AIBU: If They Make Children Wear Masks, I'm Homeschooling

[DamnYankee]

Social distancing at our schools is not possible.
I would love to get back to work in the fall as a public school teacher. However, we are being asked/encouraged (over the age of 3) to wear masks in public places.
My DD (11) panics when she has to wear a mask for more than 20 minutes. I get it. I get a headache after 30 minutes.
I understand this is projecting, but just keeps going through my mind...
Ugh.

Agree that we should wear a mask to prevent spreading. Perhaps the school could allow for exceptions and give flexibility if some child got other problems for not wearing one ? Best effort basis I would say. Wash hands is key , but it's not wash hands OR wear mask. It can be both! This virus is air borne and not just spreading by touching things. It's highly infectious . It would be worse if we get covid ourselves or spread it to the vulnerables as compared to wearing a mask plus wash hands. The number of people infected has plateau but still high!

Just checked on worldometers - czechia still have a very low number of deaths per 1M compared to other countries - 24 compared to UK 433 and France 391 for example

@RandomSelection I agree totally - especially the twanging and the penis drawing!

@twosoups1972
Do they prevent dying?

"very difficult" isn't even the half of it. I won't be able to communicate with my students. Why even bother being in school?!

If They Make Children Wear Masks, I'm Homeschooling

If they don’t make children wear masks then I shall be resigning. There needs to be something done to protect adults in school environments.

Also even nhs staff dont wear masks all day everyday it's only for close patient contact unless working in Covid or theatre areas.

We have to wear them the whole time we are on wards bar breaks. So 12 hour shifts minus breaks.

Even if not in contact with patients I mean!

Can you link to the research that says wearing masks in school with prevent deaths?

No I can't but it's obvious surely? If someone has virus particles in their body and coughs or sneezes, the mask contains the particles rather than them being projected into the air for someone else to breathe in.

Whether it will prevent significant numbers of people dying is very much up for debate

Maybe so but why shouldn't everyone do as much as possible to prevent deaths or lessen the infection rate?

For the vast majority of people, wearing a mask is no more difficult than a little uncomfortable.

If They Make Children Wear Masks, I'm Homeschooling

Fingers crossed that lots of people take this stance (and actually do it rather than just witter on about it).

Better teacher / pupil ratio, less cost to the taxpayer! Win-win!!

I agree @BMW6 what did the OP expect in response - a plea to send her child back to school?

In the UK we are not told nor instructed nor recommended to wear masks.

So far we have seen no evidence that the government will come up with ridiculous and unworkable demands like getting small children to wear face masks. They have been pretty measured and realistic about that sort of thing. What they are being less realistic about is the use of technology to combat the virus. From what I know of their track and trace proposal, it will only work when the app is open and other apps are not being used. This means it will be a constant drain on the battery and will interfere with our ordinary use of our mobile phones. This needs an urgent review.

Scotland has recommended masks in crowded places such as shops and public transport (don't think transport crowded at the moment though). Nothing about wearing them in schools but that's not a concern yet.

People absolutely DID object to carrying gas masks during the war, didn't want to wear them, and did stop carrying them around. People were human then, as are we, not some super-breed of people who selflessly put country first. Employers and public places had to enforce the carrying of masks in order to force people to bring them out with them.

If they don’t make children wear masks then I shall be resigning. There needs to be something done to protect adults in school environments

That’s fine, everyone has to do what’s right for them.
I absolutely don’t except anyone to plead with me to send my child to school. Me homeschooling mine if masks are made compulsory will be better for everyone else in terms of ratios so as a PP said... win win!

@Xenia

In the UK we are not told nor instructed nor recommended to wear masks

In England you might not be instructed or recommended to wear masks. In Scotland (remember us? Little place just north of England) we've been recommended to wear them in certain circumstances.

Most children I think would have fun with masks. You could draw cat's whiskers on it or something. You might have trouble taking it off them for bed. :)

No child will be 'forced' to wear one. If your child won't then yes you will be homeschooling them.

I don't know how much help it will be in schools anyway.

Firstly the obvious communication problem. We already established a while back in another context that a teacher with her face covered can't do her job properly. For a very brief time we could accept that, but it's no good in the long run.

Secondly few if any of the kids are going to follow the rules. They'll be pulling the mask down all the time and sitting/standing close to their friends.

I think we have to accept that there can be no real lockdown or social distancing in schools.

But if it prevents people from dying surely it's worth it?

Not driving cars, not drinking too much, not crossing the road, the list is endless, would all prevent deaths but there has to be some commonsense too about risk assessment.

I got 1 really anxious about wearing a mask and other child is SN/ASD so am worried if he goes into meltdown would a mask be dangerous and would he even wear one in first place as he's very fussy with how things feel. I can keep both home if needs be. I wouldn't be surprised if it's like France and secondary will require them, primary won't, both mine are secondary.

It just occurred to me that we could use transparent masks. At least that would do for teachers. It's still not going to help with the kids.

It just occurred to me that we could use transparent masks.

From where? And what happens when the children want to communicate with each other?

In England you might not be instructed or recommended to wear masks. In Scotland (remember us? Little place just north of England) we've been recommended to wear them in certain circumstances.

Well done Scotland.

Also remember the the PM was rather non committal about the whole thing.

LastTrainEast

I think we have to accept that there can be no real lockdown or social distancing in schools.

That doesn't mean that steps shouldn't be taken to minimise the risks.

@Humina try wearing one for a 13 hour shift on a ward with no air con.