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)

Thanks for your encouragement OP, but I'll pass thanks.

I have better, more constructive and respectful ways of communicating with my child's school.

Very funny!

I clicked on this thread thinking it was going to be about sending a thank you letter to school for everything they're doing at the moment 😂 Clearly I am far too naive for Mumsnet today!

I actually like that idea I've watched so many bellend parents on the schools Facebook page being downright rude about their kids being muzzled. I think a thankyou would boost some spirits a bit personally.

If they are giving passes to exempt student surely the staff will be aware of this?

I think my son would spontaneously combust from embarrassment if I sent this.

@NameChange2271

School have made masks compulsory in corridors and the dinner hall. They are giving passes to exempt students but I don’t want my son pestered by every teacher about where his mask is.

If your child is medically exempt, then I'd there somewhere they can keep the pass so the teacher can see it? Also unless there's a high street turn over surely they'll soon get used to who is medically emept Vs trying it on?

Presumably your child is medically exempt so am the other kids wearing one is helping protect him? Why do you wish to stop this?

I don’t want my son pestered by every teacher about where his mask is.
You think writing that letter (love the veiled threat about your solicitor being involved), will mean he won’t be asked where his mask is? How? Why?
If he’s exempt and he’s asked, can’t he just say he’s exempt? Can’t you just send a polite email to his form tutor? It just seems so heavy handed and aggressive. Weird.

So your writing a combative and provocative letter, that’s incorrect legally anyway, about a problem that may not actually even happen??!!

He just shows his pass. End of. After a while I would image the teachers will remember the handful that are exempt and not even have to ask them anymore.

IF he is being ‘pestered’ after a few weeks in then a quick phone call to the school is the best way forward surely??

No.

DS actually is exempt (even doubly so due to asthma and autism) and voluntarily wears a mask in most lessons.

@NameChange2271

School have made masks compulsory in corridors and the dinner hall. They are giving passes to exempt students but I don’t want my son pestered by every teacher about where his mask is.

He just needs to show his pass. What a complete non issue.

@NameChange2271

School have made masks compulsory in corridors and the dinner hall. They are giving passes to exempt students but I don’t want my son pestered by every teacher about where his mask is.

So what difference do you think your letter is going to make? So your son is already exempt from wearing a mask, but is questioned by the odd teacher who isn’t aware of it? So you send the letter in, he still doesn’t have to wear a mask, but he’s obviously still going to be questioned by teachers who aren’t aware of it.. There are hundreds/thousands of pupils in a school and god knows how many teachers, they’ve not going to remember off by heart who’s exempt and who’s not

That letter is cringeworthy.

The teachers on duty will very quickly learn the tiny minority of students who are not wearing masks. They may even share a list in staff briefing. Try a conversation rather than an officious letter.

I had to laugh at the solicitor part. I'm using a solicitor atm. It's about £40 to receive a letter like that, and it would be about £80 to get a response. So, you obviously haven't. Which just makes your letter even more ridiculous.

DS doesn’t have medical needs on the system. It wasn’t until masks became a thing that we knew he struggled with them.

The DfE says that masks should not be part of uniform. Schools should not be enforcing them, they are OPTIONAL

Why do we need to send a letter?
Have i missed something? have the government made a blanket announcement on face masks in school?

If you have an issue with the school your child attends, then deal with them directly, don't come on here spreading your badly written, bullshit anti-mask, virus spreading idiocy.

Most people struggle with them. That doesn’t mean you don’t know to wear one. It means you have to get used to it and experiment to find the best kind of mask.

For those asking what difference the letter will name, I think the teachers are meant to be too scared to approach Master Change as they would have been warned off by the Head "don't challenged Matter Change, his Mummy has a SOLICITOR"

If your child has a genuine exemption, he should use the card. No big deal. If he doesn't have a genuine exemption then you're a covidiot and nobody should listen to you.

Saying you’ve passed a copy to your solicitor just makes you sound like...
A total nob.

Your child’s school has acknowledged not all children can wear a mask.

They’ve introduced a pass system so your son doesn’t have to explain himself.

They employ teachers not idiots, so most of the teachers will quickly get used to the small number oh mask free kids, and not even ask for said pass.

But if you want to look like an aggressive idiot, go on and send it.

Good job, OP. Shocking how many parents support their children wearing face masks.

What is wrong with supporting my children wearing a mask? They aren't exempt and aren't at all bothered by wearing one.

OP, don't be so bloody ridiculous. Your child presumably has a pass. How does being asked to show his pass constitute 'being hassled' by teachers any more than being asked to show an early lunch pass, his homework, a note from his parents about why he's wearing the wrong shoes, or any of the umpteen other reasons teachers regularly ask kids for things?

What do you think your solicitor will do if a teacher does ask him why he isn't wearing a mask?

Or maybe:

Dear school

I don’t care if my child passed coronavirus to the rest of the school and possibility cause the death of others so they won’t be wearing a mask.

Also: nothing makes it look more likely that he’s just being fussy with no actual medical need, than a parent letter like yours 🤷🏻‍♀️

Why are you telling people to write to their kids schools about masks when you have an issue with YOUR kids school and how they handle mask wearing?? I'm quite happy with how my kids school are dealing with mask wearing so why would I write them this letter??

A lot of people 'struggle with them', personally I can tolerate one for 10-15 minutes before I can feel a panic attack coming on. Not a reason to not wear one.