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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

#closetheschools is trending

713 replies

Allthestarsarecloser · 01/11/2020 08:44

I work at a university on the front line seeing students 1-1 (I work in student support) and have continued to see students this term at a distance & with measures in place. ALL the students I have seen have been grateful for the human contact.

I also have 2 kids in primary and secondary. I want them to stay in school as my eldest had to have counselling after the last lockdown.

Aibu to say that schools need to stay open and I say that as someone on the front line.

YABU - they should shut
YANBU- they need to stay open

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
BefuddledPerson · 02/11/2020 09:58

@TinyTear

universities are a different kettle of fish they shouldn't be putting it all together..

primary schools - keep open
secondary - part time
universities - close

This is pretty much what I think too, have wanted pt/rota from the start.

I'm pissed off sending my kids in to inadequate efforts to limit spread.

CallmeAngelina · 02/11/2020 10:01

@noitjustwontdo, where do you suggest the teachers eat their lunch? I have mine in my classroom and often a friend/colleague will join me and sit at a distance, which is far safer than entering the tiny staff room.
If it's raining and the kids are in the classroom, I sit in my car.

ToffeePennie · 02/11/2020 10:07

Honestly I’m so so glad my work is officially on the “keyworkers” list this time around.
At least my oldest (6) won’t need extensive therapy like he did last time not to mention all the GP visits we had to have(he stopped eating, sleeping, moving, talking he was totally numb).
Keeping the schools open will allow children at least some level of normality.

CallmeAngelina · 02/11/2020 10:09

Unfortunately, it's that "level of normality" that is contributing to the spread that is necessitating this next lockdown.

CouldBeOuting · 02/11/2020 10:13

[quote CallmeAngelina]@noitjustwontdo, where do you suggest the teachers eat their lunch? I have mine in my classroom and often a friend/colleague will join me and sit at a distance, which is far safer than entering the tiny staff room.
If it's raining and the kids are in the classroom, I sit in my car. [/quote]
At our school they eat in the classrooms supervising the children while they eat their lunch. They get NO break from the children whatsoever.

I eat at my desk but I’m not supervising children unless we have any needing first aid.

KisstheTeapot14 · 02/11/2020 10:23

Make school part time, enable those who can to school at home? A rota of fewer children in school could enable them to manage spacing better (currently almost no spacing in class - there just isn't the room)

The only caveat is that school do monitor children who they are aware may be at risk at home - what do we do about that? School can be a safe place for some kids.

I decided it was a risk too many for our family (health issues) and de-registed in July. I could predict the graph going up through Sept/Oct. It didn't take a crystal ball.

Aragog · 02/11/2020 10:45

Covid is statistically proven to be practically no risk to any healthy child or young person

If only schools only contained healthy children and young people!

IceCreamAndCandyfloss · 02/11/2020 10:51

@Aragog

Covid is statistically proven to be practically no risk to any healthy child or young person

If only schools only contained healthy children and young people!

I know Hmm

People seem to either forget or don’t care about the staff or families it gets passed onto.

CallmeAngelina · 02/11/2020 10:55

@Couldbeouting, we are not required to supervise at lunchtime, unless there is the odd occasion when too many lunch staff are off, in which case we might be asked to cover a portion of it.

Devilesko · 02/11/2020 11:48

Covid is statistically proven to be practically no risk to any healthy child or young person

Oh yes, that's fine then, just let them kill the ones who have got a high risk. Shock

Schools need to close until the gov make them safe, which isn't going to happen anytime soon.

ginnybag · 02/11/2020 12:03

Voluntary part time might be a way forward.

I can support my DD being off (she's 10, in Year 6). I have the ability to teach her, the money and resources for it to be effective and it's compatible with work.

I know a few of her friends are in the same position. I also know a few that aren't.

Letting those that can, do it, (albeit properly supported) would reduce the numbers in schools, taking pressure off.

NeverTwerkNaked · 02/11/2020 13:12

Why is it a binary between schools open and schools closed, rather than a debate about whether /how might teaching moves online? They should close. They probably should move to much more teaching online

NeverTwerkNaked · 02/11/2020 13:12

*shouldn't close.

Crakeandoryx · 02/11/2020 14:00

I can't work and home school my children and I'm an essential worker. My children are happier in school and are learning well.

I do not think schools should close.

CallmeAngelina · 02/11/2020 14:03

@Crakeandoryx

I can't work and home school my children and I'm an essential worker. My children are happier in school and are learning well.

I do not think schools should close.

How about reading the thread?
BarneyW · 02/11/2020 17:38

My DSs (12 and 10) have only just recovered from the mental impact of the previous lockdown and are still adjusting to being back in school. We are in this for the long haul and really have to be pragmatic about how lockdowns work. The problem is with how the statistics are presented, they miss the subtleties within the age brackets. And ultimately our kids have got to build up some kind of immunity to covid if they are going to have any chance of a normal life any time soon.

I know it is hard on the teachers, and I am hugely grateful to them for putting themselves in front of a class of children and so at greater risk than most of us. It is time we, as a country, started to really appreciate our key-workers and be willing to pay for them to have decent salaries.

Chuffaluffa · 02/11/2020 17:52

@Livelovebehappy

Schools should stay open. If parents however choose to keep their DCs at home, then they should be able to on the understanding that they will need to arrange home schooling, and face the future potential consequences of gaps in their DCs learning. But I suspect they will turn round at some point moaning about their child being behind their peers. Maybe a disclaimer should be signed by every parent choosing to keep their dc at home.
So, you do realise that parents having chemo treatment, kids who are clinically extremely vulnerable, and kids that love with vulerable people currently don’t have any protection other than to stay out of school? I’m in the position, as a single mother, of trying to work from home full time with my two clinically extremely vulnerable children at home with me. Is it a nightmare? Yes. Is it better than them contracting a virus that could kill them? Yes. Do I need to be punished further? No. Do they? Obviously, NO. It’s all shit, but the only way the rates will lower is if they shut everything, and THEN prioritise opening schools on a rota system.
Chuffaluffa · 02/11/2020 17:55

@jenet86

I am a teacher in a secondary school with almost daily cases of infection amongst our young people. I lost my daughter in December who was born sleeping & am currently pregnant again. I can’t even begin to describe the fear I feel every day being surrounded by children who refuse to wear masks & trying to move classroom in busy corridors during the changeover of periods. I don’t feel safe and I already know what it is like to give birth to a baby I don’t get to take home. I won’t survive doing that again and I feel like teaching and support staff have been completely thrown under the bus.
This is so awful, and I’m so sad and angry that school staff and being put in this position. I’ve signed the petition, not just to keep my children safe, but to keep people in positions like you safe. Good luck x
SpangleSparkle · 02/11/2020 17:57

They need to stay open. I work in a primary school and I think they are doing a great job of making it as safe as possible.

thetoughhaveleft · 02/11/2020 17:58

10 positive cases (across students and staff) in my school today.

Chuffaluffa · 02/11/2020 17:59

@DressingGownofDoom

Those campaigning for schools to close do not give one solitary shit about children, their education, their mental health and well-being. Lock up the children so we'll be alright. Fuck sake.
Really? You have no idea.
Flutter12 · 02/11/2020 18:00

I am a secondary teacher.
Part of me thinks we should keep the schools open mainly for parents to be able to work and the social aspect for the children (and it means less work for me).

But i don’t see the point in having a lockdown of most other things if schools are still open.
I feel this lockdown won’t be very effective and will just drag on for a long time.

The best thing that could have been done would have been a 2 week lock down including schools.

For now I think we should wait and see for a week or two to see if not shutting schools makes a difference but I honestly think they will eventually have to close.

AnoDeLosMuertos · 02/11/2020 18:01

This just drives home the fact that people don’t see teachers as humans with lives.

AnoDeLosMuertos · 02/11/2020 18:02

Posted too soon. We are supposed to forget about our wants and needs and robotically teach the children.

Lozzat85 · 02/11/2020 18:02

I think I’d honestly have a mental breakdown if they shut schools again. I have the luxury of normally working from home but doing this full time and looking after my 4 and 5 year old DC was so bloody hard. Trying to home school them was time consuming and they didn’t want to know 😫 being a teacher is not my forte! Salute all teachers!

I think the impact on people’s mental health in all of this is going to be huge. I worry for friends and family who are in the hospitality industry and other industries affected by this 😢