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?

@ResIpsaLoquiturInterAlia

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/08/09/unions-plan-schools-teach-pupils-week-on-week-basis/

Union plans for schools to teach pupils on 'week on-week off' basis

Headteachers' union criticises Prime Minister's push to get all children back into classrooms

Its a misleading headline.

The quote is being taken completely out of context.

The question was something like

'what would you suggest schools do if there is a further outbreak?

The answer was that schools could go to a week on week off rota.

So nothing to do with re-opening schools in September, but about further outbreaks.,

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53718066

This is very promising 🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽

OverTheRainbow88

From your link

"While we have not fully solved the question of whether children are biologically less capable of passing on the virus, the safety of re-opening schools depends on other factors, too."

and its the same non published report that is doing the rounds.

But the report isn't published and my understanding is that it is a work in progress and will be monitoring schools when they reopen, so quite possible they might reach a different conclusion then! It is just another misleading and playing with the truth headline

Apparently there are 4 million children at risk of serious disadvantage if the schools don't open. This is a combination of having little or no access to online learning or having parents or carers who are unable to homeschool. What happens if you live in a house where your parents can't read or write? Or can't speak/ read English?
4 million children!! That's not an insignificant amount.

Children like mine will be fine - we can afford tutors if need be but in the interests of social justice we need schools to open.

@OverTheRainbow88

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53718066

This is very promising 🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽

This research study was carried out in July when school attendance was at its lowest. The same month saw more confirmed cases in schools than in care homes -worth considering these points before accepting this as any way reassuring to parents.

www.tes.com/news/suspected-covid-cases-rise-education-settings

I would agree with you.
But I would assume tis means ANYONE working in an en listed space should be wearing a mask all day. I can’t see PARENTS been happy to do that whilst THEY are at work....

I think anyone working in an enclosed space with 30 other people and not enough room to socially distance probably should be wearing a mask yes.

[quote EuphegeniaDoubtfire]@GinPin2

What do you suggest as an alternative, then? How do I pay my mortgage if I don't go to work? Where will my son go every day?

Things have to go back to normal at some point. It'll be much worse for everyone if we don't. [/quote]
Normal isn't an option though, is it?

Just ignoring the virus and carrying on as if it doesn't exist would be catastrophic for the economy too! The economy can't cope with hundreds of thousands of people being off sick or thousands of people dying. It's not a choice between trying to protect people and damaging the economy vs letting people die but everything else is fine and dandy (we'll just ignore the ethical considerations of letting lots of vulnerable people die so that everyone else can carry on with their comfortable lives). This virus means life has changed forever irrespective of how we do (or don't) deal with it.

In reality, the best we can hope for this next academic year is that our children spend more time in school than out. Realistically though we need to be prepared that there are going to be times when they have to shut whether that is a national or a local decision.

Just ignoring the virus and carrying on as if it doesn't exist would be catastrophic for the economy too!

A balance needs to be struck like everything else. We can’t not educate children, just like we can’t cease essential services like food production, rubbish collection, medical services, etc.

So teachers have my full support in any measures that help them maintain safety while delivering full time education for all, which is what they are paid for.

@Parker231

Why wouldn’t staff be able to wear PPE if they wanted to? Surely it’s a personal choice?

I've been told I'm not allowed to by my school.

www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/coronavirus-news-uk-deaths-cases-second-lockdown/

Live Coronavirus latest news: PM urges authorities to keep schools open even if local lockdowns are imposed

Boris Johnson has urged authorities to keep schools open even if local lockdowns are imposed.

Responding to the growing tension around children returning to schools in September, Boris Johnson said today that he hoped schools would not be forced to close as a result of local action - but has not ruled it out.

The Prime Minister, who was visiting a school in east London, said: "I very much hope that doesn't happen for any pupils but clearly what we are doing - the way we are trying to manage the Covid pandemic - is to have local measures in place and local test and trace to introduce restrictions where that's necessary.

"But, as we have all said, the last thing we want to do is to close schools.

"We think that education is the priority for the country and that is simple social justice."

It comes as Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, warned that schools were “losing patience” with the Government’s demands to have all children back in school next month, but with no official backup plan in place if this was not possible.

He said: “If you want to limit the number of children on site or travelling to and from school, a big part of that is using rotas and the obvious way to do it is ‘week on, week off ’

I don't know how Boris has the nerve to speak of social justice 🙃

And for those on here still unable to understand why others have such concern re September please read this article :

www.nytimes.com/2020/08/09/world/coronavirus-covid-19.html

You know, I just can't believe people are dim enough to fall for this "research".

You do know that schools weren't open while this study was going on? When do you think this data was collected?!!!

I despair.

I don't know how Boris has the nerve to speak of social justice*
Love him or loath him. It is a social justice issue.

@Jihhery

You know, I just can't believe people are dim enough to fall for this "research".

You do know that schools weren't open while this study was going on? When do you think this data was collected?!!!

I despair.

Yes this is exactly the point!

Simply put when in doubt and there are continued mixed media messages (dependent on agendas and politics etc) I would always air on caution and safety first. Not necessarily take child out of reopened English school next month but I rather endure the agony of home tutoring and "simultaneous" remote working from home than take the risk (even if small risk). I will wait and see what happens in Aberdeen etc and if R rate continues to be high make a decision nearer to the time. Evidently this government schools focus and reopening policy will probably change repeatedly for the coming weeks leading to a last minute mess and a potential new care home scenario in the worst case.

So let's wait and see folks but don't give up your flexi working yet as if you can do the in person office time now as I would probably squeeze it in while people working at home are (some cheeky ones!) actually in the park or even beach!

Schools are not possibly just the next Covid battleground but hopefully not also the next care home disaster waiting to happen. Incidentally USA children demographics are quite different from UK in that the overall health and obesity is very much worst in the USA as we eat less heavily marketed ultra processed nutritionally challenged drive through lazy junk food mostly. We need to compare and compete with more healthy economies like Germany etc.

It's really easy to see how Boris was voted in (he who thought he called lockdown exactly right because the epidemic peaked a fortnight later...).

I think it's going to be carnage.

At the very least I cannot see why all pupils and staff can't be made to wear visors. They manage in other countries and schools!!

At the very least, whilst not perfect, visors would catch some aerosol droplets from coughs and sneezes... Rather than exposing an entire class to each and every cough and sneeze.

It would also mean teachers are protected from each other! From the colleagues who think it's stuff and nonsense.

Why can't they all wear visors?
You can see and hear people perfectly normally.

I wish there had been other ways around them all starting at once I really do, but at the same time, we can't keep them off indefinitely.

Unfortunately, some schools deliberate belligerence in refusing to give out any work at all, has destroyed the home school option.

Even for secondary pupils who may be OK at home alone.

So many useless excuses eg..our school Moaning they were only given 2 lap tops for home learning. But they were not proactive in asking us, the parents to see if we had any to spare? They didn't ask about pupils listening and taking part in lessons on their smart phones?

We were simply told families with one lap top couldn't do home learning so no one can?

Then when they did start the odd hour, here and there... They were scathing about no pupils turning up (after they had been left for 12 weeks with zero).

So, the only option left is for everyone to be forced back sadly.

@ResIpsaLoquiturInterAlia

Are you aware that the same newspaper was using the Geoff Barton quote out of context to say that unions were obstructing the opening of schools?

OP are you aware that more children have died due to domestic violence during lockdown than of covid? What about their safety?

Sweet that's awful.

If schools across the board, as so many did manage, keep dc to their timetable, it would have also helped to safe guard them.

Ohsuchaperfectday

So, the only option left is for everyone to be forced back sadly.

Who is forcing anyone back. No teacher on here (or anywhere) has said that they don't want to go back.

As for your secondary school, that is the problem with your secondary school don't tar us all with the same brush.

I'm a teacher and just want things back to normal 😰😰 The Daily Mail would have the general public believe we are 'work shy layabouts' and amazingly, the most popular commenters agree with this! (But then again, the general audience of The Daily Mail are complete morons)

As for your secondary school, that is the problem with your secondary school don't tar us all with the same brush.

Plenty more examples where that came from. It sounded awfully familiar to me.