Schools staying open on Monday are 'selfish and dangerous', say teachers

Teachers from many schools across the region have been told to report to work as normal on Monday, despite government advice to close them, except to the most vulnerable pupils and children of key workers.

At a time when members of the public are asked to work from home where possible, teachers fear that schools are unnecessarily risking their health and the health of their families when there are likely to be very few students in the school.

Schools say they need all staff to attend while they work out how many people are needed to run the school.

Trinity Multi-Academy Trust, which runs eight primary and secondary schools across West and South Yorkshire has asked all staff to come into work on Monday

is one of the schools where all teachers are being asked to go in on Monday.

A teacher at Trinity Academy Halifax, one school that is part of the group, described the decision as “selfish and dangerous”, adding: “Why are over 250 staff required to look after a maximum of 100 key workers children? It beggars belief and reason when all other companies are actively encouraging working from home.”

Michael Gosling, chief executive of Trinity Multi-Academy Trust said these measures were being taken because they did not know how many pupils would attend on Monday or how many staff might be off sick.

He added: “We thought a clear, positive message to staff would be welcomed, especially given the current situation and the almost inevitable delay in crucial information due to circumstances beyond our control.

“Indeed, a high number of staff have already remarked positively on the said communication for precisely that reason.”

Similarly, North Yorkshire County Council has advised all school staff to go to work on Monday.

A message to staff at a North Yorkshire school seen by the Yorkshire Post said schools should “open as usual”.

The mixed messages and rules being applied differently at each school and in each area have left many teachers confused.

One North Yorkshire teacher said: “My wife works in a school kitchen, so has to work to feed the key workers' children, but has been told by our daughter’s school that we cannot send our daughter as my wife is not a key worker. Difficult times ahead.”

Meanwhile, many schools in the region have closed entirely to all staff and pupils after reports of coronavirus symptoms.

Judith Kirk, assistant director of education and skills at North Yorkshire County Council said: “We are currently working very hard in tandem with schools to ensure there are places in schools for those who need it, and also make sure those schools have sufficient staff, including cleaners and caterers, to remain open.

“We are obviously working in very challenging circumstances and, along with schools, doing our very best to keep schools open with the workforce available to us.

“If you work in a critical sector identified by the government, if your child needs specialist support, or is vulnerable, there will be a space for your child. But we do want to stress that if parents can keep their children at home, then we would ask that they do so, in order for us to keep schools open only for those children who need to attend.”