Schools should shut for 2 weeks ONLY !

[HeyBaby2020]

I work in a school so this is not a teacher / school staff bashing thread at all

Some staff have been calling out for schools to shut just for 2 weeks so people can isolate etc

Now London where I am have that chance, personally think everywhere else should close just for 2 weeks but for people to say they should be closed until February or further are mad! That is simply not an option and unfair on the kids

If you use the 2 weeks you are getting properly you could really make a difference!

I agree, I’m happy to go back in 2 weeks if cases drop. Also, for the teacher bashers out there, I’m actually required to be in school everyday to look after key worker and vulnerable students. So I won’t be at home with my own children. They’ll be left to their own devices while dh is on calls all day.

Will people isolate tho in these 2 weeks ? Why hasn’t the isolation happened during the Xmas period ? My fear is that people don’t care anymore so whoever doesn’t want to isolate won’t and many will break the rules ... which will affect in how long we are in tier 4 - school closures

@superram

I agree, I’m happy to go back in 2 weeks if cases drop. Also, for the teacher bashers out there, I’m actually required to be in school everyday to look after key worker and vulnerable students. So I won’t be at home with my own children. They’ll be left to their own devices while dh is on calls all day.

Me too I will be in school everyday! I personally don’t mind and am happy to be. Call me crazy 😜

Long term closure is worrying I agree

Should have always planned to open all schools late after Christmas mixing....or not lifted restrictions to allow Christmas mixing in the first place. By the time they announced tier 4 areas people had already made Christmas plans so it was almost asking people to break the rules. Better a 2 week lock down now, than long and drawn out lockdowns later on. All along this government have just been too late reacting to the ever changing picture.

@EasterIssland

Will people isolate tho in these 2 weeks ? Why hasn’t the isolation happened during the Xmas period ? My fear is that people don’t care anymore so whoever doesn’t want to isolate won’t and many will break the rules ... which will affect in how long we are in tier 4 - school closures

If they don’t they don’t! That should be the only chance they get and the government need to wise up and not give in to pressure and U turns

I agree. These poor kids.

... we had the chance of 2 weeks "lockdown " it was called called Christmas break.

and before anyone says anything, we were isolating, no big christmas or new years do here, I want schools to be open, my DC need to be in school for their mental wellbeing

The government isn't even telling people to isolate. The 'stay at home message' obviously didn't get through. Unfortunately, I know of families still mixing and some who are going to be returning from their get-away holidays in the next 2 weeks!

@Groundhogdayzz

Should have always planned to open all schools late after Christmas mixing....or not lifted restrictions to allow Christmas mixing in the first place. By the time they announced tier 4 areas people had already made Christmas plans so it was almost asking people to break the rules. Better a 2 week lock down now, than long and drawn out lockdowns later on. All along this government have just been too late reacting to the ever changing picture.

This is my point. There will always be people breaking the rules and affecting others. I live in a tier 3 area and I didn’t mix during the Xmas period even if allowed. Yet people in tier 4 mixed during Xmas and this is having a Knock in effect on the schools in London as they’re now the ones closing because of the numbers

The people who have ignored/bent the rules in their favour so far will not isolate for two weeks.

I have seen lots of school staff are giving their head teachers a copy of the unions letter saying it is unsafe to return etc

I’m wondering how long these staff giving in those letters are actually planning on working from home and if they will carry on refusing to physically go in and make it difficult beyond these 2 weeks lots of schools are having to close because of this as it is

Fully agree two weeks, providing its safe for teachers to return.

We’ve just got to wait for the data and the advice from the scientists. You can’t just pluck the timescale of 2 weeks out of thin air when you’re not in the know. It should be for the time it needs to be to ensure safety and the NHS coping.

@BadTattoosAndSmellLikeBooze

We’ve just got to wait for the data and the advice from the scientists. You can’t just pluck the timescale of 2 weeks out of thin air when you’re not in the know. It should be for the time it needs to be to ensure safety and the NHS coping.

But it is all it needs to be! If people stick to what they need to do

@BadTattoosAndSmellLikeBooze

We’ve just got to wait for the data and the advice from the scientists. You can’t just pluck the timescale of 2 weeks out of thin air when you’re not in the know. It should be for the time it needs to be to ensure safety and the NHS coping.

Not get rid of the virus obviously but it will make schools a lot safer - people have been pushing for these 2 weeks for so long and now they’ve got it they’re complaining it’s not enough

It’s simply not an option to keep messing with the kids education like that and their mental well-being

Have you actually thought how at their age some of these kids feel ? Cannot see their friends. Not all have phones and fancy gaming devices to chat on

But it is all it needs to be! If people stick to what they need to do

Well, you’re not an expert so you don’t know. And people don’t do what they should, we do know that. And we need to wait and see what happens with the new strain. And there could be further strains.
So we just have to see what the data shows over the coming days and weeks and what is advised by the people who do actually know what they’re talking about, instead of the people who think they’re experts.

@HeyBaby2020 The Section 44 template letter from the unions does not say the teacher will be staying at home whatever.
It says they are willing to work to support keyworker/vulnerable children and remote learning but that the situation as it currently stands in their school that is fully open poses 'a serious and imminent danger'.

@BadTattoosAndSmellLikeBooze

But it is all it needs to be! If people stick to what they need to do

Well, you’re not an expert so you don’t know. And people don’t do what they should, we do know that. And we need to wait and see what happens with the new strain. And there could be further strains.
So we just have to see what the data shows over the coming days and weeks and what is advised by the people who do actually know what they’re talking about, instead of the people who think they’re experts.

You disagree with me I disagree with you! Schools should be open !

Of course we’ve thought about it. It’s been hard - last year was awful missing six months, pretty much.

But, I don’t think we can say “definitely 2 weeks”. As little time as possible, but the numbers need to come down enough so that the NHS can cope. Where I am (tier 4, v high and rising cases) it’s on its knees.

[quote Scarby9]@HeyBaby2020 The Section 44 template letter from the unions does not say the teacher will be staying at home whatever.
It says they are willing to work to support keyworker/vulnerable children and remote learning but that the situation as it currently stands in their school that is fully open poses 'a serious and imminent danger'.[/quote]
Yes, which makes it difficult because as most of those school stands all children are meant to be going in! So they’re either not going to be going in if they’ve said no or make it difficult and force those poor heads to close their schools

@Sportsnight

Of course we’ve thought about it. It’s been hard - last year was awful missing six months, pretty much.

But, I don’t think we can say “definitely 2 weeks”. As little time as possible, but the numbers need to come down enough so that the NHS can cope. Where I am (tier 4, v high and rising cases) it’s on its knees.

I’m not saying 2 weeks and it will be gone ffs!

@BadTattoosAndSmellLikeBooze

We’ve just got to wait for the data and the advice from the scientists. You can’t just pluck the timescale of 2 weeks out of thin air when you’re not in the know. It should be for the time it needs to be to ensure safety and the NHS coping.

This.

The November lockdown didn’t work because a deadline was set in stone and obviously the virus just doesn’t work like that. Case numbers were dropping by significant numbers daily but still high teens at the beginning of December and almost immediately began rising quicker than any gain we’d made. Obviously we weren’t aware of the new variant then but that might have become apparent quicker and not led to places like London being placed in the wrong tier.

The case numbers should be the only thing that dictate timescales and levels of restrictions if any of this is to be worth anything at all. Low numbers low to medium thousands reopening at tiers 3 & 4 allow track and trace to operate with some sort of impact and hopefully get us through to spring.

This has to be worth something instead of half assed, we have two vaccines fgs.

It is an option and will almost certainly happen so you and everyone else need to brace themselves.

At this point there isn't another option. If we don't do it and let the virus run its course education, the economy and your children's future will be even more stuffed than they are already are. Do people not get that?

Blame the government and their piss poor response at the start of this thing (and throughout). Had they acted differently, we wouldn't now be in this mess.