After an interesting exchange with a close family member, I just wanted to explain why I think we shouldn't be cancelling the 6 weeks holiday despite closures after being accused of not being "passionate enough about children's education" and only bothered about "holidays".THREAD

First the teacher as a worker perspective. Teachers didn't close the schools. Teachers have been working at home for the last few weeks. Teachers have been risking their lives mixing with children of NHS staff and potentially taking the virus home to their own families.

Teacher's contracts and pay are spread out over the 12 months. The holidays are our legal right. Working these breaks would be akin to working an extra 6 weeks a year for free. Teachers would also have to foot the bill for childcare during this time.

Teachers have done everything asked of them during this time. Why should they incur financial costs because of this crisis? Teachers have been paying off the last crisis for 10 years in pay cuts and increased demands and they didn't cause that either.

I've been guilt tripped about not "caring about the children enough". It's not OK to use teacher passion and goodwill against them to goad them into working for free or reducing their rights as workers. This is a slippery slope.

Secondly (but equally as important) the children's perspective. Most children dont want to be in school during the holidays when they would normally be off. The length of the term would be incredibly difficult for them if no break till October. A phased start is also needed.

Children may have lost their parent, sibling, grandparent or other relatives. They may need support with that. They have got completely out of routine and need to return to it with support.They have been at home for weeks with limited social contact, they need to socialise freely

Holidays - if teachers will be forced to cancel their prebooked holidays in the 6 weeks, wider society must also. Else why open schools to not send your children in? Tourism will be massively hit if parents actually decide not to take holidays they have paid for.

We've seen NHS blamed for not using PPE properly, celebrities who are struggling shamed and now I worry teacher's who have been working and putting themselves at risk being accused of being selfish for not giving up their own holidays and carry the can. We must call it out / END