To think that those people calling for the schools to shut should check their privilege

[berryfull]

It’s all very well and good to decide to keep your kids home or call for the schools to shut when you have enough space/have a garden/ have enough bedrooms/ have a home office/ can work from home/one parent doesn’t work/ you can work flexibly / your work can furlough you/ you have enough savings/ you have enough money/ you have WiFi / you have a device per child/ your children can read and write/ your children are independent/ your children are neurotypical/ your children don’t have disabilities/ you’re not scared of your partner/ you’re not scared of your children/ your mental health doesn’t make you a danger to your children/ yiu can cope with the stress/ your partner isn’t a danger to your children/ your health is good enough to allow you to look after your children/ your education level is sufficient for you to help educate your children you can feed your children throughout the day ..... etc etc

Stop presuming that all children will be safer at home. There are bigger and comparable dangers to the Covid that school keeps children safe from. And the vunerable ones are not being looked after.

Keep the schools open .... please!

FractionalGains

So you reply with an anecdote, pulling apart of language and something random about being allowed to respond.

Good to know that you have no real response.

Maybe you should check your own privilege OP.

You’re obviously not medically vulnerable, nor is your partner, or one of your kids, or one of your parents, etc.

I’m not saying kids will be safer at home. Im saying the rest of society will be safer if kids are at home. It’s what you want to prioritise I guess?

Children should not be in a home with abuse no food heating ect. Schools can’t solve these problems. The government needs in invest in social workers ect. These problem were happening before codv and will after don’t put this on schools like I said help the teachers by supporting them by schools not being safe this will put pressure on the government to do something. My son didn’t have a school place for 2 years due to his needs me and my partner still had to work and look after our other 2 children. No one cared. They are people in there 30s who are housebound who have been living in lockdown for years. No one cared about them. This pandemic has made everyone aware of things that have always be going on and have gotten worse under this government. If you genuinely care lobby your mp don’t start on teachears or Unions only the privileged would do this as anyone who has been living like this for the last 10 years or longer knows.

no mention in your post about safety of teachers.Because the safety of a vulnerable child who cannot speak up or protect itself surely grumps that of a grown adult??

No, pupil safety does not trump staff safety or adult safety. All are equally important.

Agree with OP that not all vulnerable children are in school - don’t forget those who just haven’t been classed as vulnerable.

A full lockdown with schools shut will be very damaging to me, and yet I still fully agree it should go ahead.

I am part-time support staff in a school and if my school closes again, I am very likely to lose my job this time. I do not have savings, very little cash, so losing my job will be detrimental to me. I do not have a "large house with a garden", in fact I rent somewhere very small, no garden, and if I have no money coming in I also have a problem with the rent....

However, it isn't about me. Schools really aren't safe and children are transmitting the virus (in fact I caught COVID early last year from a coughing child I looked after at school). The current new variant is transmitting faster than ever and needs to be controlled, there is no other way than to shut everything down.
When will the government listen?

@Lougle

'Check your privilege' is the most annoying term I've heard. Having said that, you are right that some children are safer in school than at home. They are classed as 'vulnerable' children, so are given school places even though the school is closed to other pupils.

Isn't it just!!

YABU OP

@upthekyber

Well said. I am sure you will have been roundly attacked as that seems to be the way people want to deal with this by bullying and intimidation.

But if you want you children off school keep them off school no one is stopping you.

A colleague was shielding because she has a health condition that makes her especially vulnerable if she gets Covid.

When the schools reopened, she was told that she either had to send her daughter to school or remove her from the school roll. She was threatened with fines if she kept her home.

She sent her to school, but another child tested positive 3 weeks into term and the whole class had to isolate. My colleague became unwell 7 days later and also tested positive. She was very ill and was nearly admitted to hospital.

@1stmonkey
I don't agree with closing schools at all. If teaching and school staff were at such great risk from the children, they would have all had covid between Sept and Dec when the schools opened. If staff are truly vulnerable, they'll be high on the list for vaccinations. And if they're not, they need to get on with it, like ALL key workers.
As for children spreading it to others, if you're sticking to all of the other rules, they should only be coming into contact with their own household.
Weighing up the reality of the risk, i think it's considerably more harmful that our children are just left to wing it with their education.

Are you for real?
Almost half of the teachers in my school and many others did catch covid between September to December and seeing as many didn’t actually leave their houses to go anywhere else it’s not likely they caught it elsewhere! As for your comment about vaccines, all teachers should be prioritised for the vaccine. I have colleagues who were shielding during the first lockdown and they are not likely to receive a vaccine any time soon. A few young healthy colleagues with no underlying health conditions ended up in hospital last month. There’s no sure way of predicting who will be badly affected by covid. As for your comment about children not mixing I’m assuming you live in a unique part of the country where everyone follows the rules without exception? I’m sorry but you’re completely deluded. The risk to the health of the nation and the NHS caused by schools being open or far more dangerous than kids having their lessons online for a few weeks!

Username2009 No not all vulnerable children are in school. Not all vulnerable teachers are in school. Not all vulnerable children and adults are reviving medicinal care. My son operation is cancelled he was going to have a peg . Other vulnerable peoples cancer treatment isn’t being done. Health comes above school I believe in karma you do not

Username2009 you say you care about vulnerable children. If this is the case you would care about all vulnerable members of society. You have really show yourself up for being cold hearted and hiding behind the vulnerable children talk. Shame on you. What about teachers who are all vulnerable in our schools

@tenlittlecygnets

no mention in your post about safety of teachers.Because the safety of a vulnerable child who cannot speak up or protect itself surely grumps that of a grown adult??

No, pupil safety does not trump staff safety or adult safety. All are equally important.

Seriously?? The safety of a vulnerable child who might be being beaten and abused/starved and god knows what else is the same as a grown adult with a voice and means to stay safe?? I’m done this country is fucked.

I know for younger classes it is harder but my child is in year 5 the teachers stand at the front of the class away from the children. The kids line up of a morning to wash their hands and are constantly told and watched washing their hands in the classroom. They have separate times for breaks and dinners from other classes and have their own areas in the playground. All years start and end at different times. The earliest they start is 8:30 they have 10 mins slots. My child's year slot is 8:40-8:50. It's also a one way system now. They had no cases when we were in first lockdown in the school when they were open for keyworkers and since being back 3 separate classes have been off. But only 1 confirmed case from a pupil in the school. The other classes closed as someone came into contact with a family member who was positive. I think our school have worked really well and done their best. Maybe this could give a few ideas to other schools.

Another school in the area has had only 1 class off since September. I really don't see how other schools are "breeding" grounds if they were following correct protocols. From both the school and parents.

All these posters moaning about children missing their education. They are not missing their education they are just not in school. Remote learning was introduced right at the start of the first lockdown. Teachers have not been sat on their arses doing nothing. From September remote lessons have been live too plus every child in my school (large secondary) without an electronic device has been given one. Obviously children learn much better in school but if it’s not safe for us to meet anyone outside our household then how can it be safe for 32 people to be in the same classroom with limited or no social distancing?

@EasterIssland

** Food vs education... Do you see which one is essential to continue to live?

Id say both. Without education these kids are going to struggle in the future mentally and to have a career. Last year they lost 3-4 months of their education and this year quite a few more ... yes it’s only a bit between 5-18 yet it’ll have an impact. Also their social skills will be impacted and self confidence. So for me eating as well as education is essential.

Without food... that future is going to be much sooner...

Well, then all children go to school and may be in 3 weeks time majority students/ teacherswill catch it anyway and we shall all stay home anyway ( incl vulnerable kids)... right back to the same spot that we wanted to avoid; only with many getting sick and nhs doomed.

@Livelovebehappy

The situation we have is that we need to control the virus. And it sounds like that involves closing schools for a time. We need businesses and life for everyone to get back to normal as soon as possible, and if that means that parents have to step up and look after their children for a month, then that’s what we have to do.

And what about the poor children whose parents not only don’t do that but then go on to abuse them or worse??

@berryfull

The vunerable children are all not in school! I have two kids with learning disabilities, they were not in school in the first lockdown.

Stop presuming that the vunerable children are being looked after, they are not!

true, and what about the children who are in abusive homes but who are not known to the authorities.

although I disagree and think schools should close again. sorry but its getting bad round here

oh 4 kids, no garden and all sharing a phone for school work. but I don't work so I guess we fit your privilege 😏

@unsure111 that is the protocol all schools are following as that is the Government guidance. The problem is this new variant transmits much more easily between children who don't social distance in their bubble

@unsure111
The schools in my county have been badly affected. You may also not be aware that cases in schools are being massively underreported to back up the misguided government agenda to keep them open.

We (my family) are very privileged and have all of the things you mention in your post and I still don’t want the schools shut. They won’t be open before half term. Let’s hope they got their act together last time and figured out how to teach properly in a remote environment.

I work in an SEN school. Our children have profound disabilities and visual impairments. Also a high majority of our children have complex medical needs and I dread to think about the implications if they became ill with Covid.

However, the government has deemed it safe for these children to go to school, and most who had shielding letters during the first lockdown have now been told schools are safe. The basis that this is made on is a risk assessment that all looks great on paper.

Yes we have PPE, we wear masks in communal areas, we have staggered start times and one way systems. THEY DONT WORK. One child is petrified of masks as she associates them with having a GA. she is also completely blind and doesn't like how it alters people's voices. She can not control her emotions if she knows someone is wearing a mask. It's very upsetting. If a child is having a seizure, self harming, or needs immediate assistance, nobody is going to gown up before approaching them, therefore putting themselves in danger. Some of our children are in wheelchairs and classrooms quickly become crowded with equipment. They are certainly not sitting in nice straight rows facing the teacher 2 metres apart. These are just a few examples we are faced with every day.

Apart from that, we have children travelling in from other boroughs, many who are coming from tier 4 to tier 3. Again increasing the risk to everyone.

I see the diffficulties parents are facing. We have had parents in tears when bubbles have burst and children sent home, not knowing how they will cope. But what I have seen is this. While our school stayed open throughout the first lockdown and offered education for whoever was eligible to attend, when children were sent home due to bubbles bursting and during holidays, social services had removed all support.

One social worker asked us to keep a child with symptoms in school (residential) because their rest-bite centres were closed and support staff furloughed. They had no concern for ourselves or other children. You can not confine a child with complex needs to their bedroom for 14 days, which is what the advice for children at residential school was at the time.

It's not as easy as just saying schools should stay open or teachers just don't want to work. All schools have very real worries, whether it's for vulnerable staff, covering absences with agency staff who don't know the children, vulnerable children, children from deprived areas. Staff who work in schools know that risk assessments only go so far. Every member of staff I work with is terrified of passing Covid to any of our children because it could have devastating consequences at worse.

@flaxensunshine
Firstly, it is not the job of schools to cure all evils in society. Secondly, I’m assuming that if kids are being starved or abused that there will be social services involvement. In that case these kids be classed as vulnerable and will be able to attend school as has been pointed out many times already on this thread!

YABU

OH is a supply teacher and will not be paid if schools close. Again, we will be much worse off financially. I still think school should move to home learning.

My ideal circumstance is that there would be choice of attending in school or choosing to learn from home. School don't close.

My extended family members are very vulnerable so we haven't seen them. Our family works has shrunk to is and the DC.

Our neighbour is fighting COVID in ICU, one of my ds's teachers has died of COVID. Worried about catching the virus and it spreading.

@unsure111

I know for younger classes it is harder but my child is in year 5 the teachers stand at the front of the class away from the children. The kids line up of a morning to wash their hands and are constantly told and watched washing their hands in the classroom. They have separate times for breaks and dinners from other classes and have their own areas in the playground. All years start and end at different times. The earliest they start is 8:30 they have 10 mins slots. My child's year slot is 8:40-8:50. It's also a one way system now. They had no cases when we were in first lockdown in the school when they were open for keyworkers and since being back 3 separate classes have been off. But only 1 confirmed case from a pupil in the school. The other classes closed as someone came into contact with a family member who was positive. I think our school have worked really well and done their best. Maybe this could give a few ideas to other schools.

Another school in the area has had only 1 class off since September. I really don't see how other schools are "breeding" grounds if they were following correct protocols. From both the school and parents.

The new strain is massively more infectious - hence the rocketing cases. Those steps are unlikely to prevent transmission of it in the same way.