Schools closed until March/April? (part 4) **Mod warning in OP 22/01**

downthemiddle

Quantum Erasure wrote: »

Shur thats only half an hour twice a week, in my local school anyway. And ive heard of teachers sharing the load, as remote learning isnt restricted by classroom size, so you could teach 60 or 90 pupils just the same as 30

And the corrections?

Mardyke

TheTorment wrote: »

Norma Fooley on RTE News

Has there ever been anyone more out of their depth...?

downthemiddle

Mardyke wrote: »

Has there ever been anyone more out of their depth...?

Only on the Titanic.

Queried

Could anyone give a summary of what she says? Can't get the player to work, nothing new there!

She's a gem at avoiding answering questions

Mardyke

Queried wrote: »

Could anyone give a summary of what she says? Can't get the player to work, nothing new there!

I'm watching it. She has talked for a few minutes now but has said absolutely nothing. A roaring disgrace that someone like her has such an important role.

Locotastic

Sweet.Science wrote: »

Where else do they work at the moment that would be deemed as unsafe as a teachers environment ? Excluding HCWs

Are you serious?

Why would you want to exclude HCWs, or Gardai, Cleaners, Food supply/manufacturing and retailers, Delivery drivers, Hauliers, Firefighters, Pharmacy staff, Medical manufacturing and supply, essential Electricity, Water, Gas, Broadband supply functions, Animal Care workers and Veterinarians, Agri suppliers, Car garages and mechanics, Plumbers, Electricians, Transport staff......I could go on.

As I said not all parents work in an office or from home.

downthemiddle

downthemiddle wrote: »

Tune into the Six One news now to hear Norma tell us that schools are safe.

BINGO!!!!!!!!!!

It's Ok lads...she got in that the schools are safe at the end.


I thought we were fúcked!!

Dravokivich

Queried wrote: »

Could anyone give a summary of what she says? Can't get the player to work, nothing new there!

I've an advisor committee.

There's this fella on the advisor committee.

Advisory committee.

Advisory committee.

Committee.

Advisory committee.

Someone else can fill anything I missed.

Tpcl20

TheTorment wrote: »

Jesus. This woman is on a mission.

How can she even consider sending children and staff into schools potentially endangering them?

The hospitals can't cope as it is!

Is she delusional?

Philip Nolan was saying about fifteen minutes ago during the briefing that he is imploring employers not to drop the ball and send employees back in just because there are good signals.

jrosen wrote: »

Thats pretty much the position of thousands of families already, just like last March through end of school term and again post Christmas break.

Yes, and now it's affecting this sector so it merits discussion.

Russman wrote: »

I do think that's a large part of it tbh. It was taken as a "defeat" last week and didn't sit well.

Shocking the way they do these things on a whim without any concern for the stress levels of those it affects.

Norma Foley is a discrace, possibly the worst Minister in living memory. Definitely the worst Minister for Education in my time.

downthemiddle

Tpcl20 wrote: »

Norma Foley is a discrace, possibly the worst Minister in living memory. Definitely the worst Minister for Education in my time.

She's no Noel Davern.

penny piper

I really can't understand that no one who interviews Norma Foley can't get a straight answer from her.....How that woman can preach on RTE that schools are safe for students/teachers by the end of January after seeing rte news is beyond comprehension...Shame Vincent Brown isn't about..it would be great to see her grilled by him....

mloc123

The Wordress wrote: »

Either my husband goes off work with a drop in income, I send my children to creche which will cost a lot and I don't feel comfortable with or I will take leave to stay at home which is unfair and will eat up my leave.

This is the position every other working parent, that is not a teacher, is in now...

Loafing Oaf

downthemiddle wrote: »

BINGO!!!!!!!!!!

Norma to the Irish people:

Where's the last place you'd think I'd put your children with a pandemic raging?

Sweet.Science

Locotastic wrote: »

Are you serious?

Why would you want to exclude HCWs, or Gardai, Cleaners, Food supply/manufacturing and retailers, Delivery drivers, Hauliers, Firefighters, Pharmacy staff, Medical manufacturing and supply, essential Electricity, Water, Gas, Broadband supply functions, Animal Care workers and Veterinarians, Agri suppliers, Car garages and mechanics, Plumbers, Electricians, Transport staff......I could go on.

As I said not all parents work in an office or from home.

Other than gardai and firefighters none of them as exposed to getting covid as teachers .

downthemiddle

TheTorment wrote: »

It's Ok lads...she got in that the schools are safe at the end.


I thought we were fúcked!!

From the letter to schools this evening



The public health advice is clear, as outlined in the letter of 5 January from
NPHET that schools are safe environment for staff and students. All employers,
including schools, are required to comply with the requirements of Work Safely
– The COVID-19 National Protocol for Employers and Workers which is the
collaborative output of Government Departments, the Health and Safety
Authority (HSA) and Labour Employer Economic Forum. Each school has a
COVID-19 Response Plan in place to outline the risk mitigation measures which
are in place to provide that safe environment. Public Health have re-iterated
that neither the variance of the disease nor the rate of transmission in the
community change in anyway the mitigation measures which need to be in
place.
This extensive suite of measures, which have been in place in schools since
August and remain in situ, have been supported by a funding package of over
€400m by the Department.
Enhanced arrangements for funding of special schools and classes were made
in recognition of the challenges faced in these settings and funding for this term
was provided to schools in December to ensure that they were supported and
ready for school re-opening planned for 6 January.
The public health advice is that compliance with the range of measures outlined
above means that schools remain safe places of employment.
In preparing for interim stages and full reopening, you are asked to ensure that
the risk mitigation measures that were established in September remain in
place and that any additional requirements from the HPSC (for example, the
need to provide medical grade masks to all SNAs) are also implemented.

Locotastic

Sweet.Science wrote: »

Other than gardai and firefighters none of them as exposed to getting covid as teachers .

Says who?

Sweet.Science

Locotastic wrote: »

Says who?

Me

downthemiddle

Locotastic wrote: »

Says who?

Norma has a lovely fringe. Do you Gal?

antgal23

downthemiddle wrote: »

From the letter to schools this evening



The public health advice is clear, as outlined in the letter of 5 January from
NPHET that schools are safe environment for staff and students. All employers,
including schools, are required to comply with the requirements of Work Safely
– The COVID-19 National Protocol for Employers and Workers which is the
collaborative output of Government Departments, the Health and Safety
Authority (HSA) and Labour Employer Economic Forum. Each school has a
COVID-19 Response Plan in place to outline the risk mitigation measures which
are in place to provide that safe environment. Public Health have re-iterated
that neither the variance of the disease nor the rate of transmission in the
community change in anyway the mitigation measures which need to be in
place.
This extensive suite of measures, which have been in place in schools since
August and remain in situ, have been supported by a funding package of over
€400m by the Department.
Enhanced arrangements for funding of special schools and classes were made
in recognition of the challenges faced in these settings and funding for this term
was provided to schools in December to ensure that they were supported and
ready for school re-opening planned for 6 January.
The public health advice is that compliance with the range of measures outlined
above means that schools remain safe places of employment.
In preparing for interim stages and full reopening, you are asked to ensure that
the risk mitigation measures that were established in September remain in
place and that any additional requirements from the HPSC (for example, the
need to provide medical grade masks to all SNAs) are also implemented.

If schools are safe why dont they open?

Asking for 5 million friends

Locotastic

Sweet.Science wrote: »

Me

Glad you cleared that up, so it's just your opinion.

Sweet.Science

antgal23 wrote: »

If schools are safe why dont they open?

Asking for 5 million friends

Not only that . Why can't I have gatherings of 25 in a room if they are safe ? We will wear masks be grand sure

Locotastic

downthemiddle wrote: »

Norma has a lovely fringe. Do you Gal?

A lot of posts here slagging off her appearance.

OK I get that she might not be popular among teachers but behaving like schoolyard children and slagging her hair/necklace etc really isn't becoming.

BonsaiKitten

I think this bit of the letter is particularly egregious.

Public Health have re-iterated that neither the variance of the disease nor the rate of transmission in the community change in anyway the mitigation measures which need to be in place.

Aka: Funding? What extra funding? And distancing, shure ye must be mad. Look here see, it's not dangerous at all. Don't ye have your wonderful bubbles and pods to safeguard you... Don't mind us in our Convention Centre with 50metres between us, you'll be grand lads. Pinky promise.

downthemiddle

Locotastic wrote: »

A lot of posts here slagging off her appearance.

OK I get that she might not be popular among teachers but behaving like schoolyard children and slagging her hair/necklace etc really isn't becoming.

Hmmmmmmm. It wasn't a reference to Norma, but to your posting style. You knew that already though.

antgal23

Opening a special school will be at the discretion of the BoM and principals.

"Do we have enough qualified staff to open? "

" No"

That's that sorted

Coneygree

antgal23 wrote: »

Opening a special school will be at the discretion of the BoM and principals.

"Do we have enough qualified staff to open? "

" No"

That's that sorted

Once again Norma and the Department subtly pinning the responsibility onto BOM and principals and the narrative will be that principals and BOM are the baddies by not opening schools.

It's absolutely embarrassing from them.

Hold My Hand

I’m fierce impressed with some of the older siblings helping their younger siblings. I’m getting amazing video clips of the infants making words, playing bingo, painting pictures, etc. under the supervision of their brothers and sisters.

downthemiddle

antgal23 wrote: »

Opening a special school will be at the discretion of the BoM and principals.

However closing schools is at the discretion of the DES and the HSE.