All day I have been listening to experts talk about the pros and cons of closing schools. Not a SINGLE ONE has mentioned the health and well-being of the teachers and admin and other adult staff who keep schools open every day.
They talk about how children are not at risk, but neglect to consider the risk to the adults who work in schools who may be pregnant, immune-compromised, diabetic, asthmatic, with any number of health issues that allow them to work, but make them vulnerable to COVID-19.
I mean, I’ve known since I was an undergraduate how badly people disrespect teachers, but I didn’t realise until this week that we were considered so utterly dispensable.
I’ve been so angry all day, madly and ineffectually texting @abcsydney, hoping that someone would take up the case of teachers and other school staff, to no avail.
It’s not that I don’t care about the kids. Of course I do, but I care about their disengagement from learning
It’s not that I don’t care about the kids. Of course I do, but I care about their disengagement from learning
especially for those kids without home computers/internet, more than their health (the already health-compromised aside: those kids who have also been dismissed by the “kids aren’t at risk” brigade).
I just wish the existence and well-being of teachers and admin staff
I just wish the existence and well-being of teachers and admin staff
was even acknowledged. Low bar.
This should be shocking, but it’s not.
It’s just angry-making, heart-breaking, and utterly depressing.
This should be shocking, but it’s not.
It’s just angry-making, heart-breaking, and utterly depressing.
Adding tweets to the thread to record how teachers are buying their own cleaning products to sanitise desks, books, door handles, hands... The powers that be insist schools stay open, but have done NOTHING to support us in maintaining basic hygiene in our work places.
Our staffrooms and toilets do not have hot water. We already buy our own soap dispensers and dishwashing liquid, and boil water to wash up after meals. We open windows and turn on fans in classrooms in a vain attempt at dispersing airborne germs.
Teachers will do a /lot/ for their students, always have done, always will. And this has always included compromising their own health. But this? Keeping schools open in a pandemic with not a single antiseptic wipe provided? Is this reasonable?
There has to be a limit to even this profession's good will.
