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?

@Greggers2017 exactly, and more will. I'm a single parent and I need to work. I will not be able to give DS enough time and support that he needs to do his work at home. He already struggles with some subjects being summer born and he will likely fall behind even more.

"TheFallenMadonna

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."
Yes, but a significant number of vulnerable teachers or members of teachers or other school staff's families, wont have that choice. When deciding if schools open we need to look at that affect on society, not just the kids.

"Greggers2017

@TabbyMumzteaching is an essential job. Which is why they were listed as keyworkers at the very beginning."
It's not a life or death job is it? We have to look at the safety of teachers. They didnt have to be in during a pandemic teaching, whereas care workers and nhs staff did.

"You have no idea the numbers of mental health issues and are not prepared to see past the end of your nose."
But you arent either, are you. You seem to think that because you work in mental health, the whole world have mental health issues, when they dont. Thousands of people feel much better during covid, what with working from home, less travel, less drawing on your time. It is that you seem to be refusing to see. It is these people who could have been on your books, had they continued with life as it is. Do you really really not see that? There are thousands out there who will never have mental health issues, whatever is thrown at them.

"I'm not saying everybody has issues, most definitely not"

Well you seem to be.

"I'm saying the rise in mental health issues across the county I live in, and across the country is alarming."

I dont discount there is a rise, are there are lots of people who cant cope with change, and who are susceptible to mental health issues, but there are also loads and loads who arent.

@Tabbymumz but this is September - 11 weeks from now. The situation will be different

And it is looking at the effect on society

I suspect you are looking at all of this from your very rose tinted view of what lockdown life has been like - its not like that for everyone.

Do you not at least concede that Education now should be front and centre of the Gvt plans and how to implement

"I'm saying the rise in mental health issues across the county I live in, and across the country is alarming."

That still doesnt mean we need to say "to hell with the risk of covid, let's just get the little tikes back to school and bigger who it might affect".

@TabbyMumz

I dont discount there is a rise, are there are lots of people who cant cope with change, and who are susceptible to mental health issues, but there are also loads and loads who arent.

In response to this. There are lots of people susceptible to covid but there are millions and millions who don't have it.
Swings and roundabouts isn't it?
Covids coming down, mental health issues and DV is rising; so what do you're saying is protect everynody from covid but stuff anybody else who has a different condition 🤷‍♀️

"Quartz2208

@Tabbymumzbut this is September - 11 weeks from now. The situation will be different"

Yes and in September, a view needs to be made, based on numbers of cases and a decision made. That decision doesnt need to be made now, or based on how people are feeling. Schools in Wales are going to be open in a few weeks for all school years, but I think it's too early.

" suspect you are looking at all of this from your very rose tinted view of what lockdown life has been like - its not like that for everyone."

No it's not been the same for everyone, that's my point. Schools shouldn't reopen just because some parents want them to be. We need to look at how this will affect everyone. People who want them open now with no social distancing, seem to be only thinking of themselves

"Do you not at least concede that Education now should be front and centre of the Gvt plans and how to implement"

I think it is part of government plans, but it shouldn't come before the nations health. And it shouldn't be on the say so of parents who want them back.

"In response to this. There are lots of people susceptible to covid but there are millions and millions who don't have it."

And there are loads more who could still get it. And those who havent got it, havent got it because of lockdown and measures put in place.

"Covids coming down, mental health issues and DV is rising; so what do you're saying is protect everynody from covid but stuff anybody else who has a different condition 🤷‍♀️"
There are still a thousand people a day testing positive. Covid is still affecting lives.

NI has just said that they are reducing distancing in educational settings to 1m. With the guidance that full classes should hopefully be able to return

@Tabbymumz

No it cannot be left until September at all. The Gvt needs to set out pretty soon what its expectations are for schools and what measures they are expecting in place in order for the schools to plan appropriately.

I am not thinking of myself at all. I am thinking of the future generation who need to know exactly what is going to happen for them and not be left. Football managed to get a plan pretty quickly out. Education should too.

Lockdown has done its job - now we need to plan our way out of it. And yes education needs to be a priority. Covid 19 is now only one risk this country is facing.

Schools arent reopening because Parents want them to - school reopening so far has been (sadly) an economic based decision.

None of this is because Parents dont want to teach their children/keep their children safe/thinking only of themselves at all

"so what do you're saying is protect everynody from covid but stuff anybody else who has a different condition"

And what you are saying is stuff anybody who could die from covid, as long as people with poor mental health are ok?!

I think this is why the 1 metre social distancing is starting to be pushed through.

Given now 0.1% of the UK population have Covid at the moment and I suspect the number now suffering mental health is sadly higher now

I think parents who are happy to send their DC back into school should just dispense with social distancing altogether. If you're not happy to do that yourself, don't send your DC in to do it either! It's a bit like putting your seat belt on in the front but letting your child not wear one in the back. Either you think it's safe to be in an environment with 1500 other people for 5 hours a day or you don't.

The virus is not going to stop being a threat just because people are fed up of it! Agree 100%. Too many people seem to think that the virus has gone somewhere. Right now we are exactly where we were in March and if we just let everything go back to normal we will end up back where we did then. A few less deaths because we have better treatments but no less infections.

But we don't close schools if there's an outbreak, even though it's very contagious. But we do. It's just that the numbers are low enough that it is local not wholesale closures. Just like we close schools every year for Norovirus.

@BonnesVacances I can't wait for the day where I don't have to social distance, I haven't been particularly diligent with it anyway.

@BonnesVacances I dont get that argument - if children are seen as potential transmission vectors rather than those who get it surely a parent gets that sending them back and then living with them is in effect removing social distancing for themselves as well

TheMostHappy
I think this is why the 1 metre social distancing is starting to be pushed through.

the reason why schools have bubble is because the 2 mtr rule was not possible in schools.

Take the rule down to 1 mtr and you have classes of 15.

I don't think you can compare it to chickenpox. Most adults have immunity to chickenpox. That's not the case with covid because it's a new virus. I don't think children are at risk at school but the staff are and the families of the children. Children can still carry the virus even if they are unlikely to get it. So can pass it bereren themslwves.to staff and to their families without anyone knowing.

I don't think it's a matter of anyone saying it's the same as CP. The point is that with CP people seem to understand that risk is not always straightforward, and that many things we all accept every day include risk. But with Covid you have people saying stuff like, even one death is too much and we can't even talk about weighing outcomes.

Our school has classes of 15 already? They aren't socially distancing in their bubbles

"Quartz2208

@Tabbymumz

No it cannot be left until September at all. "

Yes it can. They need to see what figures are nearer to the time. It might be that figures are worse, we cant second guess.

"The Gvt needs to set out pretty soon what its expectations are for schools and what measures they are expecting in place in order for the schools to plan appropriately."

In Wales they already have. England wont be much different. England already have children in schools, and schools more than likely believe what they have been told, which is that it's likely to be the same in September, ie small numbers, social distancing etc.

"I am not thinking of myself at all. I am thinking of the future generation who need to know exactly what is going to happen for them and not be left. Football managed to get a plan pretty quickly out. Education should too."
I agree regarding football. The future generation have only had 3 months off. Again, I dont think the health of the whole country should be put aside for children going back to school. They will go back when its safer to do so. I dont believe that's September, and I dont believe it should be with no social distancing.

"Quartz2208

Given now 0.1% of the UK population have Covid at the moment and I suspect the number now suffering mental health is sadly higher now"

It's the future numbers we need to think about. Weve had thousands congregating in protests, now shops are open, and people can visit families. Also colder weather will have an impact on numbers. We just dont know what numbers will look like in September. Not sure if you saw the Government briefing where they explained that at every step, numbers will be monitored etc before decisions are made. Well I agree with that. I dont agree with some parents having hissy fits and demanding we get an answer right now, just because they want it.

@Tabby it cannot be left until September. Have you any idea of the time that goes into making arrangements to completely overhaul every aspect of how a school works? I'm a governor at my child's primary school and it was hours and hours and hours of work for a school that has 120 children on roll. A 1500 place secondary school is going to take weeks to reorganise