To worry about school and masks

[Rosebel]

So masks will be compulsory in schools where Covid cases are high. Sounds like a good idea but what's going to happen to the children who actually can't wear them?
My daughter is autistic and will not wear one. Having something over her mouth freaks her out and leads to panic attacks and meltdowns.
Has there actually been any guidance about this? Will they let these children go to school (as surely they could be at risk of spreading the virus)? I haven't heard anything about this and wondered if there had been guidance I had missed.

I have not seen guidance on this but it would be bonkers to make it mandatory with no get-out for reasonable non-compliance. Loads of people don’t wear them in shops for perfectly good reasons.

It’s sure will be exceptions for children as there are for adults.

OP, YADNBU. My DD also has ASD/sensory issues and absolutely will not wear a mask. But she also has anxiety, and panics about not being able to wear one if it is 'the rules'. At school she tries to fit in, and doesn't want people to know about her ASD. As a result of trying to do what is expected, rather than what she can, her anxiety goes through the roof, triggering migraines. Her attendance is less than 80% because of this. If we had a spike that caused masks to be required, I think she just wouldn't be able to go to school at all as both mask wearing and not mask wearing would cause her distress. She has self harmed before and it is this sort of thing that would trigger another episode of this.

The problem is she absolutely will not work at home as school/home have to be kept completely separate, so she has done almost no school work during lockdown, so this would result in her missing even more school and falling even further behind.

I do think masks in schools are nuts anyway, and yesterday I saw several teachers/headteachers come out and say so. I am just hoping it will never actually be required in schools.

There'll be exemptions just like there are in other settings. I'm certain she won't be excluded because she can't wear a mask.

I'm sure a sensible teacher, of which there are many, will not make your daughter wear a mask. Who would want to make a child meltdown in their class ?!

So masks will be compulsory in schools where Covid cases are high. Sounds like a good idea but what's going to happen to the children who actually can't wear them

Parents will have to write a note

The affected DC may need to SD at all times, and definitely from anyone in the school community who is known to be particularly vulnerable.

The school will have to do its utmost to ensure that the school day continues for then as far as possible. But reasonable adjustments do not extend to putting vulnerable people at risk during a period of heightened restriction. She cannnot however be excluded

The same exemptions apply as they do for adults.

"The school will have to do its utmost to ensure that the school day continues for then as far as possible."

The children who cannot wear masks will be treated the same as every other child and will not be expected to behave differently. Masks are a general public health measure and are not designed to protect any particular individual.

When you have a vulnerable person in the classroom, and masks have been directed because of local lockdown, you cannot put that person at risk.

The consequence of illness (which for the very vulnerable can be severe) outweigh temporary reasonable adjustments. The school cannot knowingly put it's more vulnerable community knowingly at risk because of the proximity of someone who cannot use the mitigations that are directed for a while.

It is a balance between the needs of two groups. You cannot put the vulnerable at risk of contagion (masks protect others, not the individual wearing/not wearing) so an alternative mitigation needs to be found.

Shielding in full form has essentially been abolished, so children who are OK for school, but have underlying medical conditions, could well be present. As well as those who are vulnerable (but short of previous shielding) plus vulnerable adults (flu jab, including pregnancy). Those people must not be put at risk either.

It's a difficult balance, as all relevant medical conditions are likely to be covered by DDA.

But risk of serious illness to others is never a reasonable adjustment, especially not when restrictions are a temporary measure during a time of heightened risk of transmission (condition described in first sentence of OP)

@SexTrainGlue

When you have a vulnerable person in the classroom, and masks have been directed because of local lockdown, you cannot put that person at risk.

The consequence of illness (which for the very vulnerable can be severe) outweigh temporary reasonable adjustments. The school cannot knowingly put it's more vulnerable community knowingly at risk because of the proximity of someone who cannot use the mitigations that are directed for a while.

It is a balance between the needs of two groups. You cannot put the vulnerable at risk of contagion (masks protect others, not the individual wearing/not wearing) so an alternative mitigation needs to be found.

Shielding in full form has essentially been abolished, so children who are OK for school, but have underlying medical conditions, could well be present. As well as those who are vulnerable (but short of previous shielding) plus vulnerable adults (flu jab, including pregnancy). Those people must not be put at risk either.

It's a difficult balance, as all relevant medical conditions are likely to be covered by DDA.

But risk of serious illness to others is never a reasonable adjustment, especially not when restrictions are a temporary measure during a time of heightened risk of transmission (condition described in first sentence of OP)

I think they are careting an impossible bind putting it like this. If people go to school, go out at all, their risk is higher tan if they stay in, even with masks.

For the really immune compromised people they are at higher risk going out even without covid, but they didn't make other kids in those classes wear masks. The very vulnerable don't typically go to school for that reason.

It's always a balance and I don't think denying that is helpful. It just makes the calculation less explicit.

Mask use has not been directed in the classroom.

Formerly shielded DC have been directed to attend school. There have been changes to shielding, so they should attend (even if paused shielded adults are recalled indoors). And then of course there's the whole category of vulnerable. And they do go to school - to learn or to work.

they are at higher risk going out even without covid, but they didn't make other kids in those classes wear masks

Classmates did not have to wear masks because there was no local instruction (scenario of opening post) for masks to control a pandemic virus.

I completely agree that a different balance would be found in other times

But that's not going to deal with the points thrown up by local lockdowns, enhanced restrictions, and whether it can ever count as a reasonable adjustment to risk serious illness in another (when the regulation in question is all about preventing transmission at time of particular risk)

Mask use has not been directed in the classroom

Yes, OP is clear that she is talking about a possible future scenario where they are required during a local lockdown when cases are high.

So it'll be a temporary measure, when risk of transmission is considerably higher than at present (in most places)

Classmates still do not have to wear masks. It is in the communal areas of the school only.

I work with SEN kids in a secondary school. There are plenty of exemptions re mark wearing, SEN children with sensory issues included.

Masks are only for indoor communal areas where year groups might mix, like corridors. In my school they are not allowed to be worn in class because of the impact on learning and because the year group is considered a bubble.

Yes, it's a hypothetical thread, isn't it?

Describing circumstances which don't yet exist.

And which, if we're lucky and people follow the rules rather than Cummings, might never come to pass

The scenario hasn't happened yet but there is already guidance for it and children who cannot wear masks will have exemption.

🙄 how many masks and schools threads... what did people talk about before covid, social distancing and masks?!!!!!!

At my daughter's school, in Scotland, kids who can't wear masks for whatever reason just need to get their parents to put it in writing to the school and the child will be given an exemption badge. I'm sure other schools will have similar measures in place so it will be fine.

Agree with McMole, compulsory in Scottish high schools from next week (for corridor/communal areas not during teaching) and email says if child needs exempted to contact their guidance teacher.

The very vulnerable don't typically go to school for that reason.

This isn't strictly true.

The DfE guidance says no one should be excluded for not wearing a mask.

My daughters deaf. She heavily relies on lip reading. She doesn't go to a special school, just a regular comp. God knows how she will cope. 😞

Parents can also ask for reasonable adjustments for their ex shielding child such as not being in corridors during mass movements ( eg go and wait in an empty room or area of low traffic during change of lessons) or to eat separately from others with a small group of friends. These type of adjustments are already in existence for some children with disabilities and so parents can ask if they will be possible for their child.

My daughters deaf. She heavily relies on lip reading. She doesn't go to a special school, just a regular comp. God knows how she will cope.

Hopefully her learning won’t be affected as I think the masks won’t be worn in lessons, just in between classes in corridors etc. I know it’s terrible for people who rely on lip reading. Hopefully masks will only need to be worn during non learning environments

As a teacher I don't want to be policing this. I will wear a mask in certain areas of the school but not when I am actually teaching.