Are our kids being thrown under the bus

[Pixxie7]

Chris Whitney has said that children are safe to go back to school because they are at low risk of complications from Covid.is this another case of politics being more important than lives?

Now on the news it is even being reported that teachers must take every measure possible not to bring coronavirus into school !!!

I’m really angry about this. It’s inexcusable that this is suddenly some sort of “policy”.

In our district, there are 3 positive cases (not deaths) per 100,000 people a week for the last few weeks, we have been frightened senseless!

It's good that most people are being sensible, following the guidance and taking precautions in your district then, isn't it? Do you really think that number will stay so low if more people start ignoring the guidance?

Time will tell. Children cannot socially distance or keep clean hands. We have ill children turning up at school every year which causes coughs, colds, d&v, h,f&m, conjunctivitis and chicken pox to do the rounds. Our academy pays for staff to have a flu jab for a reason.

Children 100% need to be back at school but at what cost? Also, yet to see the next countless risk assessment which will inevitably say ppl with symptoms will have to go for test and families isolate until negative result. Teachers and children will be continuously off having tests and back until the next test. Why not just part time it or allow ppe. Children won't be any more scared that when mum wears her mask to the shops!

I was lying awake last night fretting over children coming too close to me and me inadvertently killing someone by being part of the spread.

I can cross off seeing my vulnerable parents and in-laws until next summer as I quarantined before visiting them this summer and kept my distance.

I agree with FIL1234. People can't keep blaming the government for everything. Schools all over the country are so different. You can have a tiny school in a rural area with hardly any pupils, or a massive over subscribed school in a city. The government have issued guidelines, but that doesn't stop schools from adding more of their own.

My DC's school are following the government guidelines, but also adding extras to minimise the risk. This includes giving all of the teachers visors, taking children's temperatures regularly, and asking parents to wear masks at pick up and drop off.

I work in a big London school and my Y10 DC is at the same school. We’re being told to wear face masks in confined areas. Most people travel there by public transport. There are several similarly sized schools near us all sharing the same transport. We will have year group bubbles confined to certain times and locations. Lots won’t be there next week as holiday destinations will be in quarantine areas.

I would be amazed if we get to October half term without mini lockdowns .....

Now on the news it is even being reported that teachers must take every measure possible not to bring coronavirus into school !!!

Scottish epidemiologist on LBC saying that "teachers are likely to be the source of infection", "at the end of the day it's down to the schools" [to put measures in place] ...

It’s the school staff who are more at risk. I somehow need to figure out how I’m supposed to get 30 children forwards facing (but side by side within licking distance should the child turn their head 🙄) in my classroom. We have limited space in the school and all non essential furniture will have to get moved to the hall as we can’t use it as a communal place. It’s bonkers. I don’t want to be at risk or putting others at risk either but equally I feel like doing all these things is going to make no difference in a close contact, poorly ventilated room so we might as well not bother and at least get a proper education in normality while risking catching the virus than struggling to follow the 746838 risk assessment points given.

Yes and school staff are too.

I am really worried. I have health issues that put me at high risk of complications from COVID, both my kids have SEN and both my parents are old and very vulnerable. Both me and my husband are only children with no extended family near us. But I am expected to sit in a small class with 30 9/10 year olds all day. No PPE, no ability to socially distance and no breaks. I am to cover breaks and lunch with a few opportunities to go to the toilet. So I do feel a bit like I am being thrown under a bus. If I get seriously ill or die there is no one to help my parents. And I dread to think what will happen to my youngest who has ASD and high levels of anxiety to the point that he self harms. If we had anything in place like PPE i’d Feel a bit more valued and that there’s some attempt to keep me safe but at present there’s nothing. And before the if you don’t like it get another job types start harping on, if we all do that there’s won’t be enough staff to open schools. And if too many staff get seriously I’ll we will have to close schools also. So for that reason alone some effort should be made to keep us safe.

So now the government are distancing themselves from schools closing to blame the parents news night bbc2.

@formerbabe

here, here , agreed

my kid was rushed to hospital with possible sepsis when having case of chicken pox . when got home I chose to self isolate with my kid as I could not imagine why anyone wanting to be sick with this or think its okay to pass it to another child , nursery never closed down despite having a chronic out break . I get told its normal for kids to get chicken pox and it don't effect them much , but that far from the case with my kid , hence why my kid went to hospital .

parents at my kids school made fuss about sending kids to school during June but more then happy to swan off to crowed beach or go on holiday abroad instead . in late feb lots parents and teachers came down with possible CV but never isolate but parents was more then happy to send kids school then and not happy about sending them in September cos of the on ''going cases''.

my kid got SEN and being in school helps with complex behaviour issues and its something my kid enjoys , more then happy to send my kid to school , as I was in feb and June . kept my kid off during lockdown but now its time to go back . I did that to protect others , but now its time things go back to some form of normality. these last 6m been pretty challenging time for all inc my kid ..

Difficult one...... I believe that children NEED to get back to school, but I do not believe that this need is based upon their safety, but more about the economy, and the need for the country to get back to some degree of normality.

That said, of course returning to education is essential for our children, but I do believe there may have been other methods of return which might have been safer. Maybe our politicians could learn a lesson or 10 from our experiences during WWII?

@SoloMummy

Who also advise this in relation to school reopening :

Physical distancing: Physical distancing of at least 1 metre between people should be implemented in the school premises and in the classrooms. This includes increasing desk spacing and staging recesses, breaks and lunchbreaks; limiting the mixing of classes or age groups; considering smaller classes or alternating attendance schedules, and ensuring good ventilation in classrooms.

Remote learning: Tele-schooling and distance learning options such as delivering assignments, broadcasting lessons on radio or television and frequent follow-up support should be adapted to the situation.

This isn’t happening in.uk schools

We go back next week Bubbles will be 200+ children. There will be 32 pupils in some classrooms with windows that open one inch and doors that open onto corridors.

As a teacher - if I have 5 classes in one day I will potentially be moving across 5 bubbles (1000 pupils) in a day. I am supposed to stay at the front of the class 1m away from any child but that probably won’t help much when I’m in packed corridors between lessons.

Schools need to go back. Pupils need to be back - but the government are lying about them being safe.

I just hope it will be ok.

Do the people who are saying “shush. Schools need to be back” think that schools having to open and close in an entirely reactive way over the next few months is a better outcome than a more measured return?

Scottish epidemiologist on LBC saying that "teachers are likely to be the source of infection", "at the end of the day it's down to the schools" [to put measures in place]

Schools to blame?

TBH sounds very much like Hancock when asked about NHS workers contracting CV.... he said "we don't know where they caught it......"

We are not putting the resources into smaller class sizes and more SD, also why isn't there routine weekly (or even more often) testing of staff and older pupils? aren't we supposed to have all this unused testing capacity?

@SallyB392

Difficult one...... I believe that children NEED to get back to school, but I do not believe that this need is based upon their safety, but more about the economy, and the need for the country to get back to some degree of normality.

That said, of course returning to education is essential for our children, but I do believe there may have been other methods of return which might have been safer. Maybe our politicians could learn a lesson or 10 from our experiences during WWII?

During WW2 the schools stayed open so I’m not sure what you expect the government to learn?

Unless you’d like to drop your kids off at the station with a suitcase and label on their coat to be sent to the country? But I’m not sure that will help in this circumstance.

@SmileEachDay

Do the people who are saying “shush. Schools need to be back” think that schools having to open and close in an entirely reactive way over the next few months is a better outcome than a more measured return?

Yes.

Better that individual schools shut as needed than all of them shut for months just in case.

And if that means pubs and other leisure things have to close so that schools can stay open so be it. There’s been no attention paid to children and their needs through this whole farrago so far.

smile but in terms of cost, how are we quantifying the risk to children of a lost year (years?), loss of education, social losses/sports/music, mental health issues. These are all massive but never mentioned. The risk to all sectors of society is now incredibly low - where is the risk assessment?

Better that individual schools shut as needed than all of them shut for months just in case

I don’t think schools should be shut. I think secondaries should be opened in a way that allows for smaller groups, with social distancing.

Primaries - I’d be interested to know what primary colleagues think?

I’d support a blended model for term 1 - it would give some scope for real pastoral support (all teachers in, half kids at a time) and also more individualised catch up.

But what then? There is no real
chance of a vaccine for a year at least. And every week of blended learning means parents are losing jobs.

I got blended learning for a month or two -!but the implications for longer term are enormous

Maybe for non-exam years (although I wouldn’t be keen, but don’t have a secondary non exam child) It would widen the gap between state and private, after A level fiasco we should focus on not doing that again. Part time school v full time in two sectors will impact on this.

Calledyoulastnightfromglasgow

But what then? There is no real
chance of a vaccine for a year at least

As I said, I’d do it for Term 1, see the impact on community transmission. Really train the kids how to do social distancing etc. Then go from there.

And every week of blended learning means parents are losing jobs

I don’t think that’s as much of an issue with secondary. And it’s arguably easier for working parents to manage than ad hoc total shut down.

I mean, it’s academic anyway because it’s not what’s happening. 🤷🏻‍♀️