AIBU to think that schools can't return to normal while social distancing remains?

[LockdownLoppy]

So many people want schools back to normal in September but how can they be? Even if social distancing was reduced to 1 meter it's still going to be a logistic nightmare for schools to manage and a long way from normal.
I have a child in year 10 and a child in year 7 who attends a special school due to autism and severe learning difficulties. They will both have a few check-in sessions in the last few weeks of term but it's going to be a world away from normal.
People are demanding the full reopening of schools but I just can't see how it can be done - do they just want to end all social distancing in schools and return to normal?
AIBU to think we can't have social distancing and schools open and working at full capacity?

It was the worst year of my career! What’s worse is the year before, they put the year group in three small classes and the same the year after, but for Y4 with me-they thought two massive classes would be fine!!

@Fedup21 and @Ruralteacher I don't see it in that way at all.

We need to focus on getting the areas back that cant function very well with social distancing particularly education and the hospitality industry.

We cannot however go straight back into normality without further risking community transmission and going back into lockdown. And a huge part of that is keeping public transport as safe and as fewer people on it as possible (in order to allow those who need to travel to do so). I wfh 80% of the time anyway and my job is one that can be done without an office (its just for the social aspect). Its not about me working at home because I want to keep my office safe its about keeping those who can work safely out of the equation. The less people the better. At least that is how I see it.

Also surely if you are sending your children back you are also taking a risk (albeit I recognise as much smaller than the teachers)

Today 07:03 Waxonwaxoff0

@HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend I didn't say it didn't matter that adults were dying. The conversation was specifically about children dying.

The two are likely to be link tho, we are aware children are at a lesser risk than adults, however the adults aren’t.

So asking for schools to go back and do away with social distancing, is putting adults and children at risk.

Beijing is having a second spike and has closed schools and raised the Covid alert to emergency status.

This is weeks after they reopened and schools went back with social distancing in place.

cochineal7 that’s exactly how we are doing it here. However we have already had more than 1 outbreak in schools , I think it was 12 based on the last lot of data and that’s with only very few children returning to school.

In my class we certainly couldn’t distance the adults to 1m never mind 2m if all the children were back.

We have just dropped down to 3 which does indicate some kind of dropping of social distancing measures will occur - certainly by September

By September things will either be much better and we can relax rules or much worse and everyone will understand why restrictions are still in place.

I guess we just need to go along with Maya Angelou

“Hoping for the best, prepared for the worst, and unsurprised by anything in between.”

Which is what the Gvt should be doing NOW to get everything in place for whatever September brings. Because whatever it is it wont be the same as now

It's looking likely that the 2m will be dropped for schools.

It's looking likely that the 2m will be dropped for schools

Dropping 2m to 1m will make virtually no difference for most schools-they still won’t be able to have more than half a class in at a time.

Face to face teaching may be an ideal, but it looks like that won’t be full time for a while. The government should do more to ensure every child has access to the internet to learn and a device that is suitable and does not have to be shared. Then they need online learning that is fit for purpose. I don’t know enough about practicality of national teaching scheme to know if it would work so that centralised online lessons could be provided.

The online learning is vital for shield group and would also then be available if there is a second wave. (Equipment like iPads/dongles kept in school unless need to go home)

This. I hope!

Sorry, that was in response to helpfulperson.

1m will mean we can fit 15-20 max in the class rather than 10-15 depending on the room size.

I think SD will be scrapped entirely for September. All 30 back in the class as normal

I’d be shocked if they are and I don’t believe they will Ds HT and HOY are already advising tings won’t be going back to normal until at least January.

I believe come September year groups will be in for a few days/ hours at a time (secondary schools)

Rainbow12e

That’s what they said in Beijing, the R number was very low, schools went back, workforce went back... a few weeks later they have had to declare a state of emergency and closed all schools as of early this week.

It’s always been predicted that a second wave will hit.

Our R rate is below 1 (in most parents of the UK) and over 12 schools have already had to close since other R,Y1 and Y6 after teacher and pupils have tested positive and that’s with social distancing and small classes.

I can’t wait for the moment everything goes back to normal, however I don’t believe that come September Covid will be gone and berthing can return to normal.

berthing *everything

Kids and teachers will go back when it’s safe to do so, that’s the main and only priority.

It’s always been predicted that a second wave will hit

No it hasn't! And recently scientists have been saying it's increasingly unlikely.

@HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend

Well yes of course it needs to be safe.

The problem is going to be that different people have a different opinion on what safe actually means.

For some (and I suspect the Gvt may be included) this will be now we are in alert level 3.

For others level 2

For some level 1

and then for others when it has gone completely internationally and/or a vaccine

No one I dont think ever argues that the main priority is the safety of pupils and teachers. Or that we want to go back to normal - but I think we will need to cope with a new normal for at least another year.

Everyone will have their own personal risk assessment and balance

TrustTheGeneGenie

Only a few days ago Sir John Bell said he is expecting a second wave in the U.K, they expect it come autumn.

Seth Flaxman said advised we are very far from herd immunity, and are still early into understanding how the virus works and having affective treatment, he can also forecast a second wave.

Dr Hans Kluge WHO director has said it’s very possible that they will see a second wave alongside seasonal flu. (Again only a few days ago)

Agree Quartz however I also firmly see other countries trying to go back to normal only to see them back in an emergency and Covid cases into back into the thousands.

*Effective

Which countries though (Iran doesn’t count!)