Three mothers considering legal action over impact of social distancing on children

[Fantasisa]

I have to admit that I hadn't even thought the long term impact through of social distancing on children although it has made me so sad when my DC have seen their friends around and only waved sadly at each other from a distance.

My DC's primary school hasn't reopened today and no words from the headteacher to update us on their plan.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8374849/Three-mothers-considering-legal-battle-Government-school-closures.html#comments

[Hadenoughfornow]

I do genuinely believe that children have been the least considered in the battle against coronavirus.

Do I agree with them? Possibly not. I think social distancing is needed in schools and probably schools did need to close for a period.

I do think its time for them to reopen in a slow managed way. And i do believe that it can be done in a way to support children's mental health.

[missyoumuch]

Don’t like to click DM links but I also agree that children have been quite ignored in the COVID response.

In Spain your dog could go outside but your child could not - for 6 weeks.

When talking about schools the view seems to be that children are targeted virus weapons who will take out all of their teachers because they are filthy. Even though the evidence from countries that have reopened doesn’t support this.

Their mental health needs and right to an education have been put behind economic interests.

[NoseHair]

I think they are being ridiculous. The government can’t win. If they let all the kids pile on in, they’d be attacked for letting it spread. If they do it bit by bit as they are, they’re attacked for keeping children out of school.

[YetAnotherSpartacus]

I reckon all my surviving relatives should sue for the effects of the Blitz.

[Duckfinger]

I don't agree with legal action what good does it do.
I do think we need to be trying hard to mitigate the effects of social distancing on children, I do worry that we might be creating a generation terrified of getting near to other people if it goes on much beyond the end of the year.

[Fantasisa]

I imagine the threat of legal action is to force this on the agenda. Our school hasn't reopened today and there seems to be no accountability for that and how can we go from knowing how important education is to getting our children who are incredibly low risk to be fearful of hugging their friends?

[Fantasisa]

@missyoumuch Good point about pets being allowed out but not children. I hate seeing the closed playing parks, I think handwashing before and after use would suffice, when golf courses, football and horse racing are back.

[WhentheRabbitsWentWild]

What @YetAnotherSpartacus said .

Seriously though, regarding these women, they are on a hiding to nothing anyway .

[ZombieFan]

People will do anything with the possibility of getting some free money.

[Michelleoftheresistance]

Multiple parents around today wanting 'accountability' for their local school not providing the service those parents want.

Those parents have absolutely no clue of the processes and practical barriers their school will be dealing with, schools are not saying no for fun. If they're unable to open there will be insurmountable barriers to that particular space and staff team managing to comply with the huge pile of government guidelines dropped in a barrage over the past weeks. 'Accountability' - what do you want? To put the teachers who are pregnant or vulnerable in the stocks for not being able to provide enough staff to cover the bubbles of kids that would be needed? To see the architect fined for having failed to provide classrooms big enough so that one year group takes up most of the school? To see the head sacked for not having a magic wand?

[thenamesarealltaken]

There are a lot of unreasonable people coming out of the wood work now. But, better communication is needed to help people understand why a is not happening, why b is, etc.

[LandofBears]

Err pets had to go outside to use the toilet...children do not. Having large animals toileting in the house would have been a major health hazard and most dogs would have made themselves ill trying to hold it anyway which would have necessitated a trip to the vet.

I think these women are ludicrous and self centred. No one has done this to anyone. This is what's needed to keep people alive. And no my kids having to adapt and feel a bit of stress isn't more important than someone else's whole life.

[echt]

Multiple parents around today wanting 'accountability' for their local school not providing the service those parents want

Agree,. This is not about children's mental health being damaged by not hugging. FFS.

A thinly-disguised teacher bashing thread.

[Saucery]

Ok. I’ll sue for being put in danger of death or long term ill health by selfish parents who cba to look after their own children.

[Northernsoullover]

I just shake my head at life in general. For weeks on here there were numerous posts about the children missing their education and that the schools need to reopen.. when its announced that the schools were reopening it was panic because its 'too soon'. The Government was criticised for not contact tracing. When contact tracing was announced no one seems to want to cooperate.
Perhaps this isn't the most articulate response but its simply a case of damned if you do and damned if you don't.
Its tough on children. I have two who are suffering. I wouldn't sue though. I think its incredibly self important for them to be considering it.

[Hadenoughfornow]

And its comments like Yetanother that just show how little children matter.

This is not comparable to the blitz.

[theprincessmittens]

In that case I think I'll sue my parents for the damage to my mental health by making me and my two brothers spend 3 years 'socially distanced' when we lived in a small town in rural Bangladesh when I was 9 to 12.

No school, no friends, no television, no going out etc

I should get thousands.

[missyoumuch]

Err pets had to go outside to use the toilet...children do not.

Funny that the link between low levels of vitamin D, which one gets from exposure to sunlight, and severe COVID has been so widely publicised now. According to you because children don’t need to use the toilet outside therefore they are best locked inside and don’t need fresh air or sun.

For a ix weeks in Spain children were not allowed outside at all. Cruel. There will be mental health consequences from policies like that one.

[PersephoneandHades]

I think that it may be in poor taste a bit since social distancing is what has reduced our death rate, however, this is one of many, many arguments for a investigation into the government’s handling of this pandemic.

Politics and money were put before the needs and safety of the people and I hope that there are repercussions for the people responsible for how awfully this was/is being handled.

[MistyMinge2]

Like every other parent I'd love for both of my children to be back at school so they can continue their education and see their friends, but I appreciate the gravity of the pandemic and understand that measures had to be taken to protect the NHS and the vulnerable in our society. Threatening legal action is just bloody ridiculous.

[HeadSpin5]

I do think schools need to be slowly reopened. I don’t think suing is reasonable

[Underhisi]

There are many children with sen who spend years out of school or who are part time in school or if they are allowed in school, are forced to be away from other children. Did these people get up in arms about that?

[B1rdbra1n]

This is why the government are playing fast and loose, they want to minimise their exposure to legal jeopardy

[YetAnotherSpartacus]

I think these women are ludicrous and self centred. No one has done this to anyone. This is what's needed to keep people alive. And no my kids having to adapt and feel a bit of stress isn't more important than someone else's whole life

Exactly. And really it is a little bit of stress compared with what so many children have faced in the past (refugees following both world wars, being bombed out of houses, being orphaned, etc.) and face elsewhere in the world. It really is a first world problem and an opportunity for parents to teach coping skills and resilience. I'd suggest starting by getting them to watch interviews with Jewish people who are old now, but who escaped the concentration camps in WW2. That might give them some perspective.

[RedToothBrush]

It has become apparent to me just how uninformed parents are and what arses this makes them if you are a teacher.

The schools can not follow the guidance provided to them AND provide spaces for all children in school. It is impossible. Yet parents think they somehow can perform miracles.

A lot of people who claimed to support key workers really don't if they think it OK to bash teachers who are trying to follow the rules they have been given.

These women are on a hiding to nothing. It's a stupid case which hasn't got a chance of being successful.

It's getting tiresome.

Tbh the sooner the schools just reopen normally without all the nonsense the better. If it's not safe enough to do this, the schools shouldn't be reopening.