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

To be honest, yes. All three under 10.

@cantkeepawayforever

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?

This.

We need more knowledge on immunity and more roll out of antibody tests for no social distancing to be allowed. In my area they are piloting regular weekly antigen tests of everyone who works in an environment over a certain number of people, so they pick up infected people including asymptomatic people early and can use track and trace to try to stamp it out asap. I hope it proves effective as that could give everyone a middle ground until more is learned about immunity.

Is it not likely the rates of transmission will be much less in September after 5 months of suppression measures than they were in March when the virus was rife and schools were all open normally, without as far as I know kids and teachers dropping dead

@cantkeepawayforever

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?

I'm happy for other places to open up with no social distancing. People are aware of the recommended measures to take and I think we will still follow these to some extent even if places were open 'normally'. I do however think there should be restrictions on mass gatherings such as festivals for some time longer.

@cantkeepawayforever

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?

I want it scrapped full stop. Everywhere. I will continue to do it as long as it is the rules but I really don't think it necessary any longer.

Sudoku,

Do you think that virus transmission reduces in certain environments just because social distancing is 'not feasible' or trickier to implement?

If we don't use social distancing in those 'not feasible environments', what virus protection would you feel that those who work in them all day (in the case of a typical primary class, for 6+ hours a day in a single room, often with limited air circulation and some.... interesting ... personal hygiene) deserve?

Only if it's scrapped everywhere. Seems fair for staff who work in schools.

In any case who gets within 6 foot of people they don't live with in the general course of things.

Interesting to see how the responses don't at all reflect numbera returning to school currently. I wonder if that's because people feel everything will be better by September (or resigned to accepting what will be will be), or if MN just doesn't reflect real life?

I really don't think it necessary any longer.

The last research said, I think [I haven't seen a more recent report, did it come out today?] that 1 in 400 people are infected with the virus at this moment. That would be at least 1 person in s largeish primary, several in a secondary, many more in the close family networks attached to each school. There are 8000+ new cases a day, many asymptomatic and invisible.

Why is social distancing necessary any more??

Yes

Yes. Children are really suffering from the lack of school now. DD is as privileged as they come and still bored, lonely and miserable, and the tantrums are getting worse and worse. I don't want to think about what it must be like for children without IT, space and a parent with free time to spend on them. School is educationally and socially important, in a way that bars, restaurants, gyms and swimming pools aren't. DH is vulnerable (though not in the shielded group - fit and well but over 70) and totally agrees with me that she needs to go back asap.

Social distancing is expected in our school for all children (including reception and year 1). It is really difficult.

I hope by September it won’t be necessary anymore. If I had primary age children they would not be going back to school until distancing in school was no longer necessary.

YES I couldn’t stop my daughter, she would be the first one at the gates when school opens. She said today she’s fed up of not seeing her friends.

Yes I would be happy for bars and restaurants to re open, it’s down to the individual if they want go

Interesting to see how the responses don't at all reflect numbera returning to school currently.

Do you know what the numbers are where people have the choice? DS’ class is about 75% returning which I think is quite high but I haven’t seen numbers anywhere really.

I am more concerned that children are being made to feel dirty and contagious. I think social distancing for children is horrible and would be more than happy to return my children if it wasn’t in place. Mine are in different year groups but if they were in R, 1 and 6 the only reason I would not send them in now is the social distance rule!

*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?*

Well, there are some other arguments. I could write a big long spiel about this, but essentially it boils down to the fact that education is a basic human right (and there are major questions over whether it’s possible to provide it effectively in a socially distanced way) and going to the gym is not.

We are at 90%+

A degree of social distancing in place, but not full 2m. Children coping absolutely fine.

I would actually prefer no social distancing

YANBU

Mine are in secondary school (DS is15 and DD is just starting) . No way can they pull strict social distancing off.
And between anxiety and the heat, I'm wondering if we'll have masked children of all ages fainting in the aisles...
We (Colorado) started social distancing in March. Masks in (early?) May. Come September, my community is going to be good and sick of both.

@MamaFirst

Interesting to see how the responses don't at all reflect numbera returning to school currently. I wonder if that's because people feel everything will be better by September (or resigned to accepting what will be will be), or if MN just doesn't reflect real life?

To be honest, I think it's because of the social-distancing measures! The reason people I know haven't sent children back is because they're worried about making them neurotic and even more fearful of the virus. Worried about the effect it will have on their mental health to sit at single desks when they're used to sitting together on the carpet. Worried about them not being with their friends or teacher. When at least at home it's a familiar loving environment where things are 'normal'.

@cantkeepawayforever

I really don't think it necessary any longer.

The last research said, I think [I haven't seen a more recent report, did it come out today?] that 1 in 400 people are infected with the virus at this moment. That would be at least 1 person in s largeish primary, several in a secondary, many more in the close family networks attached to each school. There are 8000+ new cases a day, many asymptomatic and invisible.

Why is social distancing necessary any more??

Honest to god. 8000 cases a day where many are asymptomatic. Why the fuck are we destroying the economy, children's education, people's livelihoods for something that most people who get it don't even know they have it. Stop and think about what you are saying. The hospitals have loads of beds for those who need it, that was the point of lockdown. Let's go back to common sense and hygiene.

Monkeynurts,

Is it a basic human right for adults working in school to have measures in place to give them a reasonably safe working environment?

Or does the right for children to receive education trump the safety of school staff?

Yes. This would make me far happier to send mine in. Mine are missing school a lot - but they're missing assembly and choir and drama and pe and playtime and forest school. They're not missing desk work.

If social distancing continues to be a thing then I would be wary of sending them back - I would rather they miss something they loved than start to dread school for being a dull and restricted environment.

I can't understand how, with all that we know about child development, any professional body is OK about the dfe guidance being inflicted on small children. If Ofsted had inspected a school with stripped out environments, no collaborative or active work etc etc a few months ago they'd have rightly said it was completely inappropriate, but now that is all being mandated?

Mine want to go back, but to school as they knew it.

Yes, only If infection rates are greatly reduced from now.