The woman, who does not want to be identified, said since the pandemic started teachers and educators had been made to feel expendable.

Read more: 22 new COVID cases recorded in the Illawarra

"A lot of teachers have felt like throughout the whole pandemic they are just treated like glorified babysitters," she said.

"And now with the planned return to school from October 25, I know that a lot of teachers and education staff are really quite horrified at the risk that is being posed to their health if they are forced to go back and if all of the student cohort are eventually forced to go back."

The teacher is a member of Lockdown to Zero, a group which is calling on the NSW Government to put health before profits.

Lockdown to Zero Wollongong organiser Jack Mansell said teachers were genuinely concerned for the welfare of students and staff alike.

"For them it is a work, health and safety issue, as they are being sent into a particular workplace where they will potentially catch a deadly virus," he said.

"There are a lot of teachers who haven't been able to get vaccinated and conceivably wont be able to get vaccinations before they go back to work so they are being sent back into an unsafe workplace just so the economy and the profits keep flowing."

Read more: Kids 'strongly encouraged' to mask up in schools

Last Friday NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said a recent survey of the Department of Education, with over 50,000 responses, found almost 80 per cent of staff had already had one dose and nearly 40 per cent were fully vaccinated.

She said NSW Health would provide priority vaccinations at Qudos Bank Arena for school staff from September 6.

But the Illawarra support teacher feared the level of teachers vaccinated wasn't as high as reported.

"I saw the Minister and Premier both talk up the findings of the teacher survey, which I filled out," she said.

"What they failed to mention was that only about 40 per cent of the workforce filled out the survey, so that 40 per cent of teachers who are fully vaccinated may not be a true picture.

"I'm one of the fortunate ones that is fully vaccinated. I only got priority because I was working in a special school with vulnerable students.

"I know a lot of teachers, especially those with kids of their own, are fearing returning to school.

"At the best of times nothing about the school environment is particularly safe, even though some measures have been introduced."

A spokesperson said the NSW Department of Education worked closely with NSW Health to develop a safe and sensible plan to stagger the return of face-to-face schooling from October 25.

"We continue to be led by the advice of NSW Health," the spokesperson said.

"The best learning environment for students is the classroom. Teachers will only be asked to do one job - either teach in the classroom or deliver Learning for Home.

"Once students' school and cohort has returned to face-to-face learning teachers will be delivering lessons in the classroom.

"We will ensure that parents are supported during this transition."

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