Secondary teachers concerned for safety of COVID-era classes
TEACHERS with underlying medical conditions who have been advised by their consultants not to return to school have been compelled by the Department of Education to go back into classroom again.
So said local ASTI representative Ann Loughnane, a Cork based teacher who works in Kenmare’s Pobalscoil Inbhear Scéine as she outlined the secondary teachers’ union’s concern surrounding the health and safety of members back in schools since the beginning of September.
According to Ms Loughnane, this was just one of a number of areas of concern the ASTI had as its executive decided to carry out a vote among its members which could include industrial action if their concerns aren’t addressed.
Ms. Loughnane also revealed that the ASTI had sought a meeting with the Health Protections Surveillance Centre but this request had been declined.
“One of the issues we have is the phone notification some teachers got from their COVID app that they had come into close contact with somebody with COVID.
“When they raised this with the schools, the directive came from the Department of Education that the notification had been an error on the app.”
To say that teachers who received this notification and the subsequent communication from the Department to instruct them to continue teaching in the classroom were concerned and confused would be an understatement, according to Ms Loughnane.
She described this advice from the Department of Education Medical Service as “inhumane and extremely dangerous”.
“It’s adding to the level of stress being endured by teachers - safety has to be the priority,” she said.
She added that teachers had been set a ‘ totally unrealistic timetable’ for returning to school and getting the buildings ready for a return of pupils.
Other issues which are being raised by the ASTI in negotiations with the Department of Education include physical distancing in schools; provision of PPE; the definition of close contacts; comprehensive testing and testing turnaround times; provisions for high risk teachers: IT resources for students and teachers to facilitate remote teaching/ learning.
“The reality is that teachers are frontline workers and we noticed how the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, was able to get a test very quickly and get the result within a few hours.
“Obviously we don’t object to that but we do believe, as frontline workers, that we should get tested and results back within 24 hours.”
She said that in some cases the test and results process was taking a number of days for the teachers, all of which was exacerbating stress levels which were already too high.
She disclosed that according to the information available there had been 142 cases reported in school settings as of the beginnging of this week.
The issue of wearing mask has also raised problems for teachers and pupils.
“I had to teach every class today, from 8.50am to 3.50pm and wearing the mask all day was quite an ordeal.”
She said that the provision of medical grade PPE would help allay concerns.
She said while everybody understands the crisis that the country is undergoing and that there is alot of understanding for the Government and the challenges it faces, there has to be a bit of lateral thinking to help alleviate the burden for frontline workers like teachers.
The decision at the weekend to organise a nationwide vote for measures up to and including industrial action sets in train a process which could take several weeks during which further talks to achieve progress can take place.
“Nobody, least of all teachers, wants industrial action,” said the ASTI representative.
“We’re highlighting the seriousness of issues at present - it would be very shortsighted not to listen to our concerns.”