Masks..in the school playground??

[PatButchersEarring]

The head of my children's primary school has requested that all parents wear masks in the playground (totally outside, open, no sheltered areas) when dropping off or picking up children- and is rigidly reminding and enforcing this.

Now, the only interaction with teachers is outside, through a fenced off area. There are literally cones and red tape cordoning off any entrances to classrooms. If parents speak to teachers, it is from at least 2 metres away and outside. No parents have been able to enter the school for nearly 2 years- with or without masks.

I understand that schools pose a high risk for the spread of Covid- but masks outside? Really??

Looking at the DFE guidance, this appears to be in direct contradiction, and I'm wondering if it is more of a political statement on the school's behalf as opposed to a rational, thought out preventative measure.

So, my AIBU is 'Is it unreasonable for it to be mandatory for adults to wear a mask when in the school playground?'

My kids school is so enforcing makes at pick up/drop off which is all Outside

I’m just going with what they are asking and grateful my kids are going in

My dc's school no parent is allowed in either playground at all. The parents collect in the street and the parents must be masked in the public street when doing pick up.

Our primary has been doing this for ages. If parents cannot be relied on not to talk to each other at less than 2m then it's the only way forward. We know covid is spread by aerosol emissions. Parents chatting to friends who have kids in other bubbles will share covid.

We live abroad. "Our" parents aren't allowed on school grounds without a mask on. (They aren't supposed to be on school grounds generally, though. We've just been told that in person meeting are only possible if parents are "fully vaccinated with a certified negative test result less than 24 hours old" or if they have had their booster jab. Staff get tested regularly and most of us have had our booster quite a while ago.) Neither are the kids. Parents have to wear them during drop off and pick up. The kids have been wearing masks inside the building and on the playground for most of the academic year.
As a teacher, I'm fine having a quick chat with a parent but we both have masks on. We would probably be closer than 2m away from each other, though. I wouldn't shout across the playground for that.

We wear them, I cant imagine a school that doesnt? Whats the problem with it, why would you not? Maybe your school is different but at ours we have lots of parents in a reasonably small school yard where we all want to chat to each other and still be able to see our kids come out of school, so distancing doesnt work, We dont know who is vaxxed or who is vulnerable so masks are a best thing we can do, masks are literally no bother. When someone forgets in the drop off chaos they just do their best. I cant see the problem?

Our school did this then stopped in September and reintroduced just before Xmas and no parents dont socially distance on drop off or pick up. But only really with parents of children that are in their class as we all each go to a seperate part of the playground. I dont mind doing it but think it's really pointless. We are outside and our kids are all mixing indoors. It's not going to stop any outbreak us wasting masks outside to pick them up.

The school I’m a governor at have the same system with masks required in the playground when dropping off and collecting as too many parents refuse to socially distance. If there are any more Covid cases amongst the teachers, classes will start to close and return to home learning.

We have a one way system in the playground for drop off and requested to wear a mask.
I don't like it but it's not a big deal in the grand scheme of things.
As a pp said, I think it's more of a reminder to distance and not hang around school grounds chatting in groups.

Wearing a mask is the least you can do. Stop moaning.

I’m another teacher currently off with Covid. My children’s school has done this throughout, I don’t really get the angst! I’m desperate for them to star open so if me wearing a mask in the playgroup makes hue staff feel more secure then I’m
Happy to do it.

Our school has asked for masks though out for drop off and collection. Also outside, not for a second did I think to object.

Our local authority has required masks in the playground since schools went back after the guest pandemic and never stopped.

Very glad I don't do the school run as this nonsense would drive me nuts.

Some parents stand very close chatting away so makes sense when in close proximity. We know omicron is much more contagious

Our school are still asking us to do this - I'd say it's about 50/50 compliance.

I don't wear one as I think it's absolutely ridiculous.

Ours has asked this since the start too, only P1 and nursery parents allowed in the playground as well.

Its a few minutes of my life each day, it really isn't a big deal, and certainly not enough of an issue to be looking up guidance about it so you can moan to the school.

Yes my DS’s school requires this too. I think it’s utterly pointless and ignored it for a while but then started to feel like too much of a rebel so now I conform 🙄

@Bluebluemoon39

Our school are still asking us to do this - I'd say it's about 50/50 compliance.

I don't wear one as I think it's absolutely ridiculous.

Depends if you want the school to remain open or the classes close and it’s back to home learning?

For those asking how it's enforced: we are aporoached by the head and 'reminded' if we forget.

For those asking why it's an issue: I agree, on the grand scale of things, it's not a big ask and if it weren't for all scientific evidence pointing to the incredibly low chance of outside transmission, I would agree with it.

But as it stands, it seems to me to be illogical and a purely token gesture.

Although outside the risk is low there have been so many threads recently from covid positive parents asking how they will get their kids to school so I would guess it's quite likely there will be the odd covid positive parent doing drop offs (i would wager people would not risk going to a shop etc but would weigh up an outside school drop off being worth the risk ) and with the isolation changes you'll not doubt get more parents at drop off that could still be infectious and just going by the 'day 5' message rather than properly testing so I think it's a sensible step to take and I wish our school would bring this back as it's a total bottle neck at pick up

I think it's very sensible of the head to request this.

Absolutely reasonable and given the amount of parents who huddle up in groups ridiculously close chatting in the playground as well as the rising number of covid cases, I think it's quite silly to even not consider to wear a mask to be fair.

And yes I am exempt due to my disability but have always chosen to wear a mask .

I do not see the problem. But what I do see is these non mask wearers and those not really giving too much care being the first to moan once things start to happen in school such as massively rising cases and teacher shortages due to illness.

Just wear the mask .

Drop off and pick is really not for a long period of time . 🙄

@PatButchersEarring

For those asking how it's enforced: we are aporoached by the head and 'reminded' if we forget.

For those asking why it's an issue: I agree, on the grand scale of things, it's not a big ask and if it weren't for all scientific evidence pointing to the incredibly low chance of outside transmission, I would agree with it.

But as it stands, it seems to me to be illogical and a purely token gesture.

Your head sounds as good as ours . Fabulous stuff.

@Bluebluemoon39

Our school are still asking us to do this - I'd say it's about 50/50 compliance.

I don't wear one as I think it's absolutely ridiculous.

Bloody hell. What an attitude. 🙄

We have to wear masks and our HT regularly talks to people directly about it if they aren’t wearing one as a reminder. Part of me thinks it’s bollocks but I do think it is working because we are a school of 300 and the highest number of covid cases we’ve had at any time is 6 (and that was last week). So there must be something in it.

I ageee with a PP, I think it may be likely that some parents may risk taking their kid to school even if they are positive. So in that case, masks are a good thing.

My personal view is that I can’t cope with home schooling so anything that keeps schools open is fine by me.

Plus it’s bloody cold now and my mask keeps my face warm. Quite frankly I’d be happy to wear a mask every winter to stop getting a cold nose!

Depends if you want the school to remain open or the classes close and it’s back to home learning?

If you really think parents wearing masks out in the open air are going to cause the school to close I genuinely feel sorry for you.

People have really gone mad.

**not wearing masks