Australian teachers threaten to BOYCOTT the classroom after Scott Morrison announces plan to get them back to work: ‘Treated like baby-sitters’
Teachers have threatened to stage a boycott after Scott Morrison announced they would be required to stay in the classroom even if they are a Covid-19 close contact.
Mr Morrison announced on Thursday a series of sweeping changes to Covid isolation and close contact rules in order to stem staff shortages.
Teachers and childcare workers are now exempt from close contact isolation rules while staff in Canberra have been told to keep classrooms open even during Omicron outbreaks.
Australian Education Union president Correna Haythorpe labelled the changes as ‘deeply offensive’ while claiming that staff have been treated like ‘babysitters’.
Teachers have threatened to stage a boycott after Scott Morrison announced they would be required to stay in the classroom even if they are a Covid-19 close contact
‘As a consequence, the AEU would advise our members that if they feel vulnerable as a close contact or they are worried about the potential risk to others, they should not be going into a school environment,’ she said.
‘All the Prime Minister provided was an announcement that there would be another announcement, delivered within a frame that says schools must be open to provide a babysitting service for the broader workforce.
Ms Haythorpe claimed the changes were putting the welfare of students and teachers at risk.
‘This is deeply offensive and shows no respect for the thousands of dedicated and professional teachers, principals and education support staff who have worked incredibly hard to provide a high-quality education during the extremely difficult circumstances of the pandemic.’
The Independent Education Union of Australia’s NSW/ACT branch added exempting teachers from isolation rules could lead to more classroom closures.
More to come
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