Following meetings of their executives tonight, the unions said efforts to reassure school staff that it was safe for schools to open limited services to students with special education needs have failed.
Fórsa's head of education, Andy Pike said: "The Government hasn't won the support of special education stakeholders. I'm sure this was not the intention, but we are in a desperately sad situation where rushed efforts to prematurely reopen schools have pitched the special needs community against itself.""All the positive relationships are being damaged," he said, referring to relationships between schools and school staff, and families and disability groups.
"During this period, the Minister for Education and her officials have listened closely to the issues raised by trade unions and school management bodies. In a statement, the groups appealed for the "interests of vulnerable children to be prioritised, and for the Government and education stakeholders to re-engage to find agreement on a suite of education support options that includes the re-opening of schools for children with special educational needs".
Also speaking on Today with Claire Byrne, Ms Murphy said her son Tom also has autism, an intellectual disability, and operates like a three-year-old.
Teachers will be OBSOLETE within 5 years and will be begging for their jobs back 😂😂😂
It’s a disgrace
It’s the lack of compassion for the parents of these children that is truly sad. Some are happy to keep their children home but for others this is a vital part of their child’s life. And yes gives them a break. Hopefully this will be resolved. Teachers shouldn’t take it
Government and unions have both been shocking. Should be working on this constantly. Stop announcing dates until parameters for return have been decided. Should also be working now on multiple plans for return of mainstream schools depending on the situation in two weeks time
I’m convinced this is all driven by a media desperate for stories. Stay out of it and let informed decisions be made by those involved. It’s the same with the vaccine. An error (if it even is an error made) and then pounded to death. Particularly by RTÉ and the INDO.
Speechless how are destroying the education system in this country, majority of thinking European countries have children attending schools.
FIND a way to get the children back who want to be back ffs. I have to work in close contact with others all day long, as do retail workers. A special needs class has SIX pupils and three teachers/SNAs. There is no way this cannot be facilitated with a bit of clever thinking.
The unions want money. What a surprise.
Watching news tonight this announcement really is not good enough if special schools in NI can stay open why can’t ours?
Well done unions ! Shame on the DES and herself for dangling that infront of them when it was never going to happen.
It's the correct but difficult decision , keep all schools closed until at least after St Patrick's day , obviously more difficult for parents of special needs pupils, but needs must.
Maybe they should move childcare workers and schooling staff up on the list for a vaccination. Still 10th. It would cause a hell of a lot less agro.
They are being kept closed
If only we had closed the schools last December the number would have been a zero!
For the love of God can we not just do whatever it is that is being asked to make schools a safer environment? Get teachers a vaccine, PPE, industrial cleaning daily, classes cut in half, bloody hazmat suits if that's what it takes!
These children and their parents are suffering, unions should try to be accommodating while government should do abit more to mitigate risks for teachers. Maybe roll out vaccines to SHAs faster?
Time to stick them on the pup payment. Getting paid to send out an e-mail or whatever with homework in it while still getting full payment
Good. Review in 2-3 weeks. Christ the hospitals are bursting at the seams. We had a record day of deaths. It’s multiple times worse in the community than it was at the end of December, never mind October. If it’s not safe to visit your family it’s not safe to go to school. End.
When the history of this pandemic is written we should all take note of the workers who did their bit for the nation and what workers hide behind their unions.
They're at no more risk than supermarket staff or doctors and nurses if they want to stay out of work put them on PUP payments
Norma rushing into reopening once again 🤦🏼♂️ I wonder if she’ll ever learn.
That's good. Its simply common sense. You'd have to feel it for the family's but then there are family's with people dying as well. The greater good and all that.
Unions have too much power.
If Norma can’t get a small sector of education open there’s no chance of all schools going back for February. What a shambles of a minister
They are making our kids struggles seem like nothing. Like they are of no importance and like 3rd class citizens. Hope they are thoroughly ashamed of themselves
of course they should stay closed why is this even a question? nothing should re open before all the vulnerable are vaccinated.
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