This government don’t give a shit about schools or your kids

[noblegiraffe]

AIBU to think that the government have fucked up literally everything to do with schools and education this year?

Evidence:

Chaotic school closures and keyworker provision (couldn’t decide what a keyworker was until the very last minute)

Forgot that kids on free school meals would go hungry so heads had to go round delivering sandwiches while the DfE put together an utterly shambolic voucher system that crashed and was pretty unusable.

Issued no guidelines for minimum education requirements during lockdown leading to vastly different provision between schools. Even Ofsted said they couldn’t judge schools on lockdown provision as there were no standards to judge them against.

Had to be shamed into u-turning on their insistence that free school meal children should go hungry during the holidays by a celebrity footballer (well done Marcus Rashford you absolute star)

Fed stories to friendly newspapers about schools re-opening in May to judge public reaction, leading to anxiety and uncertainty among parents and school staff

Announced that primary schools would open to all pupils before the summer holidays, an announcement that had surely not been run past anyone who worked in schools given that under the government’s own guidelines for schools for bubbles of 15 and no rotas, this would require double the classrooms and double the teachers available. Then backtracked on this a few weeks later (getting the friendly press to blame the unions) again creating uncertainty, anxiety and disappointment for parents and pupils.

Ignored education select committee questions about Ofqual’s algorithm when they raised issues in July

Lied and said they didn’t have early access to the data from Ofqual’s algorithm

When Scotland u-turned on their use of an algorithm, instead of making a considered response, came out with the bizarre notion that kids could use their mock grades - a suggestion that had obviously never been put past anyone who worked in schools. Again.

Took 5 days to realise that their mock suggestion created more problems than it solved, then u-turned on awarding CAGs creating problems for Y12 next year.

Fed stories to the friendly press that the unions are blocking the re-opening of schools in September so if it goes tits-up, they can blame them again (unions are asking for a ‘plan B’ in the case of local lockdowns, and for working conditions comparable to those of all other workers, no strike action has been proposed or balloted for so they couldn’t block re-opening even if they wanted to)

Blamed Ofqual for the algorithm they were told to create (prioritising statistics over teacher assessment)

Branded a teacher payrise that was agreed back in January a ‘reward for work during lockdown’, knowing this was incorrect, and deliberately fuelling outrage that they themselves had caused by having no minimum requirements for education in lockdown leading to vastly different provision.

Not funding this payrise so teachers probably won’t get it as otherwise it will lead to redundancies for other staff members due to having to fund it from already dire staffing budgets.

Issued guidelines that said that schools should reopen with increased cleaning schedules, increased handwashing, hand sanitising but providing no extra funding for this.

Instructed heads not to take any measures that would improve safety but would require more space (e.g. use of village halls) or not have pupils in full time (rotas, staggered timetables).

Didn’t realise that kids wouldn’t be able to get to school on public transport under current social distancing requirements as there aren’t enough buses until three weeks before schools reopened, and decided to throw £40 million to LAs to sort this (what? buy more buses?) so that they could blame the LAs when it inevitably goes wrong and kids can’t get to school.

And these are the people currently running a campaign to convince parents that they are capable of re-opening schools safely.

YABU: I have full confidence in the government and am perfectly happy with how things have gone so far

YANBU: It is mind-boggling how incompetent they have been, and how little thought they have given to the education of the nation’s children.

@noblegiraffe

Meanwhile the Daily Mail runs another teacher union bashing article suggesting that there is a battle of biblical proportions going on to re-open schools, with the government bravely facing off against the attempts of militants to foil their plans.

And teachers - all members of these teaching unions - say ‘what the actual fuck is the Daily Mail on about?’ as they get on with the job of planning for re-opening fully in September. There are no plans in motion to stop schools re-opening. No strikes in the offing, no ballots on the agenda.

And yet we can see from this thread and others that there are people believing this nonsense.

The government should not be letting the media give the public the impression that school opening is on a knife-edge. It’s creating worry and uncertainty at a time when we need confidence and leadership and presents teachers as an enemy of parents when we really need to work together.

I have defriended all Daily Mail readers. How people can own up to reading that rag is unbelievable - more of a reality tv viewer paper rather than papers written for grown ups

If the government cared about our children their school reopening plan would be adequate.

It is not.

Some people can't see that, but that's ok
You can judge on actions, judge on results.

The proof will be in the eating in a matter of weeks after they go back.

Latest research shows that children carry just as high a viral load as adults and while they may have milder symptoms, are just as likely to spread it.

Expert opinions on the research;

“In my opinion the headline of the press release is very misleading, because the study does not actually demonstrate that children spread the virus." ...

“The study is a valuable contribution to the study of COVID-19 in children, but the paper makes some bold claims regarding the role of children as silent spreaders of the COVID-19 virus. Without studies of transmission, and while focused only on symptomatic children who are a minority of the whole children cohort, these claims are largely unfounded.”

www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-study-claiming-children-are-silent-spreaders-of-sars-cov-2/

Cannon fodder. That's what we are.

I can imagine the toffs in Parliament laughing, before briefings, "oh, we have to be nice to the cannon fodder......"

There are a number of students off school in Scotland as they have the virus and it is thought they got it from a house party, so surely they must spread it as they caught it from someone at the party, and I assume it would not be adults as they wouldn't be seen dead with adults at a party!

The house had a 'deep clean' before the party and everyone walked home without getting lifts from parents?

Ah the joy of youth! That feeling of being untouchable and invincible!

I don't see the relevance of whether they caught it at a party or at school. What it shows is that teenagers can clearly spread it.

I think what Clavinova is arguing is that they could all, rather than catching it from each other - which has obvious relevance to schools - have caught it from the venue [surfaces or air] or all caught it independently from one or a number of adults [for example a parent who gave them a lift to or from the venue].

Without identifying one of the teens as an 'index case' and the others as 'catching it from them' it isn't possible to prove one way or the other.

It is also possible to argue that there will have been behaviour e.g. sharing drinks, close and intimate physical contact - at a party that will be rarer at school, and that if the virus is to be passed between teens it has to be this specific type of contact.

I am not saying that these explanations are more reasonable than the teens catching it from each other via lack of SD and sharing air for a period of time (both exactly the same as in schools), just that they are possible.

Is anyone even lookingvat the case number now. Above 1000 for a number of days. Scotland highest for 3 months. 5% of schools in Berlin impacted by Covid.

I followed the PHE surveillance reports.

Just the respiratory illness reports in schools and the dates of decline and rise say what we need to know.

It's already known schools are hotbeds for epidemics.

We see it every year with nurovirus. We see schools have to shut.

For me the fact that Covid will spread isn't the issue. It's bound to like everywhere else.

It's the fact there are no reasonable and workable measures in place to prevent this and no plans for if it happens that lessons disruption to education.

And anyone who suggest measures is accused of blocking opening. And when it's pointed out in a classroom 20m2 with 30 pupils and a teacher with windows that open an inch you cannot have the room well ventilated, or social distancing etc.

That the government has stated in the guidelines it's all "where possible" and they won't provide funding.

They'll pay up to £50 per family to eat out 3 times a week.

If they took each child and gave the equivalent of £30 per child (so the £10 meal over 3 days) over the 4 weeks - so total of an extra £120 per pupil to schools there could have been measures in place.

Schools could fund pop up sinks, perhaps portable toilets, maybe some outside areas for teaching, laptops and dongles to disadvantaged children etc

So for example a secondary school with 1500 pupils that would be an additional 180k.

For a government that's saying obesity is a huge factor and they want to kerb it - it's odd they'd rather pay that towards junk food outlets than a child's education.

@itsgettingweird

I followed the PHE surveillance reports.

Just the respiratory illness reports in schools and the dates of decline and rise say what we need to know.

It's already known schools are hotbeds for epidemics.

We see it every year with nurovirus. We see schools have to shut.

For me the fact that Covid will spread isn't the issue. It's bound to like everywhere else.

It's the fact there are no reasonable and workable measures in place to prevent this and no plans for if it happens that lessons disruption to education.

And anyone who suggest measures is accused of blocking opening. And when it's pointed out in a classroom 20m2 with 30 pupils and a teacher with windows that open an inch you cannot have the room well ventilated, or social distancing etc.

That the government has stated in the guidelines it's all "where possible" and they won't provide funding.

They'll pay up to £50 per family to eat out 3 times a week.

If they took each child and gave the equivalent of £30 per child (so the £10 meal over 3 days) over the 4 weeks - so total of an extra £120 per pupil to schools there could have been measures in place.

Schools could fund pop up sinks, perhaps portable toilets, maybe some outside areas for teaching, laptops and dongles to disadvantaged children etc

So for example a secondary school with 1500 pupils that would be an additional 180k.

For a government that's saying obesity is a huge factor and they want to kerb it - it's odd they'd rather pay that towards junk food outlets than a child's education.

Absolutely.

cantkeepawayforever
It is also possible to argue that there will have been behaviour e.g. sharing drinks, close and intimate physical contact - at a party that will be rarer at school, and that if the virus is to be passed between teens it has to be this specific type of contact.

I wonder when the last time clav was in a school.

All of the behaviours at a party are at schools.
Even down to the "intimate" contact.

@itsgettingweird

I followed the PHE surveillance reports.

Just the respiratory illness reports in schools and the dates of decline and rise say what we need to know.

It's already known schools are hotbeds for epidemics.

We see it every year with nurovirus. We see schools have to shut.

For me the fact that Covid will spread isn't the issue. It's bound to like everywhere else.

It's the fact there are no reasonable and workable measures in place to prevent this and no plans for if it happens that lessons disruption to education.

And anyone who suggest measures is accused of blocking opening. And when it's pointed out in a classroom 20m2 with 30 pupils and a teacher with windows that open an inch you cannot have the room well ventilated, or social distancing etc.

That the government has stated in the guidelines it's all "where possible" and they won't provide funding.

They'll pay up to £50 per family to eat out 3 times a week.

If they took each child and gave the equivalent of £30 per child (so the £10 meal over 3 days) over the 4 weeks - so total of an extra £120 per pupil to schools there could have been measures in place.

Schools could fund pop up sinks, perhaps portable toilets, maybe some outside areas for teaching, laptops and dongles to disadvantaged children etc

So for example a secondary school with 1500 pupils that would be an additional 180k.

For a government that's saying obesity is a huge factor and they want to kerb it - it's odd they'd rather pay that towards junk food outlets than a child's education.

This with bells on!

@FrippEnos

cantkeepawayforever It is also possible to argue that there will have been behaviour e.g. sharing drinks, close and intimate physical contact - at a party that will be rarer at school, and that if the virus is to be passed between teens it has to be this specific type of contact.

I wonder when the last time clav was in a school.

All of the behaviours at a party are at schools.
Even down to the "intimate" contact.

Exactly..... which really does make me wonder why people think that infection at a party doesn't apply to schools , as I typed out more and more unlikely-sounding alternative scenarios....

I originally thought number 32 was too trivial to include on the list but tbh it exemplifies what I’m saying in my thread title. The government don’t give a shit about schools or your kids.

32. Gavin Williamson’s priority, after u-turning on A-levels and GCSEs, was not to hand in his resignation, as would previously have been expected when being responsible for such chaos, it was to organise a photo shoot. Posing with a whip, he not only didn’t resign, but he implied a threat to Boris Johnson if Johnson tried to sack him: I used to be Chief Whip, I know your secrets.

Treating this as a fucking game instead of actual people’s lives. How disrespectful to everyone affected by the exam results shambles.

Agree. It has been shambollic. I don't expect them to be perfect, but their decision making has completely shown their lack of experience and knowledge of how the education system works. I have no idea, but I could still foresee some of the obvious issues their policies caused.

I do think children should be in school though and feel very strongly about that. Kids who have had exams this year or next year have been totally let down.

@noblegiraffe

Whilst not an item in and of itself, I think it speaks to the legitimacy of your list that Bernard Jenkins, a Tory MP and head of the committee that oversees Boris Johnson, has said that the pattern of ministers refusing to accept responsibility and attempting to blame others including official bodies is "worrying".

YANBU. Though I have to say I don't think any other party would have done any better. That doesn't make it okay though.
I'm worried about my children going back in September, not so much because of the virus but because I think the school is working "blind", which isn't their fault and because there is no plan if they have to shut again.

Schools all have a number of 'just in case' plans as we cant rely upon Big Gav and the DfE to do anything as they are reactionary

I really think they are waiting to see what Nicola and the gang do before making any more announcements

Though I have to say I don't think any other party would have done any better. That doesn't make it okay though.

I don't agree. I don't think other parties would have been dishing out contracts for test and trace or provide PPE on the basis of who their cronies are, and not whether the firm concerned has any experience in that area.

It made me cringe, when the government were adamant that kids cannot transmit the disease.

They now know that kids CAN easily transmit it because they carry it asymptomatically in their nasal passages.

They have also told schools it is ILLEGAL to insist their kids wear masks?!

There is also going to be NO SOCIAL DISTANCING when they go back. Unless rules have changed.

All those poor A and AS Level students, that have lost their places at their first AND second universities?!

All the poor GCSE level students that have had their grades totally destroyed.

The government are criminally responsible for the future of so many 16-18 year olds that they've royally shafted.

Starmer seems to understand that schools still need a clear plan for what to do if there’s an outbreak and a plan B for further closures so while I’m not a fan of Labour I think Starmer would do a better job at sorting the return to school.

Though I have to say I don't think any other party would have done any better

It is largely down to funding and curriculum decisions by this government that schools are in such a bad state, that the advantage gap is so wide and that courses are almost exclusively linear and extremely content heavy - making it much more difficult for the exam groups next year (and contributing to the exam shitshow this year.)

Agree noble I'm very centric and agree with policies and belief from both sides on various things.

But this current groups of ministers are dangerous because they play Eton schoolboy common room rather than think and plan.

At least Starmer in this instance seems to actually understand the issue and want to open dialogue. But Boris has been shutting him down from the start. He thinks it's all posturing and a game.

But this is students real lives.

As an anecdote many many many years ago I worked for a company doing residential courses and one week we had a load of Eton boys. Friends of Harry's!
One was extremely inappropriate and when I warned him became threatening, even more inappropriate and basically said "do you know who my dad is?"

I did - I didn't care. Never met the bloke. But met daddies chauffeur who was there a few hours later to take him away because I told my boss one of us had to go! He was 14!

What I also found most interesting was once he went the others who followed and copied became so different. It actually put me more on edge they were planning some revenge!
They didn't and weren't but the pack mentality to their 'leader, was something I'd never ever seen before and have only seen since in this government.