To encourage you to send letters like this to your schools?

[NameChange2271]

Name changed for this as apparently it’s an unpopular opinion; but I think it’s important to protect our children.

Please can I encourage you to send a letter like this into all your children’s schools.

Dear Headteacher

I am writing to inform you that (Child Name) is exempt from wearing a face covering of any kind, as per government legislation.

There are many exemptions from wearing a face mask, which incorporate hidden disabilities, including but not limited to:

(I) because of any physical or mental impairment or illness or disability (Section 6 of the equality act 2010)

(II) without severe distress

Section 6 of the equality act states that schools must not discriminate against a student because of their disability.

I am concerned that my child will be singled out for not wearing a mask and would like to remind you that this is also discriminatory.

(Childs Name) is under no obligation to provide proof of this exemption and is protected from doing so by the Data Protection Act 2018

I have also sent a copy of this letter to our solicitors.

Kind Regards
(Your Name)

What an appalling OP.

But how heartwarming to hear from all the lovely sensible parents - and the reports of lovely sensible children - who are willingly doing their bit to help keep everyone safe.

Makes going in tomorrow more bearable.

OP,

Masks are protective. Would you be happy if one of his middle aged teachers got Covid due to being breathed upon by a non mask wearing teenager?

And do you care about teacher’s (and all other school staff) .who are doing a stressful job in an increasingly dangerous situation, ‘mental health’. I am guessing the answer is a resounding ‘no’.

I am guessing that in one of the near term rule tightenings (maybe in 2 weeks time), they will tighten up on making masks compulsory in schools in indoor communal areas and that people will have to prove exemptions.

I suspect a very short term win for you, OP (although already a moral loss).

Haaaaaaaa 😂😂😂 bring it.. I hope I get to read that letter 😂😂

@NameChange2271

No one has to have an “condition”

The law says if it causes you severe distress you don’t have to wear one. But it also says you don’t have to prove it; so someone wearing a mask may or may not have a “condition” and it’s no ones business but their own

@NameChange2271

So those that don't have a condition but just don't want to wear one should lie?

You may not have to justify your condition but surely it's only decent to respond when a teacher asks 'do you have a reason for not wearing a mask?'. Your son would say yes to this, even though it's not true?

I'm not one to judge anybody for being an overprotective parent because I am one myself, but this is just so sad. Why can't he just say he doesn't want to wear one? Why the lies and arguments and threats of legal action?? I feel very sorry for both you and your son. You're setting him up for a lifetime of conflict and stress. And as a PP said, good luck backtracking if he decides he wants to be a doctor.

Masks are to protect others. And instead you're making that into a point of contention and encouraging others to do the same. That's appalling.

Well lets hope the weather doesnt get very warm. Your little spoilt brat snowflake may melt.

Most teachers probably won't know who your son is when they're walking past him in a corridor. They'll probably still pester him. I 'pester' every child I see without their masks on as I'm squeezing past them in a busy corridor, because that is the only protection I have in work. I won't know if they have a pass or not.

I do despair sometimes. My DD's year 8 group WhatsApp is full of parents moaning about administrators spelling mistakes in emails, and lack of communication about various forms when their children are 13 and more than capable of sorting themselves out!
Blimey - teachers have a really hard job at the best of times (we who have tried to homeschool over lockdown know this surely) and now with everything changing daily with Covid, can't we just support them?

After a long long day working at a school reading this has really really annoyed me. I would like to think you are an exception and most parents can see the error of all this aggro.

You are doing your son absolutely no favours at all in not teaching him to have a moral compass or sense of social responsibility.

The future is bleak with a generation of those with a me, me, me and I’m the exception to every rule attitude.

Me too @Viciouslybashed 😨

Either you trust the school with your childs education & psychological wellbeing or you dont.

If you dont (& this suggests that you dont trust them) then you should move them to another school.

I suspect OP will have issues with any school

Schools get this rubbish all the time. Our local school was inundated by parents phoning up saying their children were being muzzled and they weren't having it. I would like to ask you OP how your child would react if another child or adult in the school died and they were given grief by other pupils and blamed for it? That's another can of worms far worse than being asked for a pass isn't it? Don't send the letter, re-write it or if he has a pass to avoid wearing a mask simply ask him to have it on him as he goes along corridors. He needs to grow up and you need to let him. You are picking a fight and no one needs that at the moment when people are actually in ICU and dying. Don't send it you are actually making yourself look foolish.

Either your child is exempt and you know nothing about the law or how this is working in schools or you're a selfish arse who doesn't give a shit about other children or the staff teaching your children.

Either way you are a complete coward for not having the courage of your convictions and putting your name to this.

PS Any time a parent says they have spoken to "their solicitor" we know they're bullshitting.

I hope his exemption pass has a line on it

REASON FOR EXEMPTION: SNOWFLAKERY

You probably gave the staff a good laugh when the letter was read out in a staff briefing.

Oh do fuck off dear.

I stand at the doors every day reminding kids about masks. In my experience, those with genuine exemptions are quietly apologetic when asked, and I apologise back. It's the arseholes who get stroppy

I think it’s important to protect our children.

but you are putting other children and school staff at unnecessary risk.

Seems a bit over the top to me! Why not just call the school and have a conversation? I’m a teacher and we’ve had a few really concerned parents call up about their pupils who are genuinely exempt from wearing masks and the school has dealt with it very sensitively. Schools are well aware of the difficulties many pupils are currently facing and in my experience are accommodating.
As for not wanting teachers hassling your child in the corridor, teachers are simply doing their job of keeping other pupils and themselves safe by asking pupils where their masks are if they are not wearing them. You’d be surprised by how many are trying to get away with it. However, teachers quickly learn the faces of those who are genuinely exempt and so he’ll get asked less and less. I’m currently heavily pregnant and have been told by my consultant that due to my pregnancy being a high risk one, I now have to work from home. I was in school until last week though at 32 weeks and was genuinely quite scared each time I needed to leave my room during a break or lunch time because of how close I had to get to the kids to squeeze through the corridors. I had a mask and visor on at that! So if pupils (unless I knew they were exempt) were not wearing masks, I would ask them where it was. Seems a reasonable step to take to try to keep my baby safe.

No the wonder OP name changed.

No one would ever take one of her posts seriously again.

I hope any decent head would just laugh at that pompous, unnecessary letter.

@HipTightOnions

What an appalling OP.

But how heartwarming to hear from all the lovely sensible parents - and the reports of lovely sensible children - who are willingly doing their bit to help keep everyone safe.

Makes going in tomorrow more bearable.

I agree Hip. I sent in chocolates to my ds's school. They were very grateful.

Please don’t embarrass yourself by actually sending this letter OP. If you want to let them know your child won’t be wearing a mask say something like ‘Dear School, (name) won’t be wearing a mask at school as they are exempt. Many thanks’ don’t start going on about legislation and solicitors. So cringeworthy. It’s not the school that have made the rules you know.

mistressiggi
what, a reason like a global pandemic?

No it has to be a specific health concern to be allowed. For example just had chemo or something like that. Otherwise we're not allowed them and nor are students.

@Shadow1986

Please don’t embarrass yourself by actually sending this letter OP. If you want to let them know your child won’t be wearing a mask say something like ‘Dear School, (name) won’t be wearing a mask at school as they are exempt. Many thanks’ don’t start going on about legislation and solicitors. So cringeworthy. It’s not the school that have made the rules you know.

It's too late, she's already said she has sent it...!