Cork principal: Allow pregnant teachers to teach remotely

A CORK secondary school principal believes teachers who are pregnant should have the right to teach remotely.

School staff in early pregnancy and certain cohorts of immune-compromised members are not currently eligible for vaccination.

Colm Ó Corcora, the principal of the Carrignavar-based school Coláiste an Chroí Naofa, has sympathy for concerned teachers.

“From my own point of view, I think pregnant women once they are fit and well should have the right to teach remotely. It is very stressful for them having to come into a full classroom,” he said.

Teacher unions have raised concerns about pregnant teachers returning to classrooms with large numbers of unvaccinated or partially vaccinated students.

The Department of Education and the Minister for Education have come in for strong criticism from unions representing teachers over their failure “to provide alternative time-bound working arrangements for teachers who have been ineligible to receive vaccines.”

In a joint statement released by the INTO, the ASTI, and the TUI, the teacher unions said that with increasing concern in respect of very high rates of community infection, they “are alarmed that this small cohort of the school workforce is being sent back to school settings prematurely, prior to getting the opportunity to achieve significant vaccine protection.”

Mr Ó Corcora said the successful vaccination programme will however help alleviate any fears for other school staff members. 

“As we approach 90% vaccinated nationwide, schools will be able to relax a little bit. We have no fears. It was tough going but it worked very well last year. The CO2 monitors will help. We are fortunate we have a load of space in our school. At break times the students are able to go out and get fresh air. The windows are open and there is plenty of ventilation. We have staggered lunch breaks and a one-way system around the school. Masks are worn inside.”

Cork TD Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire has called on the Minister for Education to engage with pregnant school staff and to ensure that these women and their pregnancies are kept safe.

CONFIDENCE IN SAFETY

Deputy Ó Laoghaire said: “It is crucial that pregnant school staff have absolute confidence in their safety when they return to the school setting. Flexibility and understanding must be shown, particularly for staff who are under 14 weeks and are not able to get the vaccine at present.”

“Many teachers and SNAs I have spoken with can’t understand why, when flexible working arrangements were extended to them in the last school year, these have been bluntly removed with very little consideration given to their worries and vulnerability,” he added.