos etc. Eg Methodist was originally an insult aimed at the Wesleys.

Seriously though, what taboo and outdated terms are we (not me!) using here?

Anyone listening to the briefing? Another thread said the 22nd announcement might be delayed.

Just said he can't guarantee this is the last lockdown

'As much of a timetable as I can give on the 22nd'.

Seriously though, what taboo and outdated terms are we (not me!) using here?
It's not the terms that are outdated; it's the theory.
There have definitely been some twats and some fucks in here. Women aren't supposed to do that.
Except they clearly do and some research suggests that most of women's taboo language is to do with men. Interestingly when you write a list of taboo words, a lot are to do with genitals, especially women's genitals.
Polari is really interesting. I don't know much about it but it was the underground language of the gay community between the 20s and the 60s.

I didn't know 'uppity' had racist connotations until recently. I don't use it now. Likewise, beyond the pale and connotations re Ireland.

DH is a minefield of the politically incorrect. DS and I have perfected eyerolling.

I do remember telling my own HT off once for saying 'coloured'.

Based on sick days-interesting. My own kids had 5 periods of self-isolation in the autumn term between them-yet their attendance is 100% due to the codes used.

What data exactly is this study based on?

@lonelyplanet

Anyone listening to the briefing? Another thread said the 22nd announcement might be delayed.

The dates given on the 22nd might need to slip - not the 22nd announcement might slip (is what Sky are saying).

Ah, thanks.

Yes I think he's sounding quite cautious.

Did you just hearing him trying to say that drug name?!

The sick days are teacher sick days : they are still all falling over themselves to prove we don't get ill any more than Sue who WFH.

That is interesting appu - as you say we used X code for anything covid related including isolation which doesn't affect attendance. I code is for other illness so not relevant at all!

I thought by irreversible he meant he doesn't want to give eg a date for school return to parents and then have to take it away again ergo it's better to wait and only give specifics we can be sure of rather than get hopes up. Eg cancelling Christmas, saying all back as normal after Christmas then having to u turn. I think he is using the term irreversible as the opposite of u turns itms.

However I think he's paid too much and has too many advisers to put it so clumsily and not express it better and it was a stupid reckless word to use.

Can't see the actual paper (preprint, is that still a paper?) but here's a scientist's reaction to it:

www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-preprint-on-schools-and-absences-due-to-covid-19-between-september-and-december-2020/

The thing is no one can see this Warwick study : not sure how the press have got it tbh.

IT question :DS's broken laptop has had hard drive replaced... does this mean he has lost his Microsoft Office lifetime software??

@MrsHamlet

I've just marked a whole essay about a character called Stan and his evil actions.

The text is Paradise Lost 🤦🏼‍♀️🤣

You might have a budding Neil Gaiman there.

The preprint should be available but it isn't even on the author's Twitter!