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.

@ineedaholidaynow

In France, all children aged 11 and up plus adults are required to wear Masks. This has been standard since secondary schools (Collège) reopened before summer.

The new protocol for school has pretty much ditched physical distancing In schools though: can’t get all the kids in classrooms otherwise. So masks and lots of hand washing. Cantines will open, playgrounds back to normal. They might stagger entry / pick uptime at primary, to avoid clusters of parents.

We’ve been given free, washable masks by our town hall, the region etc plus we’ve bought some, so have plenty.

Thank you Aragog and recededpronunciation that is v helpful

The head should have made it mandatory.

Anything less than at least 90 percent compliance is a waste of everyone's time.

the scottish governments more cautious stand has helped reduce the number of cases, so why wouldn't you wear one in school. God forbid you have to pay for a piece of cloth to wear on your face.

I'm sure if school children had to wear masks there would be plenty of community groups willing to make them.

They were happy to for hospitals but nurses and consultants etc needed medical grade (understandably!)

People underestimate community spirit that would exist if they felt able to help rather than be accused of interfering.

Mh school is specula and so make are used already for some things and my aunt offered to make 100's. we have to use proper 3 ply disposable for personal care etc but she was happy to make staff some for
Personal use.

I can now pick a mask to match my outfit when I'm shopping etc

Those schools that have opened up around me ( about a quarter of the schools) require masks on everyone. Students have to provide their own masks though masks are available in classrooms.

Most schools are not even opening though.

(US, blue state).

Rather than looking at it as black and white, perhaps think about children and teachers that may make them vulnerable to CV.

I think the head is being sensible, but agree it should be mandatory. It's that or schools will have to close very quickly.

I'm in England. We've written to DD's secondary school just to say that we as parents support the wearing of masks by pupils and staff. It may be helpful for schools to have an idea of parents' position in this before they start.

Whilst I have come across many a school rule and twatty, bighead HTs that couldn't run a penny arcade, as a parent I really think I should adhere to the Rules the HT of my dc's school wishes/dictates.

If all parents questioned everything and refused to follow a school's rules in all circumstances it would be bloody anarchy.

@stickygotstuck

I think the head is being sensible, but agree it should be mandatory. It's that or schools will have to close very quickly.

I'm in England. We've written to DD's secondary school just to say that we as parents support the wearing of masks by pupils and staff. It may be helpful for schools to have an idea of parents' position in this before they start.

That's a good point.

Perhaps ignore guidance and engage direct with parents/students.

@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.

Perhaps you would prefer to keep your children at home then.

@itsgettingweird

I'm sure if school children had to wear masks there would be plenty of community groups willing to make them.

They were happy to for hospitals but nurses and consultants etc needed medical grade (understandably!)

People underestimate community spirit that would exist if they felt able to help rather than be accused of interfering.

Mh school is specula and so make are used already for some things and my aunt offered to make 100's. we have to use proper 3 ply disposable for personal care etc but she was happy to make staff some for
Personal use.

I can now pick a mask to match my outfit when I'm shopping etc

This is interesting. I would hope the public care as much about the school population as they did about hospitals and care homes, but cynic in me doubts it. Ironically of course, it was secondary school technology departments who worked flat out to make visors.

I can understand for secondary and even for juniors, but how can you make a 4 year old in Reception where a mask all day?!! They will just pull at it all the time and you know what 4 year olds are like when they feel a bit hot - they strip off!

I’d rather keep my 4 year old home if she had a wear a mask all day. Because she just bloody wouldn’t.

We are in Scotland too, my son had to wear a mask on the school bus but I've heard there is an issue with kids not wearing them at lunch when in Tesco for lunch and being cheeky/refusing to put on when asked. In my opinion we should just all wear them unless we are outside 🤷🏼‍♀️

staffy I work in a poverty wage job where I’m exposed to the general public all day, and am glad to wear a mask, I’d rather be hugely miserable for a whole shift than catch customers filthy germs. It would be cool if the masses would at least try to keep the poverty wage staff safe by staying the fuck away from us, and not acting like utter fuckwits. I can dream..

babybythesea

Finerumpus

And please bear in mind that though you say children, in secondary, these will go up to 18. Adults, in fact.

19 actually for some students in secondary.

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?

Yes. Social distancing for most staff is available but not desirable most of the time.

I don't know what the correct answer to this is - Personally, I think it should be non negotiable that all children should be back in school in September - even if that means shutting pubs and using other measures to prevent spread.

I will say that I live in Wales - we are the only country in the UK where mask wearing isn't compulsory (except on public transport) and also the only country in the UK where cases continue to fall - I'll let you make of that what you will, but I think it's probably more to do with the fact that the WAG have been far slower to release lockdown than in the rest of the UK. Shops and restaurants have been open for a while now - with no increase in cases.

There is very little evidence that children (particularly under the age of 11) either suffer from or transmit the virus. Wearing masks even for 15 minutes at a time is very hot and uncomfortable and unless you use surgical disposable masks, they very quickly become damp and unpleasant. Also, if the wearer actually has coronavirus, they will very quickly become saturated with the virus which could mean they make it more likely that the wearer will transmit the virus, not less.

Finally, people who wear masks often think (subconciously) that they don't need to socially distance and are also more likely to touch their faces - thereby increasing transmission of the virus.

So far, there is no scientific study which has shown that wearing masks reduces transmission - probably why the WAG hasn't made them compulsory.

As I said, I don't know the correct answer to this, but I really don't believe that mask wearing is a miracle solution - a proper track and trace system and contact app (Oh wait - what happened to that technology under the Westminster Government?) coupled with immediately self isolating if you/a household contact develops symptoms, plus early testing is far more likely to be effective

I'm in the USA, my son's school will be doing Hybrid. 2 days in school then 2 days remote, then back for 2 days, then remote...etc. They have to wear masks at all times except when eating lunch. They will be sitting 6 feet apart at lunch time. They took all the lunch tables out and put single desks in there instead. They also added seating in the auditorium for lunch also. My son does not mind that he has to wear a mask, he is just thrilled he gets to go back to school 50% of the time (wish it was 100%, but they needed less kids on campus for social distancing). My state is doing great and has an R of under 1%

@velocitykate

I don't know what the correct answer to this is - Personally, I think it should be non negotiable that all children should be back in school in September - even if that means shutting pubs and using other measures to prevent spread.

I will say that I live in Wales - we are the only country in the UK where mask wearing isn't compulsory (except on public transport) and also the only country in the UK where cases continue to fall - I'll let you make of that what you will, but I think it's probably more to do with the fact that the WAG have been far slower to release lockdown than in the rest of the UK. Shops and restaurants have been open for a while now - with no increase in cases.

There is very little evidence that children (particularly under the age of 11) either suffer from or transmit the virus. Wearing masks even for 15 minutes at a time is very hot and uncomfortable and unless you use surgical disposable masks, they very quickly become damp and unpleasant. Also, if the wearer actually has coronavirus, they will very quickly become saturated with the virus which could mean they make it more likely that the wearer will transmit the virus, not less.

Finally, people who wear masks often think (subconciously) that they don't need to socially distance and are also more likely to touch their faces - thereby increasing transmission of the virus.

So far, there is no scientific study which has shown that wearing masks reduces transmission - probably why the WAG hasn't made them compulsory.

As I said, I don't know the correct answer to this, but I really don't believe that mask wearing is a miracle solution - a proper track and trace system and contact app (Oh wait - what happened to that technology under the Westminster Government?) coupled with immediately self isolating if you/a household contact develops symptoms, plus early testing is far more likely to be effective

Gosh, where did you get your doctorate from? I also live in Wales and in my view the lower rate is largely down to the lower population density. Please don't spread your understanding as fact - there is as much research to say that children do, in fact, carry and transmit larger viral loads.

Ours are mandatory for y6 and above, recommended for y3-6, and optional for r-2. Mandatory for everyone on the school bus. LA is providing 2 reusable masks per child plus a named bottle of cleaning solution and a cleaning cloth. That goes everywhere with the child and it’s mandatory to clean the desk when you get to it, and once you have cleared away before you leave it. Masks are optional once seated IF desks are distanced.

I think this head is taking a sensible approach.

I think there's a case for differentiating between primary and secondary schools, as secondary age pupils have different risks, and different needs.

Secondary settings are massive, and there's emerging evidence that teenagers can spread the virus in the same way that adults do.

I support mask wearing, but can also see the issue about enforcing it, given that plenty of grown adults (I don't mean ones with genuine medical conditions) are having hissy fits all over the place about having to wear a mask for half an hour when they pop into Asda.

I think recommending/encouraging mask wearing in secondary schools seems completely sensible, and we can see where we go from there.

For those of you who mentioned the other germs/bacteria masks can pick up, there's antibacterial masks available (they're expensive and I don't know how good they actually are, but do provide an additional option) www.weldricks.co.uk/products/ab-mask-reusable-antibacterial-face-mask-pack-of-1

I also think all pupils in school should have temperature checks every day.

And am still holding out hope for blended learning for secondaries...

I think the headteacher sounds very sensible. My kids are hoping that masks are made mandatory at their school and college as are most of their friends and their parents. I can’t believe it’s not been made mandatory already.

School goes back in a couple of weeks here, nothing's been said about masks but I wouldn't have a problem with them being worn, would send mine in with one and think it makes sense to wear one anyway.
We have to in shops/indoor places, schools mixes multiple households so why would you not?
Sounds safer to me

YANBU - the Head was right to do that.

The more common sense "do whatever it takes" combined Covid mitigation the better! It's marginal Covid risk mitigation. Otherwise school disruption with periodic closures and potential outbreaks and yes possibly fatalities as traced back to some schools globally.

@Staffy1

It's a difficult one. I can see the Head's point but can't imagine how anyone manages to wear a mask for hours on end, they are so hot and uncomfortable.

I totally get this. But I have to wear a mask in work for up to 12 hours a day, and it’s really not that bad. At first I thought I wouldn’t manage, but I got used to it really quickly.