Teachers get it handy!

[Angelo]

How many teachers have died so far?

Imagine the nurses took a similar stance.

[Itchy]

How many teachers have died so far?

Imagine the nurses took a similar stance.

I reckon I know personally at this stage about 30 people who have tested positive for COVID. Thankfully none of them died from it. Only one was a teacher (national school). She got it from attending a funeral. She stayed home from school when she was identified as a close contact and there was no outbreak there. If there is Irish data on teacher fatalities I'd love to see it.

[Baile Brigín 2]

Are teachers illiterate. Can they not figure it out? I wasn't a covid expert last March funny enough and I and others maintain a live document on Covid policy in our plant. Are your teachers unable to purchase a mask for themselves and a bottle of sanitiser? Do you want Norma Foley to wipe your arse for you too. The main lesson being thought to kids now is stamp your feet and moan until someone else  does it for you.

What are the stats for teachers and covid in Ireland, where is the data from this country that says that they are disproportionately at risk versus other workers.

So we agree that there are no covid protocols and none forthcoming. There is plenty of evidence that schools are riskier than other workplaces and doubly so with special needs teaching where you have to be up close.

They shouldn't have to buy their own PPE and write their own policies snd its mentsl tos uggest they should.

Every other industry in the bloody country wrote their own and sourced their own PPE. Do you think the Fairy god mother turned up and delivered it to us. We liased with external expertise to do this. Do you think there were industries that were especially prepared? One thing that teachers did have was lots of free time to do this but instead they sat on their arses at home and waited for someone else to do it for them.

No they didn't.

Your industry being private has H&S officers and is inherently less risky. You did hee haw yourself.

Schools, and hospitals and other public utilities rely on the department to do the risk and H&S work for them at their insistance. Which they failed to do

[Baile Brigín 2]

The teachers were presented with a safety plan that was approved by 2 medical professionals one of whom is Dr Ronan Glynn (who is in NPHET)

The Unions are making unrealistic demands of the minister and government

When? Because as of Monday they hadn't

[Angelo]

Are teachers illiterate. Can they not figure it out? I wasn't a covid expert last March funny enough and I and others maintain a live document on Covid policy in our plant. Are your teachers unable to purchase a mask for themselves and a bottle of sanitiser? Do you want Norma Foley to wipe your arse for you too. The main lesson being thought to kids now is stamp your feet and moan until someone else  does it for you.

What are the stats for teachers and covid in Ireland, where is the data from this country that says that they are disproportionately at risk versus other workers.

So we agree that there are no covid protocols and none forthcoming. There is plenty of evidence that schools are riskier than other workplaces and doubly so with special needs teaching where you have to be up close.

They shouldn't have to buy their own PPE and write their own policies snd its mentsl tos uggest they should.

Every other industry in the bloody country wrote their own and sourced their own PPE. Do you think the Fairy god mother turned up and delivered it to us. We liased with external expertise to do this. Do you think there were industries that were especially prepared? One thing that teachers did have was lots of free time to do this but instead they sat on their arses at home and waited for someone else to do it for them.

No they didn't.

Your industry being private has H&S officers and is inherently less risky. You did hee haw yourself.

Schools, and hospitals and other public utilities rely on the department to do the risk and H&S work for them at their insistance. Which they failed to do

More troll like behaviour from the Dublin Unionist.

[macdanger2]

Very poor carry on from the teacher unions

Any employee is entitled to health and safety and promotion of health and safety is properly the business of a union representing its members.  Note that the politicians that are criticising the teachers are down in the conference centre at great expense to make sure that they do not come with 5m of each other.

Plenty of workers are continuing to work through the pandemic, factories, supermarkets, etc. How are teachers different?

Supermarket staff are enclosed in perspex and customers in supermarkets are expected to wear masks, although shamefully some supermarkets do not protect their staff in this regard. By and large teachers are not enclosed in perspex nor are their customers expected to wear masks.

Not the ones who are restacking shelves.

I honestly think it's a disgrace that the unions can't agree something that will at least allow special needs kids and leaving certs to return to school, there'd be plenty of space for everyone with reduced numbers

Why is it up to the unions and only the unions? The point is there is no plan to discuss. I know a SNA and they are on PUP. They are itching to get back but not at any cost. They aren't even given masks

So the unions aren't happy with whatever had been offered - let them release a list of what they require, if their demands are reasonable, public opinion will be fully behind them.

[Itchy]

Are teachers illiterate. Can they not figure it out? I wasn't a covid expert last March funny enough and I and others maintain a live document on Covid policy in our plant. Are your teachers unable to purchase a mask for themselves and a bottle of sanitiser? Do you want Norma Foley to wipe your arse for you too. The main lesson being thought to kids now is stamp your feet and moan until someone else  does it for you.

What are the stats for teachers and covid in Ireland, where is the data from this country that says that they are disproportionately at risk versus other workers.

So we agree that there are no covid protocols and none forthcoming. There is plenty of evidence that schools are riskier than other workplaces and doubly so with special needs teaching where you have to be up close.

They shouldn't have to buy their own PPE and write their own policies snd its mentsl tos uggest they should.

Every other industry in the bloody country wrote their own and sourced their own PPE. Do you think the Fairy god mother turned up and delivered it to us. We liased with external expertise to do this. Do you think there were industries that were especially prepared? One thing that teachers did have was lots of free time to do this but instead they sat on their arses at home and waited for someone else to do it for them.

No they didn't.

Your industry being private has H&S officers and is inherently less risky. You did hee haw yourself.

Schools, and hospitals and other public utilities rely on the department to do the risk and H&S work for them at their insistance. Which they failed to do

I can tell you that yes we 2 x H&S officers and they knew the same about dealing with a global pandemic as I did in March - nothing. The work in our plant was done by managers, middle managers and operators. Stop passing the buck, try take some personal responsibility for something and stop trying to pretend you know what goes on in a manufacturing plant when you clearly havent a clue. My industry is more risky than schools by the way. A very high density of workers, people at machines sitting right beside each other. People who are older and statistically more likely to have COVID. Thank God the nurses and doctors in this country, the real heros, have more about them than teachers.

[Itchy]

Very poor carry on from the teacher unions

Any employee is entitled to health and safety and promotion of health and safety is properly the business of a union representing its members.  Note that the politicians that are criticising the teachers are down in the conference centre at great expense to make sure that they do not come with 5m of each other.

Plenty of workers are continuing to work through the pandemic, factories, supermarkets, etc. How are teachers different?

Supermarket staff are enclosed in perspex and customers in supermarkets are expected to wear masks, although shamefully some supermarkets do not protect their staff in this regard. By and large teachers are not enclosed in perspex nor are their customers expected to wear masks.

Not the ones who are restacking shelves.

I honestly think it's a disgrace that the unions can't agree something that will at least allow special needs kids and leaving certs to return to school, there'd be plenty of space for everyone with reduced numbers

Why is it up to the unions and only the unions? The point is there is no plan to discuss. I know a SNA and they are on PUP. They are itching to get back but not at any cost. They aren't even given masks

So the unions aren't happy with whatever had been offered - let them release a list of what they require, if their demands are reasonable, public opinion will be fully behind them.

Exactly, nothing will make them happy and every solution they will find problems with. Why? Because there is no way to 100% ensure that a person doesnt get COVID. So there is always a way to get out of going to work. Whats most dissapointing is  that the good teachers that realise this (and there are an awful lot) dont speak up and be heard by their own union who are led by cretins.

[trailer]

Unions definitely the reason the schools are closed in the North. I know the pressure they put on certain MLA's who then in turn basically used it as a political football to attack Weir. Same with the 11+. Interesting those same MLA's never once criticised the schools for using the exam which is the crux of the issue.
There is no plan to even open schools even when infections drop. It would appear schools will remain closed until Covid is completely eradicated. Answers on a postcard when that will be. Meanwhile the gap between the have's and have nots gets larger.

[laoislad]

My eldest is one of those kids affected by this absolute clusterfuck of a situation.
We were told at the weekend he would be back in on Thursday and then told yesterday he wouldn't be.
It's simply not good enough.
He needs the routine of school, he is totally out of whack at the moment and it's setting him back big time.
He is getting 1 video call a week with his SNA and resource teacher. It's really not worth a f**k to him though.

[Angelo]

Unions definitely the reason the schools are closed in the North. I know the pressure they put on certain MLA's who then in turn basically used it as a political football to attack Weir. Same with the 11+. Interesting those same MLA's never once criticised the schools for using the exam which is the crux of the issue.
There is no plan to even open schools even when infections drop. It would appear schools will remain closed until Covid is completely eradicated. Answers on a postcard when that will be. Meanwhile the gap between the have's and have nots gets larger.

And you're the guy who wants stricter lockdowns.

Do you even understand the concept of irony. I don't disagree with what you say there, I just find it completely in contradiction with other posts you have made and I find it startling how you can have such diverging views.

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

Unions definitely the reason the schools are closed in the North. I know the pressure they put on certain MLA's who then in turn basically used it as a political football to attack Weir. Same with the 11+. Interesting those same MLA's never once criticised the schools for using the exam which is the crux of the issue.
There is no plan to even open schools even when infections drop. It would appear schools will remain closed until Covid is completely eradicated. Answers on a postcard when that will be. Meanwhile the gap between the have's and have nots gets larger.

Serious political agenda in North with all those decisions, SF and SDLP especially using it as whip to beat DUP, youd be dubious of their real honesty and motives here, sick wee set up in Stormont

[JimStynes]

In the North there was a lockdown before Christmas when schools stayed open. The numbers continued to go up and people gave off saying the schools should have been closed too. Now that schools are closed people are starting to get pissed off again, so schools should be open again. Make up your minds. I know my school is open and the local schools around me are open as usual for anyone who needs to send their child. So what is the problem?  It is funny as well that the education end of things seem to be down the list of concerns, a lot of people are pissed off that schools are closed because it messes up their babysitting service.

[johnnycool]

Unions definitely the reason the schools are closed in the North. I know the pressure they put on certain MLA's who then in turn basically used it as a political football to attack Weir. Same with the 11+. Interesting those same MLA's never once criticised the schools for using the exam which is the crux of the issue.
There is no plan to even open schools even when infections drop. It would appear schools will remain closed until Covid is completely eradicated. Answers on a postcard when that will be. Meanwhile the gap between the have's and have nots gets larger.

I know of one leading Grammar school in Belfast where they'd almost 160 kids and 14 teachers out either from testing positive for Covid or isolating due to being in close contact with someone who'd tested positive in the school environment in the lead up to Christmas.

If it got any worse they were going to have to close unilaterally due to the lack of teachers but sure schools don't spread it.

How many deaths did we having in the North yesterday, just the 24 was it?

[trailer]

Unions definitely the reason the schools are closed in the North. I know the pressure they put on certain MLA's who then in turn basically used it as a political football to attack Weir. Same with the 11+. Interesting those same MLA's never once criticised the schools for using the exam which is the crux of the issue.
There is no plan to even open schools even when infections drop. It would appear schools will remain closed until Covid is completely eradicated. Answers on a postcard when that will be. Meanwhile the gap between the have's and have nots gets larger.

Serious political agenda in North with all those decisions, SF and SDLP especially using it as whip to beat DUP, youd be dubious of their real honesty and motives here, sick wee set up in Stormont

Definitely agree. SDLP and SF not thinking about students but political point scoring.