To think schools should not reopen in Sept?

[SusanFrimp]

I think that schools should not fully reopen in September and instead be partially reopened to some years. It is just not safe enough to reopen yet. I'd say December at the latest for full reopening. If they can't reopen other smaller places, how can they reopen schools with 1000's of kids? AIBU?

@Drivingdownthe101

Same as teachers who are parents too...

Keyworkers children are likely to be able to attend full time regardless.
People who are not keyworkers still need to work to put food on the table.

Ironically the students I teach are classed as keys workers. I'm not ..... I start teaching again in September and I can't do that with a 5 year old at home. I've organised my job around school and minimal wrap around care but I can't do it with nothing available. Working full time also makes it very difficult to homeschool.

YABU.

Children as an age group in general do not die from covid.

Close care homes and anywhere else susceptible people congregate.

Mine are mentally robust, too.Where the hell did my grammar go?!

@Orchidsindoors

Diddums That comment is bitchy as fuck. You have literally no idea what my dd goes through. She has had to cope up with being a child carer to a disabled and chronically ill mother since she was tiny plus me going through 2 major surgeries and needing more surgery. But hey diddums.

Nasty. Horrible. Does it make you feel better to be morally superior to the worries of preteens?

Please, stop pushing government propaganda.

Also - I am really shocked at your complete lack of consideration for different circumstances and environments. Vulnerable children where school was a safe place, where they weren’t surviving on a bag of crisps. Children who don’t have gardens, or live with a vulnerable member of the family who have needed to shield. already anxious children, children of anxious parents. Even children who have a happy home life, this is a BIG DEAL to them! Both my kids have been ok. My recently diagnosed dyslexic year 7 has thrived - but he’s missing biking to school, and all his sporting clubs. My incredibly clever y5 has struggled, I couldn’t stretch him like his teachers do. He was younger so didn’t interact as much with friends digitally. Both have come to me separately and asked if it’s normal to feel sad. I’m not insinuating their mental health is bad, but it’s been impacted.

I personally think those questioning mental health are being deliberately petulant and belligerent and are the sort of people who say to others ‘what have you got to be depressed about?’ 🙄

Apologies for the long post.

TLDR: If the UK had closed its borders like the Channel Islands did, would you be happier going back to school 100% in September (teachers, parents and children)?

Long version!

There are lots of threads on this subject at the moment. This will put my TLDR in a bit more context.

I am in Jersey. We closed our borders (totally, other than for exceptional emergency 'lifeline' travel, which had to be approved by our States of Jersey government) from March until July 3rd.

As a result, our figures are much lower than the UK's, and we are currently in the final stage of our 'safe exit framework' from lockdown (see gov.je for more details about that)

We started opening up ages ago, internally. At the beginning of June we had over 93% of all primary children back in school, and all secondaries went back (albeit on a rota) towards the end of June. Again, very high take up, and absolutely no opposition from teaching unions at any stage from the primaries opening onward (the same unions as in the UK). In fact, the union reps on the island were extremely supportive of our island government's decision to open schools again. (And yes, I am a teacher, and have many teaching friends, some of whom were shielding or vulnerable, but none of them have objected to their own children going back to school, and they themselves are going back in September because they feel comfortable to do so.)

In addition, although we have now opened our borders, travel is still limited in availability, and everyone who enters the island is tested before they cross the border. They also have to fill out a form which is scrutinised about where they've been for the past 14 days, and where they are staying on the island. France is currently 'amber' here, so you have to have 2 tests and isolate for 5 days if you come in from France. We also have a track and trace system that is robust and works (personal experience!).

So far, out of over 33,000 people coming into Jersey since July 3rd, we have had just over 10 positive test results and 1 community transmission. Everyone on the island goes about their business pretty much normally now - masks are not compulsory in shops, only on buses or at the airport - and although it's been hot, our beaches have not been overrun with people (mainly because there are plenty to go round!) and as locals we don't feel we have to stay trapped in our homes just because people are heading to the beach.

Also, school holiday clubs are running for those who need them, although I'm not sure on the situation with before/after school provision for September (doesn't apply to me any more) friends who previously relied on it don't seem to be freaking out because it won't be available (although that is a pretty small sample, and the reality for others could be different).

Anyway, to (eventually, sorry!) get to my questions - would all the people here calling for more delays to schools opening in the UK (both parents and teachers) be happy to go back if the UK had closed its borders like we did? I can't really see anything else that has made such a difference between you and us. Would you be happy to open up 100% as normal in September, as we will be doing across all sectors of education, with full union support? Would you be happy to send your children under these circumstances?

We are not complacent here, far from it. We, too, have a 'temporary' mothballed 'Nightingale' hospital if we need it over the winter. But our local figures are published daily Monday-Friday, so we all know how many active cases we have and where they have come from. I know it's easier on a small island though - perhaps that is the other main factor, along with borders closing properly?

If nothing else, I'm so pleased I don't live on the mainland any longer - there are lots of disadvantages to living on a small island, but thankfully this pandemic has highlighted many of the advantages too.

To all those what about meeeeee people. I'd say what about the rest of us. We need things to get back to normal. If people don't want to participate that's up to them.

"@Orchidsindoors

I hope you or your kids don't develop mental health problems, with that attitude I fear for them."
But again, why? It's incredibly unusual for kids to be mentally ill. Incredibly unusual. It shouldn't be the first thing people presume about a child if they are a bit sad.

I think all these threads going over the same ground time and time again is make people become more entrenched in their view.

Inthink ALL years should be in but in a part time basis (week in, week off). I don't think they should all be back full time. Part time will give them all a chance at being in school and staying at school.

And do you know of any employers who would agree to their employees only working alternative weeks? Are employees to only be paid for alternative weeks?

"DiddumsThat comment is bitchy as fuck. You have literally no idea what my dd goes through. She has had to cope up with being a child carer to a disabled and chronically ill mother since she was tiny plus me going through 2 major surgeries and needing more surgery. But hey diddums.

Nasty. Horrible. Does it make you feel better to be morally superior to the worries of preteens?"

Wasnt particularly talking to you. And as you hadnt done the drip feed, I didnt know your background. My comment was clearly aimed at a child crying because she couldnt do her homework. I could do a drip feed to, but I wont. If my child was crying about homework, I would know it will pass and we will get over it. I wouldnt jump immediately to the "shes mentally ill route" which is what I'm saying people seem to do.
I'm sorry to hear your child is a child carer Mine are too.

@Viviennemary

To all those what about meeeeee people. I'd say what about the rest of us. We need things to get back to normal. If people don't want to participate that's up to them.

I agree. We cannot stay in lockdown or semi lockdown for however long it may take to get immunised.

[quote minnieok]@ThatDamnScientist

And those who actually have jobs? You know the kind that involve you going to work each day, or working from home without interruption? Not everyone is a sahm and not everyone even has an internet connection at home.[/quote]
Yes I do fucking know what a job thanks very much.

Are you serious OP!!??

Not safe?

There are about 60 people on ventilation for Coronavirus across the whole of the Uk and about 1000 people on ventilation for other kinds of illness that people like you generally think nothing about.
Think about it - 60 people out of 66,000,000.

The Government can't keep putting off sending kids back to school. The kids in my neighbourhood are pretty much feral now due to lack of school and routine; adults are having to go back to work so it is about damn time kids got back into education.

@Orchidsindoors

",If she doesn’t go to school, her mental health will undoubtedly suffer."

But why do you think that? Ok, in your scenario you have the added worry of the op, but in most cases, why do people jump down the "my kid will be mentally ill" route? Just seems weird to me. I would not expect that of my kids at all and weve been through a lot worse as a family. Why do people not presume their kids will be fine and robust and resourceful? Because they didnt like homeschooling? Diddums. There are lots of things kids might not like, but we have to teach them to be robust, not fall down the "mentally ill" route.

Absolutely agreed. There is a bit of melodrama and projection of anxieties going on here among posters. Children are far more robust than we give them credit for. Undoubtedly, there are some children who struggle to cope with many aspects of life and the Covid shutdown will have thrown them for a loop. But many, many other children have managed just fine. And, ffs, yes, in total, even if they didn't lift a pencil during the entire shutdown time, they've only missed out on what, 13 weeks of formal education? That's an average American summer school holiday. It's hardly life changing.

@FlySheMust

Haha, no I'm not, but I have a career which can be demanding. I would not let myself get to the point where I make some bitter post about giving, giving, giving at the expense of my family.

But you'd laugh at someone who does?

Charming. I guess you aren't in public service, then.

No, not currently but up to 18 months ago I worked for the NHS.

I think schools going back should be a higher priority than a lot of other things tbh. It's all about balancing the risk budget. If schools are open then other things may need to close to keep the balance right.

I would feel happier if secondary schools asked everyone to wear masks though. I see no good reason why the expectation on them to do that in school should be different than any other public place they go. I have one DC halfway through A levels. I think this has already cost them at least one grade if not two because they've struggled to keep up with the work at home (despite the school's best efforts). Middle DC is getting far too comfortable with never leaving the house. Smallest is miserable with no school. They really need to be back in school BUT I don't think enough is being done to make it safe unless things change before September (which they well could).

Yes I do fucking know what a job thanks very much.

Then how do you propose people work if children are only in schools on alternate weeks?

@Norabird I completely agree with you

@Orchidsindoors

"DiddumsThat comment is bitchy as fuck. You have literally no idea what my dd goes through. She has had to cope up with being a child carer to a disabled and chronically ill mother since she was tiny plus me going through 2 major surgeries and needing more surgery. But hey diddums.

Nasty. Horrible. Does it make you feel better to be morally superior to the worries of preteens?"

Wasnt particularly talking to you. And as you hadnt done the drip feed, I didnt know your background. My comment was clearly aimed at a child crying because she couldnt do her homework. I could do a drip feed to, but I wont. If my child was crying about homework, I would know it will pass and we will get over it. I wouldnt jump immediately to the "shes mentally ill route" which is what I'm saying people seem to do.
I'm sorry to hear your child is a child carer Mine are too.

I talked about my health upthread when I quoted you. So no dripfeed.

And you were absolutely talking about my child. You quoted me then said Diddums

I am sorry your children are child carers too.

YABU. Get lost with your schools can’t open BS.

Pubs are open. Places to eat are open. Beaches are open. Schools can bloody open!

@Proudboomer

Living on the south coast and seeing the number of families and children on the packed beaches I would think they would be safer in school.

Not really. The risk of transmission outside is very low. The risk of transmission shut in a room all day with 30 people is quite high.

I have a child going into year 10. I work full time. It's not healthy for him to be home alone online learning for months at a time.