Our children have the right to an education.

[NameChange738676756]

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.

Yes, all children are entitled to an education.

The law clearly states that it's YOUR responsibility as a PARENT OP, so hope you are providing a full time education for your child. Compulsory education

7: Duty of parents to secure education of children of compulsory school age

The parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause him to receive efficient full-time education suitable—

a: to his age, ability and aptitude, and

b: to any special educational needs he may have,
either by regular attendance at school or otherwise.

As we don't have schools atm, YOU are the otherwise.

HTH.

Children have a right to an education. They also have a right to food, a stable home, good quality health care and a good standard of living.

Parents are primarily responsible for securing these rights for their children. But they can't do it in a vacuum and society has never expected them to do so. Society provides the structure within which parents are able to meet their responsibilities. And parents can't do it when all the supports they rely on have been stripped away (schools, childcare, nurseries, support from families, trips out). It is a balancing act and parents are being asked to balance too much at the moment.

I agree with many teachers posting here about the difficulties of ensuring social distancing in schools. Ultimately, I think this will be impossible and, when schools go back, it will have to be on the understanding that social distancing measures will be minimally effective. Therefore, they are right - teachers are facing an increase in risk in their working environments. That said, life is about balancing risks and, as has been pointed out already, the risk the virus presents to children is minimal and the risk to healthy teachers without underlying conditions is fairly small as well.

Like the rest of us, teachers do not have a right to a job/indefinite full pay. They do have a right to decide whether or not to do a job which is now 'riskier' than they envisaged (and so they may wish to resign/take sick leave or leave of absence). Like all of us, they will ultimately have to make their own risk assessments and consider their own financial situation. For example, there are a lot of us who work in cities and rely on overcrowded public transport to get to work. We will have to weigh up the risks when deciding whether or not to go back to our jobs. For some, the risks may be too great and they may wish to remain 'shielded' in their homes until a vaccine arrives. We should ensure that sick pay/benefits are available to teachers in this situation. This is not a reason to prevent children going back to school. It simply means that some teachers will be (understandably) unable to do their jobs. There are procedures in place already to address this.

@Devlesko

In that case I will quit my current job, return to teaching just to teach my own children and receive my UPS salary then shall I? Because it’s suddenly my job and not yours?

@Jojobar - why will it be better to get second wave earlier rather than later? If you start lifting restrictions when the number of infected people is higher, the numbers will go up quicker (Because the curve is exponential) putting MORE pressure on the NHS.

Yes - the individual risk is low, but it does make a difference when applied to a population. This is thousands of people who would otherwise not have died.

If they wish to lift restrictions, a prudent way would be to pilot it and have good testing and monitoring of symptoms in the community.

As we don't have schools atm, YOU are the otherwise.

If that’s the case, why are the teachers all still on full pay then?

Great post, hating.

@RadioactiveHead schools in my area were open for key worker children and staffed during Easter holidays and bank holidays. Staff in my school were also required to deep clean areas of the school to support cleaners, write class reports and plan home learning, write a letter home to children as well as complete an Open University course to feedback at a staff meeting when not on a duty day with KW children. It was not a holiday. We will also need to plan for June 1st opening now and during the half term holiday at home with a recovery curriculum and in school to set up classrooms. Again not a full week’s holiday. What are schools in your area doing?

Lots of people who work in schools are not teachers. I support children with SEN and I am not on a huge wage as our holidays are not paid. We have also been working, it is up to me to do weekly welfare calls to these children and I attend the building at least once a week (my favourite day!) Whilst emailing differentiated work for these children to suit their level and needs.

I want to go back so much, I would go back tomorrow if it was an option. I miss the children I support so much, they make my day (even though sometimes they do drive you up the wall). Unfortunately when the school will reopen again is not up to me or any other school staff. We cant decide when those doors will open to all again whether we want that to be sooner or later.

Great post, hating.

Yes.

This bit is particularly well put.

It is a balancing act and parents are being asked to balance too much at the moment.

The opening of schools will increase infections in groups outside families with children and teachers. This is because it will increase number of community infections and when the vulnerable have to contact health services (as the are more likely to do than average), they will be at higher risk of infection.

Having read a lot of the posters I think many parents frustrations are stemming from the fact that there is such variation between the level of engagement from different schools. What people are failing to realise is that comparing independent and regular schools is ridiculous as regular schools will more often than not come up short, they do not have the same resources or level of funding and are more.likely to have pupils from all backgrounds (many deprived) and ability levels.

However, state schools too vary hugely. My child attends preschool in scotland and is 4. There was no engagement from her school for four weeks after lockdown, after that we have had a phone call, emails and received a pack with suggestions for activities. The main emphasis was on free play and the notion that they do not expect parents to become teachers for their children in that they don't expect parents to be doing a 9am to 3pm day teaching their kids. I have looked at other resources online and found primary schools where each week activities are being posted to the school website and parents can do as much or as little as they want with their children. I have been using these to give a bit of structure to our week. My dd's nursery could do something similar but they have not. It would have been helpful for them to post a syllabus or something similar of what children should be able to do by the end of the year eg. count to 20 so that I could work on that. Instead I had to find this myself.

I think too many parents are feeling guilty for not doing enough work ie a typical school days worth of work with their child. We are in a pandemic though and these are very strange times. No one expects any parent to be sat down with their child trying to teach them in this way! At this.point doing a couple of tasks a week is acceptable. I think parents are putting too much pressure on themselves!

Also, not teachers fault that schools vary hugely in terms of levels of engagement.

Devlesko

Pretty sure that means parents have to enrol their child in a school, doesn’t it.

Or deregister and home school.

Whatever the situation, it most definitely doesn’t mean that parents have to educate the child themselves. Anyone interpreting it as such either has difficulty with written comprehension, inference, or doesn’t understand the education system, all of which would be worrying if they normally worked in a school.

iamruth

Good, it's about time parents put their children first, instead of having a go at the teachers.
I'm a parent, it is my responsibility and I'm doing it thanks.

I hope you are putting your children first, before money.

@hatingthevirtuous I agree with your post 100%.
Many teachers have been working v v hard- and have truly been inspirational.
Some teachers - including my DCs school - have done v little. I have escalated this to the Head, Exec Head and Chair of Governors.
There is no way they are working at 100% capacity( even with key workers and vulnerable children) and my children's education and mental health is suffering.
Meanwhile my work has tripled, had a pay cut and had to supplement work to ensure my children don't fall behind .
I would like unions to say- this is what we need (ppe money, new venues etc) to make this work: I would support them a 100%.
But just saying - we are not going back until it's safe is just not good enough tbh. Millions of others have just been told to crack on

@hatingthevirtuous you are right. But we must consider the safety of the young people we teach too. Yes, children do not seem to be as badly affected. Yes, the corona induced Kawasaki type illness seems to be rare (thankfully). But, we need to keep them safe. If you ask any teacher unlucky enough to have lost a pupil, they will tell you it is the worst, most devastating thing you can experience as a teacher. I want to get back to work, I can take a measured risk. I'd feel more comfortable with PPE but I will go in as I have been throughout (my school is looking into sourcing PPE despite the guidelines.) There are kids who will have vulnerable family members. No one wants a child to lose someone. We have to get this right - we've done everything possible to clean the school whilst we have been 'closed' but we have got to get the return to school right. People are scared and not just for themselves.

So, your child is 11 years old and you don't have anything that you can teach them?

Daffodil

It clearly states it's the parents responsibility.
But parents aren't doing it, but having a go at teachers, who are trying their best atm.
Of course it's hard if you have to work too, but still the parents responsibility.

I hope you are putting your children first, before money

Ymmv, but I find money quite useful when it comes to ensuring I can house, feed and clothe my children.

I hope you are putting your children first, before money.

Well, I am pretty focused on paying my mortgage, because I believe keeping a roof over my child’s head is fundamental.

Is that ‘putting my children before money’?

Yes, we know it will increase infections. Ultimately a large number of us will catch this virus, if not now, then next week or month or year.

We need that to happen, we need to hit that second peak before the flu season when the NHS will be under additional pressure.

The alternative is we all stay home indefinitely, the economy collapses and we're all up shit creek.

Yes, children do not seem to be as badly affected. Yes, the corona induced Kawasaki type illness seems to be rare (thankfully). But, we need to keep them safe.

Deaths of under 20s are lower than historical averages right now. For context.

Also, please consider some teachers are parents who are also losing that balancing act.

Iwalkinmyclothing

Of course, but maybe you have a partner and surplus money so you could cut down hours for your children?

@LaurieMarlow the point I am making is that the kids we teach aren't faceless data. They are important to us. We want schools to continue to be safe. I teach a pupil in remission from cancer. I hope she will stay at home, but she may come in. I want to do everything in my power to reduce her risk. She is 15 - closer to adult than child. If I wear a mask, I might reduce her risk. So I want a mask. Ive been learning how to make them from socks. I want to keep the kids safe.