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?

In Jersey they’ve just announced they’re scrapping social distancing in schools and getting all the year groups back in. They don’t feel there is sufficient risk to the children or the staff to justify social distancing.

@TabbyMumz I know the % in the rise in calls, that is all I need to know. And the fact suicide figures have increased dramatically. Twice this week there have been roads closed due to people in distress on bridges in my local area.
Even parents struggling to home school and work are struggling.
You can choose to keep your children at home, that is entirely your right. Nobody should judge you for that. You are doing what you think is right.

teachers to be able to wear masks and visors for protection

People keep saying this, but fabric masks protect other people not the user. So for the teacher to be protected the kids need to wear the masks.

Either way since the government has said no ppe is necessary (presumably because of supply problems?) so some heads have said teachers are not allowed to wear ppe, even if they supply it themselves.

@TabbyMumz so then give parents the choice. Those that want/need their children back at school can send them back. Those that still feel it's unsafe for their children or prefer to keep them home can do that. Less children at school, less risk for teachers.

Exactly. I won't criticise anyone who doesn't send their children back, but I want the option to send mine! She's no more likely to die than in any ordinary year, that's a ridiculous suggestion.

Agree, those who feel their children need to be back or have to stop wfh need the opportunity to send them back, those who don’t need it, feel their children are fine at home and/or will be safer can keep them home.

Totally off subject Professorradcliffeemerson ..I love those books!

Me too, I would have been AmeliaPeabody but that was taken!

People here seem to think there’s a ‘safe’ option. There’s not. A virus has been unleashed. We can continue lock down & social distancing - but eventually society will fall apart. Or we can abandon lockdown & social distancing, in which case people who are elderly or vulnerable will die of Covid unless they isolate themselves.

I’m in a vulnerable group due to lung problems. I do not believe that any children’s futures should be sacrificed for my sake. I’d far rather isolate myself and see society get back to normal, with schools open & no mandatory social distancing, than see children suffer & society fall apart.

It’s not children’s fault I have a chronic lung condition: why should they suffer for me? Why should they lose their education for my sake?

We need to put children and young people first. I’m horrified by the number of people who seem to have forgotten this.

"Greggers2017

@NothingIsWrongI don't think she is aware no.
The deaths from domestic violence have rocketed too. There has been 4 deaths of women in a 3 week period, in my home town. And that's just one town.
Vulnerable children is a nightmare too. I work regularly with social care and they are absolutely overloaded at the minute. The whole situation is so stressful."

But Greggers do you understand if you open schools and no social distancing, there will be more deaths from covid? Do you think covid has just gone away?!

"Waxonwaxoff0

@TabbyMumzso then give parents the choice. Those that want/need their children back at school can send them back. Those that still feel it's unsafe for their children or prefer to keep them home can do that. Less children at school, less risk for teachers."
But opening the schools with no social distancing, increases the risk for teachers. If business across the UK are saying it's not safe for their employees to go back, why do we think it's ok for teachers?!

"We need to put children and young people first. I’m horrified by the number of people who seem to have forgotten this."

No, we dont. We need to put society first. They've missed 3 months. 3 months for goodness sake, it's not the end of the world. It needs to me measured and monitored and when numbers are lower and when its saf(er) to do so, it will happen. It should never be a case of some parents shouting loudest because they've had enough and demanding it all goes back to normal immediately and stuff everybody else including school staff and other families etc.

@TabbyMumz which is why teachers need to be provided with PPE. There are plenty of jobs where you can't really social distance - NHS, care homes. Workers there have been provided with PPE.

Scrap social distancing and introduce compulsory PPE for September for children and teachers. Maybe the very youngest children could get away with not having a mask. Otherwise I can’t see schools going back to normal until 2021.

So @Tabbymumz what is your solution to all of this?

Community transmission is falling and by September should be even lower.

Things should be done on a piecemeal basis. And the next step of this in September should be schools opening full time without social distancing.

Theatres etc for example will be a later (the latest piece) as will crowds for example at football matches.

Meat processing plants are at the moment a known hotspot so they should also be looked at

Most other countries at looking at it this way and following this pattern. So far opening up schools hasnt had an impact so it is fine to continue.

We cant keep in this holding pattern and neither should it be an instant return to normal. Other things for now will come before schools due to the summer holidays (such as the tourism industry partly opening) but come September the priority has to be them in full time.

Greggers2017

@TabbyMumzI know the % in the rise in calls, that is all I need to know. And the fact suicide figures have increased dramatically. Twice this week there have been roads closed due to people in distress on bridges in my local area.
Even parents struggling to home school and work are struggling.
You can choose to keep your children at home, that is entirely your right. Nobody should judge you for that. You are doing what you think is right."

Greggers, I'm sorry but you arent getting it. Yes you know who is accessing services, but you dont know about the thousands of people reporting that they feel much better because their stress has lessened, these are the people that would have possibly been accessing mental health services in years to come. And yes I can chose to keep mine at home, as I have done. But if you insist on schools opening, you are affecting the lives of teachers etc, who would then need to be in school. I just think it needs to be measured along with covid cases and the level of R, and decisions not made on parents demanding schools open. It's too soon at the moment, in my view. I also think if they do open in September, it should only be under strict guidelines, social distances, fewer class sizes etc, limited children in school at any one time. We shouldn't be making decisions on thousands upon thousands of families lives, based on the poor mental health of the few.

Really why are people still saying throw out social distancing and mean not just for schools. They recone only about 5% of the population have has this still www.newscientist.com/article/mg24632873-000-how-many-of-us-are-likely-to-have-caught-the-coronavirus-so-far/

You open evething up again and we go right back to square one. Ok so children aren't that at risk, but who cares about all those diabetic kids and anyone who's had cancer treatment or impressed. We're not bothered about teachers either or families.

I'm not saying we all need to stay locked in our houses either because that also isn't a workable answer to this. But there needs to be a middle ground, part time school. Less children at school at once is an option. High school's, children staying in one room and teacher's moving around another option.

Just because we've reduced the problem in the short term doesn't mean we can suddenly go back to how everything was before. We'll go end up at the beginning again.

"Things should be done on a piecemeal basis. And the next step of this in September should be schools opening full time without social distancing."

I'm sorry but I think that's crazy. We havent had enough time to see if cases increase from all the protests in London, all the shops opening, and everyone now able to visit other families. I think if they do open in September it should be the same as now, small groups, only limited numbers in and social distancing still in place. September is when the colder weather starts again and more people gathering indoors. Would be a distaster if after all this time we say "to hell with it" and go back to normal.

If you allow parents to keep their child at home if it is their choice to do so, a significant number of the most vulnerable and at risk children will not return to school, even if there are no restrictions at all.

"Waxonwaxoff0

@TabbyMumzwhich is why teachers need to be provided with PPE. There are plenty of jobs where you can't really social distance - NHS, care homes. Workers there have been provided with PPE."

I agree they should have ppe when they do go back. All those jobs you mention have to carry on, we cant have noone caring for people in care homes etc...but teaching is not an urgent job that needs to be done right now or during a pandemic.

By September we would have done though that is my point. Plans should be made (as someone said) for different scenarios yes but Schools and Education should be the priority now.

We are 11 weeks away from the start of the next academic year - 11 weeks ago we were at peak CV cases and in really bad shape. If between now and then things start to go in the wrong direction by all means have a plan to open part time etc.

What is crazy is looking at September as if it is now. Whatever happens it wont be

So when do you think schools should open to,all children? This virus may well be around to a far lesser extent for many months, and a vaccine won’t be rolled out to the whole population quickly. Should children stay off indefinitely or until you have a guarantee that no one is carrying the virus?

@TabbyMumz teaching is an essential job. Which is why they were listed as keyworkers at the very beginning.

You have no idea the numbers of mental health issues and are not prepared to see past the end of your nose. I'm not saying everybody has issues, most definitely not. I'm saying the rise in mental health issues across the county I live in, and across the country is alarming.

@TabbyMumz of course teaching is an urgent job. Some parents do not have the provision or knowledge to teach their children. Some parents cannot work and teach their children at the same time. Do you work?

Children WILL suffer long term if this carries on.

@Waxonwaxoff0 I completely agree. This is going to have a huge knock effect on the futures of children. Just look at all the ones who's parents who have lost their jobs for a start. Their quality of life has already been reduced.

A child under 15 has a 1 in 3,597,551 chance of dying from Covid-19, about the same as being hit by lightning and much less than walking to school. Reopen the schools fully, allow at risk teachers to remain absent . We are damaging our children beyond repair. If you don't want them to go , your choice , you can home educate as always.