Expected to work

I received a letter from my teachers' union national office. It had been posted nearly two weeks ago just when the outbreak was starting. It referred to the Planning for Human Flu Pandemic - Guidance for Schools and made specific mention of section 2.9. about the closure of schools:

2.9 ..........In this context, 'closure' means closure to pupils; staff who are not ill would still be expected to come to work. Agreed arrangements whereby staff may be temporarily transferred to other schools or services to aid or maintain operational capacity should also be considered.

The union (of which I'm our school rep') were strongly urging staff not to go work. If the schools are closed to pupils they should be closed to everyone to prevent the spread of infection and to protect the health of teachers. The union was offering to support any member who was threatened with disciplinary action for not going to work during these exceptional circumstances. It went on to argue that as the Government had not put any plans in place to support remote learning (BBC Jam had folded in March '07) and that teachers could not be held responsible for any significant disruption to children's learning.

Reading this two weeks later with the knowledge of what's happening I can't help thinking that this advice was written in another time, almost another dimension. Why shouldn't we go to work? What if the petrol tanker drivers, the doctors, the shopkeepers, the electricity workers.....the undertakers all decided that they should stay at home to protect their own health? We've gone so far past the old lines of contracts and conditions of service that we need to re-think how we behave.

I phoned Alison and she had received the same letter a couple of days ago. There were only six teachers in the school on Friday and three of them said they weren't coming in on Monday. No-one is checking who's in or absent and the link with the authority is non-existent.

In the past, the old me, would probably have gone along with all this, but I've changed. I'm angry that this thing, this tiny virus, has reduced us to quivering wrecks who simply retreat to our homes and submit to its will.

We can't let it win.