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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think schools will close soon

373 replies

hibbledibble · 22/12/2020 00:19

We may well have as many cases by new year as we did in the first peak. In which case school closures could be a very real possibility.

OP posts:
CallmeAngelGabriel · 22/12/2020 22:00

Article in the Times today, citing infection rates in secondary schools last week as 2,509 per 100,000.

Still think they won't close?

RememberSelfCompassion · 22/12/2020 22:19

Wow. My fear is that they wont. 🙄

Lemons1571 · 22/12/2020 23:36

Whatever happens, the powers that be need to move away from this idea that parents just need to “come to a compromise with their employers and children’s school that works for everyone”. The likely outcome of which is parents working 15 hour days to do it all.

I wfh in a demanding non flexible professional role and i am just not available to educate my children between 9am-6pm. It is not possible. Or would the government prefer that I prioritise teaching them and stop paying my mortgage.

I don’t think there’s an answer when you have younger kids really. And that needs to be accepted. Not pretending there’s an answer by surreptitiously forcing parents to the edge having to do all of it. It’s all very “nothing to see here”.

Rosebel · 22/12/2020 23:42

I think they will close because I'm sure lockdown is less than a week away so at least hopefully the schools might get a bit of notice (although I think most have plans in place for online learning anyway?)
Still shit though. I will probably send my middle child to school this time (autistic and we're both key workers) but it's my eldest who will suffer now. Y10 and no support is not good.

CallmeAngelGabriel · 22/12/2020 23:50

Bottom line is that, regardless of what we all might think about it, we have to get the infection rate down and we can't do that whilst schools are open as they have been.
It's like trying to protect your house from flooding but leaving the back door open because "fresh air is important." Sure it is, ordinarily, but during a flood, the more important issue is stopping the water rising. Airing the place and repairing the damage comes later.

HateIsNotGood · 22/12/2020 23:55

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

CallmeAngelGabriel · 22/12/2020 23:57

@HateIsNotGood, Really? That's what you've deduced from this thread?
What strange comprehension.

SecretSpAD · 23/12/2020 07:15

Yet more facing DV, moving into care, or learning loss

And there absolutely should be a safety net for those families. But even more children are facing poverty due to their parents losing their jobs.

TheEchtMeaningofChristmas · 23/12/2020 07:30

I think they're already closed but just Close em anyway. Everyone seems to think the educational system doesn't work anyway. The people that Teach seem dreadfully unhappy so let's just Close all the Schools and start again.Pay up all the School Staff and Lay them Off. Start a Zero Hours Contract for any Staff that want to remain in education to help form the Educational System that works for the Learners as well as the Staff.Like that's ever gonna happen but I can dream can't I

Daffodil
OverTheRainbowLiesOz · 23/12/2020 07:37

My daughter is a teacher. Her school is planning to reopen to vulnerable / key worker children and year 11s at beginning of term

She has received a questionnaire to see if she would be willing to be part of testing programme in school.

KeyboardWorriers · 23/12/2020 07:39

This time if they close then I will be sending the children to school using my /DH keyworker status. Last time I didn't as we are working from home but the teachers did fuck all teaching and just uploaded worksheets and that isn't compatible with a high pressured job delivering vital services. If the teachers want my children to stay home then they need to actually teach them this time.

OverTheRainbowLiesOz · 23/12/2020 07:41

Teachers didn't get any say in it. Different academy leaders made different decisions.

DarceyDashwood · 23/12/2020 07:42

@ChocolateTea

Secondary school teacher here, hoping we do have 6 weeks of remote learning for all but exam years. We ended this term with a massive infection of staff and students in one year group - it took just 2 days to close the school completely. This was with every advice kept to, staff were infected simply by being in a room and teaching for 1hour+. I've always felt confident with a case in my classes that I've socially distanced and not been at risk. Now I'm scared of going back I admit.

Problem is with schools open, people don't take other social distancing etc seriously "if 30 kids can mix all day I can do xxxx" etc. What they fail to realise is someone has to be bringing the virus into the school in the first place, to allow it to spread.

I have 2 secondary school kids. I fear for their exams in the next couple of years. But tbh, I fear for their, and my, health more right now.

The sort of ignorant/selfish people who use the “30 kids are in a room together all day so why shouldn’t I mix” will simply find another excuse to mix/not socially distance/not wear masks. They will say “Dominic Cummings” etc etc etc. Children (and parents) shouldn’t suffer because of people who can’t/won’t take responsibility for their own actions.
OverTheRainbowLiesOz · 23/12/2020 07:44

Daughters school now have every lesson recorded online. They have worked hard to achieve it.

KnowingMeKnowingYule · 23/12/2020 07:45

@ChocolateTea

Secondary school teacher here, hoping we do have 6 weeks of remote learning for all but exam years. We ended this term with a massive infection of staff and students in one year group - it took just 2 days to close the school completely. This was with every advice kept to, staff were infected simply by being in a room and teaching for 1hour+. I've always felt confident with a case in my classes that I've socially distanced and not been at risk. Now I'm scared of going back I admit.

Problem is with schools open, people don't take other social distancing etc seriously "if 30 kids can mix all day I can do xxxx" etc. What they fail to realise is someone has to be bringing the virus into the school in the first place, to allow it to spread.

I have 2 secondary school kids. I fear for their exams in the next couple of years. But tbh, I fear for their, and my, health more right now.

Exactly how I feel. The last week of term felt like the middle of March again. My DH was scared too and he's been a lot more stoic than I, teaching this term.
trying22432 · 23/12/2020 07:49

If you are a stay at home mum/dad then it doesn't matter if schools close but some of us have to work to keep a roof over our heads and cannot take time off indefinitely. Schools should stay open for the kids mental health, education, future and so that they have food on the table and a roof over their heads. This has gone too far and people are losing their livelihoods. The hysteria is doing more damage than good. Unfortunately there are lots of people out there rich enough to not have to work and have plenty of time on their hands to do homeschooling. I don't have this luxury and if people don't want their children in school they should not send them to school. It's as simple as that!

Russell19 · 23/12/2020 07:51

@KeyboardWorriers

This time if they close then I will be sending the children to school using my /DH keyworker status. Last time I didn't as we are working from home but the teachers did fuck all teaching and just uploaded worksheets and that isn't compatible with a high pressured job delivering vital services. If the teachers want my children to stay home then they need to actually teach them this time.
Wow, just out of interest how old are your children? There's no way teachers can make your child sit, watch a lesson and complete work at home in the same manner as they would if they were at school so you and your husband can complete 'vital' work. Think you're referring to a childminder not a teacher.
CallmeAngelGabriel · 23/12/2020 08:08

Will the previous "key worker" list still apply this time round? I'm not so sure. I've seen reference to "critical workers" instead...

trying22432 · 23/12/2020 08:12

I think it got to a stage now when all should be considered key workers. There are too many that have lost their jobs because of this pandemic.

CallmeAngelGabriel · 23/12/2020 08:13

In which case, what the hell would be the point of closing schools.

AaronPurr · 23/12/2020 08:15

@trying22432

I think it got to a stage now when all should be considered key workers. There are too many that have lost their jobs because of this pandemic.
If everyone is considered a key worker then schools would just be open as they are now. Confused
Parker231 · 23/12/2020 08:19

What’s the difference between critical worker and key worker?

BalthazarImpresario · 23/12/2020 08:21

I’m happy if the schools close my youngest is year 8 and both me and my ex are Key workers but I’d not send them in, they can do the work themselves and the education is suffering in school anyway as they are no longer in classes according to ability instead their tutor groups, the maths my child is being taught is way below their level so may as well have challenging work delivered online. The socialisation aspect is my biggest concern but I do think schools should allow exam years and vulnerable children into school.

ShatnersWig · 23/12/2020 08:25

Schools should stay open for the kids mental health, education, future and so that they have food on the table and a roof over their heads

By that logic, nothing should be closed, so that everyone - parents and non-parents alike - can work for their mental health, put food on the table and a roof over their heads.