Head recommending wearing masks in school

[rainyinscotland]

So DC has been back at school full time for a bit (Scotland). Secondary school. All pupils in and no masks. The Headteacher has now written to parents that it's not possible to socially distance, so he/she is recommending that pupils and teachers wear masks. Recommending, not requiring.

YABU - the Head was wrong to do that.
YANBU - the Head was right to do that.

I think it’s a bit off of the head to suggest this when it isn’t the official guidance. That said, I have a feeling all high school children will be in face coverings in the next week so I suspect she’s just ahead of the curve.

Since social distancing can't be maintained in the school the head teacher in my view is being more than reasonable. Hopefully this will be part of the guidelines in England soon.

They are probably giving them a head start in getting masks before they sell out when they become mandatory in all Secondary schools

I'd say the head was being unreasonable to only recommend rather than requiring masks to be worn.

However I don't think that there's some kind of magic in schools that prevents Covid from spreading, and I do actually think masks help stop Covid spreading, which apparently is a different approach to the UK government's take on things.

Some NI schools have said that all their pupils must wear masks unless they have a genuine reason not to.

I’ve bought masks for both of mine, I expect the guidance will change soon and it will be required at least at secondary schools in areas such as corridors and as they enter/exit rooms. With lots of other European schools requiring masks, it seems strange that we are stubbornly saying it’s unnecessary here.

The evidence about masks is rather contradictory. In my opinion youngsters at school should not be required to wear them as learning would be severely impaired. I agree that it is not possible to social distance within schools though. I think we just need to be honest and ensure that parents know this and then let them choose whether or not they send their kids into school with or without a mask.

YANBU, if people can, they should wear them.

Dd goes back to school on 31st August. They have to have 3 reusable masks, hand sanitiser, plastic bags to put used masks in. They have been out of the physical classrooms since 12th March the schools creches and colleges all shut.

It's clear to everyone even before school open that social distancing can't happen and the kids will be mixing with everyone.

I still think some form of blended learning is the way forward, but that involves funding which the Government aren’t willing to do. But I also think that a bit like WFH is becoming the norm for some businesses I think some form of blended learning may become part of educational life in Secondary school as time goes on.

A local MAT was already looking at providing specialist teaching across a number of schools with a teacher conducting their lesson in one school and it then being broadcast to other schools. This will help cover the shortage of specialist teachers (and ultimately save money)

Chewing gum 😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣 margo ledbetter.

Chewing gum v small chance teacher doesn't get viral overload...
And contract covid.

Hollybobbi that sounds v sensible to me.

Please tell, UK school? Private?

Where?

I wouldn't have a problem with my sons secondary doing this.

Can anyone understand the logic in wearing masks on a bus but no where else!

considering how many masks kids would need every day

1-2 masks per day per child.
Many may need a mask for the bus there and back anyway.
Reusable ones which are washable - can just be rinsed through and left to air dry for a couple of days, so maybe 4 masks needed at most.
Disposable or provided for those who qualify for free school meals perhaps.

which says masks are not permitted in school

If masks encourage some children to come to school and feel safer they should be allowed to wear them, as should the adults teaching them.

Good. My brother is a secondary school teacher who is vulnerable due to both health and age reasons, but not sufficiently at risk to mean he needs to properly shield.
He teaches all ages up to 18. In terms of spreading the virus, they are no different to adults. They might be at school and so thought of as children but for this, they are not.

He will be teaching loads of different children each day so no bubble for him.

If these young people are out and about, they have to wear masks, because they can spread the virus. And we know some of them are out and partying and not socially distancing (small town). So why not wear masks at school, where someone who is vulnerable has to sit in front of dozens of them each day? Or is my brother expendable? I know life has to get back to some semblance of normal, and getting students back to school is part of that, but if something happens to my brother my niece and nephew, who are both under 10, will never have normal again.

Get back to school but acknowledge that primary schools and secondary schools are different beasts, and although we talk about children, those at secondary are adults, for the purposes of discussions about how the virus spread. And also that they operate in different ways where the teachers at secondary will come into contact with loads of students. And make decisions accordingly, that do not put staff at risk.

Finerumpus - what about staff? Or is it only children who go into schools? And please bear in mind that though you say children, in secondary, these will go up to 18. Adults, in fact.
Would you be happy to sit in a classroom for an hour or more with five different groups of 30, every day, with no social distance measures available?

LabiaMinoraPissusFlapus

Very unlikely unless wearing an airtight mask, which no child (or adult) will be:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/53108405

If they cannot maintain SDing then surely it makes sense, and brings it inline with all the other indoor places over 11s will be mingling and having to wear a mask.

I would imagine the teachers would prefer some health protection.

How long does the health protection of a mask last? I have secondary kids and they own masks but not enough to change them every period.

Better to wear masks than close the school early.

@LabiaMinoraPissusFlapus

Is there any evidence that it is safe for children and young people to wear a mask for hours a day? They will be breathing in more carbon dioxide than if they weren't wearing a mask. I believe oxygen levels aren't that affected, if at all, but I haven't heard anything about carbon dioxide levels. There is no way I would allow my children to be experimented on in this way.

This is QAnon disinformation and lies. Your CO2 levels are fine.

Head was right. If the government won’t step up with this obvious policy, the school should do so.

I am in USA and have DS in private and DD in state school. Both schools are requiring masks, 100% adherence. Anyone who won't wear a mask gets to do online learning instead. No one apart from staff and students are allowed into the building at any time. The private school already has lower numbers and is cohorting students to help with quarantining if and when that time comes. The state school is going back fewer days each week and cohorting the students for the same reason, and also so that they can distance effectively in the classrooms. Desks have been separated and lockers are no longer being used. Both schools are doing daily health screening. (We are not in a high-infections state.)

DS, who has already started school, has several fabric masks, several disposable ones, and a neck gaiter, all of which he takes daily. He says he changes his mask a couple of times a day when it gets hot or damp, though I'm not sure if the school has asked them to do that or not.

While nothing will be perfect in this situation, I do feel that my children are reasonably safe with these measures, and the staff as well. I know many in the UK wouldn't agree with the approach they are taking in my DC's schools and that's fine, but I guess I am surprised at what seems to be a slapdash approach there - masks on buses but not in classrooms, masks when walking but not sitting, masks but no social distancing, masks for students but not for teachers, no masks at all in some places, etc. It just seems odd that there isn't a more general consensus on procedures as to what schools have to do to reopen. What do teachers there think - about masks, about lack of distancing etc? What do you do if you're a teacher and at higher risk?