Masks all day in school

@itsgettingweird
"They also should have had some input during this time and at least directions for study and some face to face time the last 5-6 weeks of term."

If it didn't make me so made I would have fallen off my chair laughing. Are you serious? We had no face to face teaching at all for either dc (y4 and y7). Limited pdfs of twinkl worksheets uploaded to teams for y4, a bit better for y7 and she did get a pastoral 30 minutes (she has ASD) in school. They can wear full body hazmat suits as long as they get some learning. Trying to work f/t while I try and convince them to do f/t school at home has broken me, and not been fab for them either,

I shall certainly feel happier, both as a teacher and a parent to know there are proper, scientifically guided protocols in place to protect all of us when we go back.

It will be interesting to see how many parents stick to their "I'm not sending him in till I get my own way" when they realise they are going to have to officially withdraw their kids, lose their place and have to provide more than a bit of Joe Wickes of a morning themselves once they have.

Hi OP you're getting a hard time on here but I agree. I'm a teacher and social distancing is impossible. Schools are introducing policies like this just so they look like they are doing something. The thought of trying to teach with a mask on all day fills me with horror. Students will have to take the mask off the ask questions, I'll have to take mine off to be heard. It would be ridiculous and would not keep anyone safe.

It's funny because you've been very vocal about "teacher bashing" and yet you think it's totally fine to slag off concerned parents. Why is that?

Do they not deserve the same respect you do? Or as a teacher do you deserve more respect than your average person?

Do the children you teach know how judgemental you are about their parents?

Grow up OP. Im sorry to be rude but I'm tired of this anti mask crap.
Im a HCP I mainly work with children but also adults on the front line the hospital is in an "enhanced support area", Covid19 is increasing and everyone is being told to wear a mask when at work no exceptions.
I wear mine 13+ hours a day Ive been doing it since July as has everyone else. It's no hardship I don't even notice it now many of us drive hime I them now because we forget we wearing one. The only problems are: the children in particular babies and their parents can't see if you smiling so I make more effort to smile with my eyes and voice, and if you're hard of hearing its not always easy to understand what has been said. But everything is get roundtable you just get used to it.
There is some evidence emerging that they may protect the wearer by reducing viral load and thus the seriousness of infection. If there's even a slight possibility that this is true II'll keep wearing mine as long as we're being given them to wear as over 500 NHS staff have tragically died because we are so exposed to Covid19. On that basis alone I don't find it a hardship.
With regards to touching you face I find your much more conscious of touching you face when you wear a mask then washing you hands immediately after you've done this. We all find that biggest downside is that we all find you drink less.

What are they meant to be vaccinating them with anyway?

No it means you're probably not a teacher people feel they can approach.

Only the batshit people with crazy suggestions. No loss.

Masks that will be taken off, shoved in pockets and bags and put back on again are ridiculously unhygienic.
You're fooling yourself if you think all children are going to put them in plastic bags/fresh one on when required.

It would be like licking the inside of your pocket/bag/pencil case.

More chance of getting ill from that, than from covid.

Then you've got the children with glasses, I've yet to find a mask that stays in place and doesn't steam up my glasses without me constantly fiddling with it.

The children with hearing problems, who now won't be able to lip read the teacher and their peers

The children who DO have invisible disabilities which make it difficult to wear one, who now face a choice of being incredibly uncomfortable all day, or have their peer know potentially sensitive medical information about them.

Who's going to pay to supply masks to those that can't afford them? Those that turn up without them? Those who have one but it breaks halfway through the day?

Do I think it's reasonable? Well, yes. It's reasonable to write to your head with any concern you might have.

And do you not think HT have a lot on their plate at the moment, to then have to deal with an email from a parent asking them not to vaccinate their child.

Maybe I will have to tell the local schools I deal with to remember to put that in their risk assessment - remember don't vaccinate the pupils.

Ah yes because people really trust, and want to communicate with people who call them hysterical don't they? It shows a real sense of respect and empathy for the parent doesn't it? Your tone is really friendly and approachable isn't it?

Eh? My lack of friendly and approachable tone on MN when replying to batshit crazy suggestions means I’m likely to slip your kid a vaccine when you’re not looking?

I’ll be too busy teaching them maths.

So you think it is reasonable to write to a head teacher and ask them not to vaccinate your child, when that is never going to happen

No. No and no. That's why people won't engage. Hardly a surprise.

You are being hysterical. I teach in Asia. Every single child over the age of 4 wears a mask all day except PE and eating, no exceptions; it is the rule for every child including my own young children. They are fine, it is fine, the whole thing is not the big deal you are making it out to be. And coronavirus rates are very very low here and children have been back in school since June with almost no evidence of the virus spreading in schools. So not only is it fine, it is working.

Calling genuinely worried people hysterical is unfair.

To not want your kid masked, temperature checked or vaccinated without your knowledge?

Because schools don’t stealthy mask, temp check or vaccinate kids? It’s utterly bonkers to start with the assumption that they would, instead of, y’know, communicating policies, getting permission slips in etc etc.

Do you genuinely think a teacher will vaccinate a child @TrustTheGeneGenie

That's not hysterical in the slightest.

@ihearttc
I’ve been in school throughout with no social distancing and no mask wearing.
That’s because those weren’t the guidance then!! If you work in a school you’d know that this is NEW guidance. Head teachers discretion when and where they wear masks. If you don’t like it, move him, if that’s their rule you need to stick with it. It’s a Head trying to protect their staff and pupils, not doing it to piss you off!!

I really feel this is going to cause more problems in the long run

Then let it play out? The problems should speak for themselves fairly quickly. Teachers do change their minds and policies if they are not working.

I don’t know if you’ve seen the wanky letter on social media that parents have genuinely been sending to heads about how they’d better not stealth-vaccinate their kid, check their temperature (it mimics putting a gun to their head - honestly!) make them wear a mask (you can tell they wanted to write muzzle) because they will claim an invisible disability and other total hysterical shite?

That’s what heads are dealing with right now.

The latest guidance says should be avoided in class but I cant see whether HT can still ask for them. I know a private school has (in press) but state might be different.