Our children have the right to an education.

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So many posts about whether schools will be safe when they reopen but I’m not seeing this point made. Lots of discussion around the childcare that schools provide and the importance on children socially.

My 11 year old has lost all interest and I can’t get him to do anything significant. We’ve had one zoom social with his teacher and classmates. So pretty much zero learning going on.

We know children are less susceptible and there is some discussion around whether they’re transmitting less. The children of key workers (i.e. the ones more likely to catch and spread it) have been at school the whole time and as far as I know there haven’t been massive outbreaks in schools.

So I think I just want to loudly shout: our children have the right to an education.

Some of you need to get a grip here - your own anxieties are probably what is causing your child to " ebb away " or whatever else every day . Yes , this will be forever in your child's life as rations and being sent away to the countryside were for many still living today . All generations have lived through crises and let's remember most children in the world either don't go to school until the extended age we have or have access to health care at the best of times. What a pity party !

I am about to sit at my kitchen table for 6 hours, do a full timetable of teaching online and then do marking etc. My 3 children will be ignored until about 5pm. Par for the course, my children don’t matter. the same goes for EVERYONE else WFH

The fact that the vote is so close on this thread shows how divisive this is and I know this is a forum for debate but some of the comments on here are simply horrible. Live and let live.

People have a right to be afraid at the possibility of sending their children back to school just three weeks after being told to keep them safe at home. Some want to wait it out a bit longer. Nobody has a crystal ball to see how things will have changed come September but I for one don't see the harm in waiting, but do see the harm in rushing to open schools too soon. That's my opinion and many won't agree. I won't be fined for keeping my child at home a bit longer so even the government think I'm entitled to my opinion.

I do believe that if you feel strongly that your child would be better off in school than at home with you, for whatever reason, it should be an option to approach their school and see if they can attend along with the children of key workers and vulnerable children.

Teachers have a right to be afraid of working without ppe for long periods of time among children who will not understand social distancing. It's not comparable to stacking shelves in a shop because the contact is not prolonged in a shop and you have the option to step away if someone is getting too close.

For those struggling to home educate their children I really feel for you. First and foremost you are their parent, not a teacher, so give yourself and your children a break. Do what makes you happy, keep talking to each other and a lot of learning will happen with out even realising it.

Yes, they’re entitled to an education but not at the expense of theirs or others’ health.

Pretty simple really. The fact you/your DC is struggling at the moment is sad but it isn’t a reason to re-open schools if it’s not safe. Many people are struggling. We don’t just overturn sensible solutions because of this struggling. Personally, children’s education is way down my list of priorities. That doesn’t mean I don’t care, it means there are other more important things.

Schools aren’t going to re-open because anyone cares about children’s education. It’s only being considered to provide childcare. The decision was random and makes no real sense. They’re hoping only a few children return - the children of those who are desperate for childcare - and the fact no absence fines will be issued shows that.

In regards to “it’s my fault my 11 year old isn’t doing anything”... of course it is. But without input from the government and DoE about what home schooling could and should look like, both his teachers and I are left baffled as to how to proceed now that he has lost interest. We are all winging it... fine back in March but it’s now May! And as some PP have pointed out, they still won’t be going back to the school curriculum any time soon even if they do go back to school in June.

the same goes for EVERYONE else WFH

Not exactly no.

While I don’t doubt many teachers are working hard, many aren’t and to no consequences.

We’re getting 2 worksheets a week from DS’s teacher. The occasional video.

Yes I’ve emailed, before you ask. I got some empty promises and the ‘you are your child’s main educator’ line. Yet she’s still on full pay.

TheStuffedPenguin it's more than that for some people. Some children had mental health difficulties before the current situation and this and no outside support has now pushed those children and families into crisis.

So, can someone explain to me why it is ok for keyworker’s children to have to go to school and be around other children and adults given how terrible all children are at social distancing but it’s not ok for your children? I mean - makes sense for keyworker families to take all the supposed “risk” while you sit on your bum at home getting paid doesn’t it?

I wonder if there is a strong correlation between those who didn't want to stop flights back when the virus was flooding in because they had 'rights' to a holiday and people like the OP now.

No, no holidays. No international holidays in years. Is that relevant?

I'm a teacher and parent - and we would both go back tomorrow if we could.

I'm getting a bit sick of militant mob (and I'm usually as left-wing as they come) refusing to go back, demanding PPE and comparing us to NHS staff. We will not be working with Covid patients, we will be working with kids and the latest BMJ article suggests they are hardly contagious.

I've been in school working with key worker kids and yes they can't socially distance. They get close, they pass you things, they ask for help but it has been okay. I get that those who need to shield should not go back but for healthy teachers and parents then I think we should.

I think children with SEN are forgotten in these conversations. Both DH and I are working full time from home. Trying to home school a children with learning difficulties in between work and meetings is near on impossible. Work is being set. I go through it with her, but I can't spend the day sitting next to her to make her do it. And anyway, she has a 10 minute concentration span at best and doesn't listen to me at the best of times. She's in y6 so will be one of the first back and in my mind, it will be the best thing for all of us. There is so much talk about how much other children are doing, and I despair because we just can't do that.

So, can someone explain to me why it is ok for keyworker’s children to have to go to school and be around other children and adults given how terrible all children are at social distancing but it’s not ok for your children?

I’m sure you really don’t need this explaining, but can you really not see the difference between ensuring social distancing with minimal numbers of children and ensuring social distancing between 30+ in a class?

This isn't a link I've seen very often - Royal College Of Paediatric Health summary (it was updated about a week ago and is regularly updated with the most current findings.)

Research published by Johns Hopkins university last week, which has been doing some of the leading research into the virus, contradicts that. It said that the spreading of the disease by asymptomatic sufferers (which children are likely to be) is one of the leading problems in containing the virus.

[[
www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/view/Johns_Hopkins_ABX_Guide/540747/all/Coronavirus_COVID_19__SARS_CoV_2_]]

Viral shedding by asymptomatic people may represent 25–50% of total infections.

Children and intrafamilial spread appear to be a growing means of transmission.

This is an area of ongoing research but we cannot categorically say children don't spread it. I suppose there is likely to be more data after schools reopen.

Hundreds of children are home schooled and do very well. If your child isn't learning then it's your fault. All the resources are out there.

Let’s just sack teachers. Obviously not needed. You can do the job without any training as the resources are out there...

The government are valuing the economy above the lives of teachers and more people need to be angry about that

This is very disingenuous - it's not all about you. Lots of people have continued to go to work throughout this without any PPE. In fact there has been no PPE for anyone except NHS staff until quite recently. Imagine if they had all just refused to work? We would all be starving to death for one thing.

In my view it's not the lack of school that's the main issue for children - it's the lack of socialising and exercise. Probably the majority of children will have spent the last 8 weeks sitting indoors in front of a screen for several hours each day. If school was cancelled but children played outside, went to friends houses, spent time with extended family and had the occasional trip to the beach/zoo/cafe whatever, it would not be nearly as bad.

Being isolated for 6 months (which it will be by September) will almost certainly have permanent detrimental effects for both physical and mental health for a significant proportion of children. This has to be weighed up against the small risk being ill with covid. Different if either child or parent is in a high risk group, but still, please acknowledge that just staying home for 6 months does not equate to being safe in any meaningful way.

@LaurieMarlow I agree with you, but I was referring to anyone in any profession WFH, it isn't just teachers who are struggling to do this *currently waiting for my laptop to log in to VPN, while 5 year old DS plays Cbeebies games naked next to me

Children have a right to an education. But what aboutmy children? If their dad goes back to work (as he has always been willing to do but he was not needed, he has instead been at home setting new courses, estimating overall grades to provide to the exam board, setting and marking work and supervising our own two children in their home learning), then we risk him getring very ill and potentially losing him. If he's one of the lucky ones and gets it but is ill for a while and recovers, or is asymptomatic, then he still risks passing it to our son who was in the process of being assessed for asthma when this all began and nearly died feom pneumonitis due to chickenpox.

At what point does your child's right to an education override my child's right to safety?

For what it's worth, most teachers I know will go back when they're asked to, provided their head teacher deems it safe to do so. But they really need more than a few weeks' notice to work out how on earth they are meant to socially distance children with a variety of needs. And let's not forget that while they're back in school teaching the children who are returning, they are still expected to be setting work for those still at home. He works in a practical subject, he won't be able to offer most of these classes as there will be too much handling of equipment, so what should he do with them?

And as for all the people complaining there is no work. I'm sure there are a few teachers who have not stepped up. But I spoke to a colleague the other day who had been taling her 16yo at her word that there was no work coming home until I told her that was bollocks (child attends husband's school) and it turned out the child hadn't even been checking into the learning area. A mother from ny son's class admitted that last Friday was the first time she'd eveb attempted to log her children into the portals.

All this has served me well though in reminding me exactly why I dexided6 teaching was not for me during my PGDE 10 years ago.

Very few key worker children have been in school, some schools have had none so not even been open.

With just a few you can really enforce social distancing plus I imagine if the children were non compliant the school would be very forthcoming in telling parents.

With many many more children social distancing, not sharing equipment etc is going to be pretty much impossible.

Education starts at home with the parents. It is not the sole responsibility of the state.

Until it’s safe for the children, school staff and all the families people go home go after they should remain closed. Education is important but it can be caught up, redone etc. You don’t get that same chance with health.

So I think I just want to loudly shout: our children have the right to an education.

And that trumps others right to life? Or right to security?

@howaboutanewname ok then! You seemed to know so thought you could help me. Apologies

I am about to sit at my kitchen table for 6 hours, do a full timetable of teaching online and then do marking etc. My 3 children will be ignored until about 5pm. Par for the course, my children don’t matter.

You do realise that that is what you are paid for?

Slightly off topic. But if they can’t live stream a class then why can’t they pre-record classes? My daughter’s teacher has done this. She’s been really wonderful actually.

Granted she’s only P1 but the pre-recorded stuff is her favourite (because she misses her teacher and it’s a way to see her). The teacher has recorded a few little videos of her reading stories, teaching them little lessons eg 3D shapes, singing songs. I think it works really well.

Of course children have a right to education, that doesn’t necessarily equate to a right to have that provided in a particular way or in a particular place. As a society we’ve chosen to send children to school, but that’s not the only (or necessarily the best) way to provide an education.

I am in Scotland, I would love for my DC to be back with their friends & teachers, but it's not about to happen, so we are just going to keep going & do the best we can for them.

Let’s just sack teachers. Obviously not needed. You can do the job without any training as the resources are out there...

This attitude is going to spread rapidly if some teachers keep telling parents to take their place. I still feel wholly responsible for the education of my students, I expect parents to allow learning to take place. That's all