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We want to be back in the classroom teaching – but it's not safe
GAWAIN LITTLE explains why the National Education Union is advising teachers to work from home this week
Empty classroom with sanitiser

TODAY, my union, the National Education Union, sent an unprecedented message to its 450,000 members. We have told them them that we do not believe it is safe for them to return to teaching full classes on Monday and that we advise them to contact their headteacher and say that they are available to work from home and to work with key worker and vulnerable children in school.

This is not something we wanted to do. Hardworking teachers, leaders and support staff don’t want to refuse to return to full classes and our union, committed to the promotion of education for all, does not want to advise them to do this.

However, we have been forced to act, in the face of intolerable incompetence from a government which has mishandled this crisis at every stage. 

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