Would you send your dc back to school in September if there was no social distancing?

[wakeupitsabeautifulmorning]

I worry about how much longer dc are going to be expected to learn at home considering a lot of them aren't. However, if they're going to have to socially distance I can't really see a way forward.
YABU = No I wouldn't send them without social distancing
YANBU = Yes I would

my father is extremely vulnerable and has been shielding effectively since before it was advised (it’s one reason he has plenty of time to look into all the evidence...). I haven’t seen him for a very long time as he is shielding even from my mother, who is working in frontline NHS. It isn’t about not taking this seriously and being I’m-all-right-Jack, it’s about having a different POV about where the risks are most likely to come from. There are also other considerations such as at what point other risks become greater (Eg when we are risking mental health too much), which clearly People will have different views on, and that is not selfishness

100% yes.

Yes I would. Happy to scrap social distancing in schools right now tbh

100% yes

Probably. But they will almost certainly still be social distancing in schools, to some extent.

@IvinghoeBeacon

I suspect actually we are in agreement qweryuiop but I’m afraid I am spiky about spiky comments

I appreciate when people actually take the effort to understand another person's point of view, rather than just come out to argue. I think it's easy to assume that people are out to argue and/or making thoughtless comments (I admit I did that to you and do apologise).

I agree that I think I'm mostly with you. I do think that there is a difference between schools operating with minimal social distancing (which might be a small but necessary risk, because both education and childcare are important, and it's easy to trace contacts within a closed community) and opening up play areas (play is important and children need joy in their lives, but it would be impossible to trace outbreaks).

But you're right as well that there is a part-way point, with less distancing between children in schools but still maintaining distancing between children and adults. For my school for sure, this still wouldn't allow us to fit 30 per classroom, because 2m distance around the teacher's area uses 1/4 of the room. It also wouldn't help solve the problems with shielding teachers and those who are vulnerable (we currently have some who are in school but not working face to face with children).

Personally, from my privileged position (healthy, white, young, female, no dependants, can't see my vulnerable relatives anyway), I'd be happy to eschew social distancing in schools right now. But I appreciate the many reasons why my colleagues are more cautious.

Yes

So is it 'I'm all right Jack' (abandon distancing) or 'let's watch out for everyone' (make it work well, so schools and other places can do what they should for all of society, not just the healthiest)

It's not completely 'I'm all right Jack' though. We do have to consider the extremely vulnerable - nobody disagrees, but we also need to consider the impact of long term very part time schooling. Wanting schools to open full time for all students is not selfish parents wanting to palm off their dc sod the teachers, there's more to consider here than just the people vulnerable to coronavirus.

Don't forget also that come people can suffer long term ill effects form other viruses but you wouldn't ever consider closing schools for the majority because of that.

If you think kids going to school 2 days a week can be “made to work well” then I think you’re deluded.

Not sure what’s “I’m alright Jack” about expecting young people to receive a full and decent education either. In fact it sounds like more “I’m alright Jack” that you’re happy for education to suffer to suit your wishes.

@MyHipsDontLieUnfortunately
why is it we don’t hear all the shop workers complaining that they’ve been working ALL this time seeing thousands of people each day, but with a ten week gap teachers don’t want to go back to a bubble of 15 kids? That’s besides the fact that research suggests kids don’t spread it...

Yes. Fed up with it now. Kids are paying a massive price with no education. People are losing jobs already, wait till furlough ends. I work in adult social care and dementia patients are shutting down because of the loneliness lockdown has imposed on them.

People die every freaking day. I have spent the last couple of days filing records of people that have died. It's crap but it is what it is. This hysteria needs to end.

Yes

Ds and his friends met the other day socially distanced for all of five minutes

They teachers try very hard at school but not many pupils have been in now more are attending I can’t see how they will keep children adhering to this

Sad to see how little people care about teachers' health. I think if this happens, those of you WFH should be expected to get back to the workplace because your lives are not more important.

Quite.

But with a ten week gap teachers don’t want to go back to a bubble of 15 kids?

Teachers didn't close the schools and they can't "open" them either.

Oh, hang on. Who staffed the schools for key workers?

Teachers have been working throughout.

Teachers can be in vulnerable groups.

Teachers have family members in vulnerable groups.

Schools should only go back when it is considered safe.

It would really be nice if teachers were more concerned about getting children back into full time school. The risks are minimal. I'd happily get back to work in person, and would volunteer in schools if it would help though I'm a terrible teacher.

I would be happy to send my children back to school without social distancing in place. Even with two of our household being in a vulnerable group (myself included) and having researched the data, I think the negative impact of protracted school closure in terms of children’s wellbeing and development outweighs the risk of Coronavirus

[quote Alipaules33]@MyHipsDontLieUnfortunately
why is it we don’t hear all the shop workers complaining that they’ve been working ALL this time seeing thousands of people each day, but with a ten week gap teachers don’t want to go back to a bubble of 15 kids? That’s besides the fact that research suggests kids don’t spread it...[/quote]
Working behind perspex screens and other PPE.
No 20 week gap for most teachers, as we've been caring for Key Workers' kids and working from home, like many other workers.
We would be happy to continue to work with bubble of up to 15 kids if we are afforded similar protections to other workers.
"Some" research suggests that, but other research suggest either that there is no conclusive evidence either way or that they spread it in the same way as adults do.

Yes, I'd send my children back.

They aren't social distancing in my child's school - they have class pods and don't mix with other pods but within their group their is no distancing at all.

I cannot talk for any other schools but at my local school without social distancing and with key workers children in throughout this, there has not been one single case of the virus in the school, No teachers and no children have caught it. Mine are now back after hearing that why wouldn't I send them and they are enjoying it.

Up to others what they do and I don't mine if they send of they don't.

Yes
100%
Yes
We are in Scotland
The figures are so low here
My kids seem to have more chance of being sent home with a pritstick injury than Covid 19

My local park was full of groups of teens playing football and cycling yesterday. None were social distancing, so what's the point of doing it in school anyway.

Our secondary school have already said school will not open normally in September!