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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

331 replies

wakeupitsabeautifulmorning · 04/06/2020 20:28

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

OP posts:
Playdonut · 04/06/2020 20:59

Yes. Social distancing in schools is cruel and wrong.

Silversun83 · 04/06/2020 21:00

Yes. Would also prefer no social-distancing. It's the social-distancing and strict rules making me anxious, not the virus.

SudokuBook · 04/06/2020 21:01

Yes I would, social distancing in schools is a pathetic concept.

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 04/06/2020 21:03

I would send mine back tomorrow without social distancing.

CarlottaValdez · 04/06/2020 21:03

Yes.

My son is going back on Monday with no social distancing within his group of 15. The school have made it clear that there will be hand washing and keeping separate from the other groups but no attempt to keep the children apart from each other otherwise. So they’ll have free play as usual. I’m so pleased the school have been so sensible.

Hotcuppatea · 04/06/2020 21:04

Yes. I wouldn't hesitate.

BogRollBOGOF · 04/06/2020 21:04

I'd do it at 9 o'clock tomorrow.
In the last week of May, there were 9 cases tested in my local authority. 3.5 per 100,000. 6 of those were a cluster picked up through tracing an initial positive.

DS1 hasn't interacted with another child of his age in 2 months. He can't deal with phone calls or Zoom. His only interaction with a child is with a sibling fortunately close in age, but that's not ideal for either of them.

I'm more concerned about his social skills and adjusting back to normal sensory input than the risk of him encountering one of 9 people in the local authority long enough to get ill with a virus that is statistically unlikely to be more than a minor illness for his demographic.
DS2 has been off so long that he misses school. He's not the studious type.

I hope secondaries can resume normal business in September. Y11 need to continue proper study on their GCSEs. Y10 need to start them. Y7 need to settle in. Y8 and y9 are tough enough without floundering in an educational void. Open evenings for informed secondary choices need to happen. Secondaries can not function with social distancing and the primaries are full under current conditions.

SirSamuelVimesBlackboardMonito · 04/06/2020 21:04

Yes, absolutely.

SomewhereEast · 04/06/2020 21:04

Yes!

x2boys · 04/06/2020 21:08

I don't know if ill.have a chance my son goes to a special school they have acknowledged they can't social distance ,but he gets school.transport which is a worry and at least half the school.need personal care with toileting I'm not sure what will happen in September or If ll.be happy to send him back

SomewhereEast · 04/06/2020 21:09

Just to add I'd send them back in tomorrow without social distancing TBH. I wish we could all collectively agree to just not inflict this on children, especially younger ones. We adults can (mostly) suck it up without too much emotional & psychological harm....I really don't think younger children can. Apparently there's now a campaign group called something like UsForThem pushing back against it and I think they're right

SirSamuelVimesBlackboardMonito · 04/06/2020 21:09

Yes, me too, @SomewhereEast.

cantkeepawayforever · 04/06/2020 21:10

It depends.

I worry about DD's bus driver.

I worry about her vulnerable friends.

I worry about her friends who live with medically vulnerable adults or siblings.

I worry about her teachers (many of whom are late middle age), and about all the other school staff - caretakers, cleaners, TAs etc

I worry about those of her teachers who live with or care for elderly relatives.

I worry about the long term effect on our own very elderly relatives, none of whom we can visit at the moment because of the risk of us infecting them as I am back in school.

If community infection rates and transmission are genuinely low by September, then these worries will decrease. If these rates remain similar to or greater than at present, then can I put the benefits to DD (a teenager, so as likely to carry the virus as an adult) above the risks to all these others?

Takingabreakagain · 04/06/2020 21:11

Mine will go back as soon as school is open for their year group in whatever form that takes. Both DDs want to return as they are missing the routine and structure to their day, their friends and the education.
I, and they, would prefer there was no social distancing and think they should be able to go back now without social distancing.

cantkeepawayforever · 04/06/2020 21:12

I worry that DD - a girl who takes care for others very much to heart - will feel personally responsible and guilty if there are COVID cases and deaths within the wider school community as what she perceives to be a result of the school re-opening.

CupCupGoose · 04/06/2020 21:12

Yes. Unpopular opinion but I think they should all go back no with NO social distancing.

janeyloves · 04/06/2020 21:13

Yes. No question.

Takingabreakagain · 04/06/2020 21:14

@SomewhereEast
This is the campaign you mentioned www.usforthem.co.uk/openletter

cantkeepawayforever · 04/06/2020 21:16

If you would send children in without any social distancing, are you also happy for supermarkets, bars, restaurants, gyms, swimming pools, offices, factories etc to also open up entirely as normal without social distancing?

If your argument is that you want social distancing elsewhere but just 'children don't get so ill', then why do you think a non socially distanced environment is acceptable for the many adults who work in every school, while you still want social distancing in other contexts?

CarlottaValdez · 04/06/2020 21:16

I worry that DD - a girl who takes care for others very much to heart - will feel personally responsible and guilty if there are COVID cases and deaths within the wider school community as what she perceives to be a result of the school re-opening.

How old is your DD? That’s a really misguided response, I hope you can reassure her successfully.

Raaaa · 04/06/2020 21:18

Yes with no social distancing would be better

SudokuBook · 04/06/2020 21:18

I think there should only be social distancing in areas where it is actually feasible. So probably OK in the supermarket, many offices/workplaces but not in schools, restaurants etc. Social distancing doesn’t work in these places, it’s not practical.

Muffey · 04/06/2020 21:19

Depending on the infection rate (same or lower than now) then yes, without a doubt. My dd is angry, tearful and frustrated at the moment. She needs interaction with other children and she needs a better routine.

Laiste · 04/06/2020 21:19

Yes. With bells on!

DD yr1 is back 4 days a week in a bubble of 6. I was delighted at first. Monday night she was all smiles. I thought they weren't doing much social distancing but it turns out they are still trying to keep these 6 six year olds 2m apart at all times :(

She's got less cheerful about being back at school as the week has gone on.

TheGreatWave · 04/06/2020 21:19

No. It's highly unlikely there will be no transmission in communities by September.

I really don't understand people wanting this, last year and the year before etc we had chicken pox and flu and d&v amongst many, all which can be fatal to a child, yet we don't keep them off school.

Why do people fear covid-19 so much more than other diseases?