AIBU in agreeing with the NASUWT that masks should be worn in schools by over 11s?

[DomDoesWotHeWants]

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/28/unions-call-for-teachers-in-england-to-be-able-to-wear-face-masks

Given that they have to be worn almost everywhere else indoors by over 11s it would be the right thing to do. Adults working in schools have as much right to be protected as bus drivers and shop workers.

So AIBU in agreeing with the NASUWT that masks should be worn in schools by over 11s?

That’s awful, tax I’ve got a 10 year old so your story has really hit me.

I think there is definitely a false assumption that if you get it you’ll be fully recovered in a fortnight if not sooner, unless you’re super old.

I can see teachers being pressured to getting back to school asap too. I don’t think Johnson did anyone any favours by being back at work so quickly after being close to death. It certainly diminished the seriousness in my mind.

Agree. I’m relying on our Year 13 and his peers being able to wear them in classes (they are a requirement when moving about campus already). My husband is extremely vulnerable, my son himself has asthma so the more protection in place for everyone, the better. Add the virus to flu season and it could be a difficult term. We have flu jabs but my husband is allergic to an ingredient, so can’t.

@TaxTheRatFarms, wishing for a full return to health to your little boy.

Thank you all! He’s a tough old bird and he’s not letting it get him down too much, and we’re really lucky that he didn’t have to go back to school and we’ve been able to make sure he can rest and pace himself. I think I aged about 20 years from the worry though!

We did keep joking that we should donate him to medical science as he seemed to get every symptom just before they became widely known about.

Can confirm the stage after “fatigue” is “eating too much chocolate and talking nonstop about fortnite.”

In the future we may have to think about heart/lung check ups but for now the doctor has put us on a “watch and wait” which is really good news.

I’m so sorry to hear about others who are struggling with it too though. It really is a relentless bugger and I hope you can heal and get stronger with time

Wishing good health to all struggling with the after effects. DS1 is as well.

I get enraged with idiots saying it's just flu. They have no idea.

Now that masks are being rolled out to other public indoor spaces, it makes sense to extend to secondary schools.

I know the caveat was 'meeting people you don't know', but a class is not a household and a year group is not a support bubble.

School is a large gathering, across more households than are allowed at weddings or funerals, with limited time and facilities for hand washing, no face coverings and no distance. We've got great registers to track contacts and cases AFTER it's too late to prevent.

How are schools 'covid secure'? And how can we do 'hands, face, space'???

I attended our school committee meeting last night here in the US and we have adopted a plan for reopening. (Bear in mind the Covid rates in my state are about the same as in England.)

Masks worn throughout the day by everyone who can wear them, unless they are on a 'mask break' in a location where they're at least 6' apart, or eating a meal, also 6' apart.

Masks provided to everyone, in various different styles, with clear masks available for those who need them. Students with special needs do not necessarily have to wear masks but their teachers may need more PPE as a result.

People must stay 6' apart when not wearing masks, and 3' apart when wearing masks. Everything is being planned around that including reorganising classrooms.

Although we have a lot of space in our schools, right now we can't see how to bring all the students back full time and guarantee that distance, so initially we're bringing back half at a time. The other half will be learning the same things but online. Students and staff have already been provided with a device and wifi if they don't have it.

The goal is to get all students back full time, but the biggest issue is how to find space for everyone to eat lunch and remain 6' apart.

Other things... Ionising air purifiers in all rooms. Putting in more hand-washing and sanitisation stations, and including time in the timetable to wash hands regularly.

Shortening the school day, and rejigging the timetable (part of this is so that school buses will have more time to do the rounds).

Having students go straight to their classroom upon arrival at school. No gathering in groups eg in toilets, corridors. Staggered transition times. Adjusted drop-off/pick-up schedules.

Adding tents/awnings to make more outdoor space.

Cleaners in the school throughout the day rather than just after school as previously.

To fund most of the changes the school system has received approx $550 per student in extra funding from the CARES Act money.

Parents who do not want their child in school at all can choose a remote learning option. Mine want to go back, so I'm sending them.

I'm feeling like this is a good plan, and I'm very thankful not to be in the UK and sending my kids back into a potential petri dish.

DS a teacher, with underlying health conditions - I'm petrified of him going back in September, and so are his DW & DS.
He's in secondary, so masks are perfectly possible, and should be mandatory - especially as his school has 'natural air-conditioning' (which doesn't work) and so no windows that open to allow fresh air into the classrooms...☹️

@HoldMyLobster what sensible plans. Simple and workable.

The other thing they clarified in our meeting last night is that positive cases will result in school closing for 2-5 days. Also, if the Covid levels in our county rise above a certain level then schools will close.

The school has a fully-remote plan in place for when this happens - they fully expect it to happen at some point.

Someone asked the question - will this result in students not learning as much as in normal years. The answer was 'yes', but hopefully not too much less.

My daughter took some AP exams (somewhere between GCSE and A level) during the lockdown earlier this year. The APs were done online from home, and were reduced in length from the usual 3 hours to 30 minutes. The goal was to have some form of nationwide testing available, even if it wasn't the full testing they usually get.

She's also taking her SAT in person later this month in a classroom where everyone will be spaced 6' apart.

@HoldMyLobster

I attended our school committee meeting last night here in the US and we have adopted a plan for reopening. (Bear in mind the Covid rates in my state are about the same as in England.)

Masks worn throughout the day by everyone who can wear them, unless they are on a 'mask break' in a location where they're at least 6' apart, or eating a meal, also 6' apart.

Masks provided to everyone, in various different styles, with clear masks available for those who need them. Students with special needs do not necessarily have to wear masks but their teachers may need more PPE as a result.

People must stay 6' apart when not wearing masks, and 3' apart when wearing masks. Everything is being planned around that including reorganising classrooms.

Although we have a lot of space in our schools, right now we can't see how to bring all the students back full time and guarantee that distance, so initially we're bringing back half at a time. The other half will be learning the same things but online. Students and staff have already been provided with a device and wifi if they don't have it.

The goal is to get all students back full time, but the biggest issue is how to find space for everyone to eat lunch and remain 6' apart.

Other things... Ionising air purifiers in all rooms. Putting in more hand-washing and sanitisation stations, and including time in the timetable to wash hands regularly.

Shortening the school day, and rejigging the timetable (part of this is so that school buses will have more time to do the rounds).

Having students go straight to their classroom upon arrival at school. No gathering in groups eg in toilets, corridors. Staggered transition times. Adjusted drop-off/pick-up schedules.

Adding tents/awnings to make more outdoor space.

Cleaners in the school throughout the day rather than just after school as previously.

To fund most of the changes the school system has received approx $550 per student in extra funding from the CARES Act money.

Parents who do not want their child in school at all can choose a remote learning option. Mine want to go back, so I'm sending them.

I'm feeling like this is a good plan, and I'm very thankful not to be in the UK and sending my kids back into a potential petri dish.

This all sounds so much sensible thank here.

The new rules about wearing masks in religious settings are very interesting. The argument for shops is that you are mixing with strangers which is why you need them. When I go to church I don't mix with strangers, I sit with the same people each week and can certainly identify everyone at my service, my child can't identify everyone in their year . Pre Covid there is maybe 100 people at an hour service, and yet this warrants masks but schools don't?

@Regulus

The new rules about wearing masks in religious settings are very interesting. The argument for shops is that you are mixing with strangers which is why you need them. When I go to church I don't mix with strangers, I sit with the same people each week and can certainly identify everyone at my service, my child can't identify everyone in their year . Pre Covid there is maybe 100 people at an hour service, and yet this warrants masks but schools don't?

Religious gatherings are 30 max. Mandatory face coverings are from 8th August.

I’ve been to weekly communion since we were allowed to reopen. The only people with face coverings were the younger folk (

“It’s cruel. And it’s not that different from advocating the return of the cane as a punishment”

Sorry but that’s just ridiculous.

Regulus

The new rules about wearing masks in religious settings are very interesting. The argument for shops is that you are mixing with strangers which is why you need them. When I go to church I don't mix with strangers, I sit with the same people each week and can certainly identify everyone at my service ...”

You may know them but you almost certainly don’t know every individual they are seeing now that rules have eased. De facto, you are mixing with strangers second hand when you attend service.

I believe masks should be worn in all indoor settings, including senior schools, colleges and universities. (Medical exemptions notwithstanding: it’s even more vital, to protect those people who can’t, that everyone else does)

Isn't it? It's one of my stand out crazy comments of the week.

The other one was about lawyer parents thinking it was unfair that their children couldn't go to school whilst the children of carers could so that they could have the privilege of going into unsafe environments to minimum wage.

What a thing to be envious of. Most of the kids in our school were there because it was literally not safe to be at home or they were totally unwanted there. I felt sorry for the poor buggers in school but others are envying them the privilege of being abused or having seriously poor parents who can't afford to turn down minimum wage hours.

Apologies I think I posted on the wrong thread

@itsaratrap

“It’s cruel. And it’s not that different from advocating the return of the cane as a punishment”

Sorry but that’s just ridiculous.

Nope. Right thread - I was responding to this post.

@itsaratrap

Regulus

The new rules about wearing masks in religious settings are very interesting. The argument for shops is that you are mixing with strangers which is why you need them. When I go to church I don't mix with strangers, I sit with the same people each week and can certainly identify everyone at my service ...”

You may know them but you almost certainly don’t know every individual they are seeing now that rules have eased. De facto, you are mixing with strangers second hand when you attend service.

I believe masks should be worn in all indoor settings, including senior schools, colleges and universities. (Medical exemptions notwithstanding: it’s even more vital, to protect those people who can’t, that everyone else does)

I completely agree with you, my issue is that before this announcement the argument for masks was that they were only needed if you didn't know the people you were mixing with. If you need a mask in a religious setting you sure as fuck need one in a school.

Interesting about your observation that the young are wearing masks, that has been my experience, at the shop tonight rowdy group of young lads get to shop door and all pull masks out of their pockets. Yet I've seen people I know well (so know they are not exempt and know them well enough to know their views) much older refusing to wear them when in fact they are statistically much more at risk.