The Sixtieth Republic - One half term to go - just need to survive Sports Day and Activities Week!

[StaffRepFeistyClub]

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 for school staff to let off steam.

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.

Do not give the staffroom password to non-staff as it attracts the wrong sort of crowd.

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. Do not sit on the chairs and do wear a mask. Finally, upload your covid test results twice a week on Wednesdays and Sundays.

Then why does anyone need to stay home in the last few days of their SI?

Absolute crap.

PMQ. BJ said he wants to extend the school day and encourages KS and his ‘paymasters’ in Teachers’ Unions to encourage this.

Fucker.

Keir was fuck-all use when the unions were taking direct action in January or when they were asking for increased safety measures in schools.

If we're paying Keir anything, I want my money back.

None of the teaching unions are affiliated with Labour, noble. That means Labour (and KS) has to be careful with positioning when (some) teaching unions call for direct action.

The section 44 action was quite subtle and required a lot of buy-in from members who were (understandably) quite nervous about taking that route. If it had been turned into a political, rather than safety, issue, I think a lot of members wouldn't have gone along with it.

For what it's worth, Labour's education shadow worked closely with the NEU on it.

And ... the approach worked.

Gav said that about 'paymasters' last week too. This is more about union bashing than education. God, it's like we have gone back to Thatcherism.

I await the workshy teachers MN threads with glee.

Then why does anyone need to stay home in the last few days of their SI?

Well, quite...

Tbh I am more livid about lack of punishment.

Yes. I think the Johnson remark is exactly why KS and Labour had to maintain a distance from the teaching unions. ☹️

It's utterly frustrating.

The teaching unions aren't even affiliated with Labour, FFS.

But it's just a bone to throw to people who desperately want to believe nonsense, want to loathe teachers and teaching unions, want to ignore what teaching unions and KS are saying.

It's a sop for those who are already inclined to believe it. As someone somewhere else said, propaganda is a demand-led phenomenon.

Utterly, utterly annoying.

Weirdly, though, the charge is based in the 70s. I wonder how many younger people even 'get' what it's aiming at? Shame younger people don't vote more ...

@Piggywaspushed

Then why does anyone need to stay home in the last few days of their SI?

Well, quite...

Tbh I am more livid about lack of punishment.

Is it because it was a bus and outside the school's remit?

I thought there were supposed to be COVID-related behaviour sanctions.

(Mind you, in my experience, they're seldom enforced.)

Hahahahahhahhhahha. Hollow laugh.

That's not why it is though as he came on school premises.

None of the teaching unions are affiliated with Labour, noble. That means Labour (and KS) has to be careful with positioning when (some) teaching unions call for direct action.

Yes but Keir is so keen to distance himself from the teaching unions that he has distanced himself from teachers and from what Labour really should be about.

I notice that he isn't hesitant to slate Boris about the pitiful offer on covid catch-up funding so it's not like he's unaware that schools exist or that the Tories are doing a bad job on them.

But how can he claim to lead the party that cares about children' education and the impact that covid has had on it when he was entirely absent from the conversation from Sept-Dec when millions of children were missing out on school due to inadequate mitigation measures?

How can he be claim to lead the party that cares about workers when completely ignoring safety issues affecting workers (and teachers - a traditional Labour voting base!) and instead telling the unions to back off last summer?

Bit cross about Keir tbh.

Yes, but who can we have instead?

I think he is carefully positioning himself so he doesn't look anti education. I am ever helpful that if he/Lab got into power things would improve for schools.

It's the least worst option stuff, sadly.

We feel their pain...
*UK Home Secretary Priti Patel has come under attack from police officers for failing to prioritise their vaccination, while expecting them to enforce unclear Covid rules.

Police Federation chairman John Apter said police felt a "deep sense of betrayal" about vaccinations.

Patel said the government had followed the advice of the independent vaccination advisory committee.

She praised the police for "not flinching" in the face of the pandemic.

Apter revealed at the annual conference of the federation - which represents officers in England and Wales - that he had held "robust discussions" about vaccinating officers with the home secretary.

He said he had been told police could be prioritised during the rollout, but "the government's warm words became lame actions".

He told the conference "the result is that my colleagues do feel a sense, a deep sense, of betrayal"*

Yes, but who can we have instead?

A better version of Labour?

A better version of labour is too left wing it seems.

Now if Burnham came back...

Always worth remembering that Labour doesn't have to be your dream political soul-mate ... just better than Johnson and co and all our lives would improve. 😁

But, I hear you. 'Better than' = with a good chance of winning, really.
I often lie in bed, wondering how much we will put up with. 🤷‍♀️

Anyway.

School.

Hardly any time left now - and then the glorious, endless room of Summer.

Seen Pimlico staff have gone out on strike?

Ooh!!!

Do you have a link, Piggy?

Burnham gave a good interview on Radio 4 this morning, he stated his case, then responded to questions giving a coherent argument. It was unusual to hear a politician actually do that.

I couldn't paste it cat. Was in Evening Standard

Been locked into lengthy argument about sanction for SI breaker. Being made to feel as if sanctioning him would somehow damage him for life .

WTAF, Piggy?

Yeah, might just reply to the latest email like that .

Pimlico link: www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.standard.co.uk/news/london/pimlico-academy-teachers-strike-working-hours-safety-concerns-b939494.html%3famp

Or is there something else @Piggy?