DDs school want me to COVID test her, AIBU to say no?

[mybossisaprick]

Dd, who is in primary school, has got the cold that’s been going round. She’s not too unwell in herself, and is happily playing, but she has a husky voice and a cough. She’s maybe a bit more tired than normal, but nothing that would mean she would need to stay off school. If she was unwell enough to miss school, I’d keep her off.

Her teacher pulled me aside at pickup time and asked me if she’d taken a COVID test. I said no, she hadn’t. Teacher asked me why not, and I explained that she wasn’t unwell enough to miss school, and so there was no point testing her for COVID. Teacher said that I should test her anyway, and if positive she should stay home. I explained that myself and my partner both have to work, we don’t get enough leave as it is, and whilst if DD was actually unwell in herself and couldn’t go to school, one of us could stay off with her, but since she’s not, we really don't have the resources to be taking time off. Also, I don’t have easy access to tests and I’d rather not buy a test when I don’t need to.

AIBU to tell this teacher that I wouldn’t be testing DD?

You shouldn't be seeing babies, elderly or vulnerable family members or friends if you are a bit sniffly regardless unless you absolutely know it's just allergies.

I would strongly advise every teacher with covid to take a couple of weeks off to rest. Kids can teach themselves for a bit.

It’s quite simple, a cold without a temperature I’d send the child to school and not bother testing. A child with a temperature, even a slightly elevated temperature I’d keep at home.

Agreed.

I'm glad @Inastatus named them too, because for some reason when MNHQ delete a post, the user's name disappears also.

It just depends how you look at it. Technically she shouldn't have asked you to do that, but life isn't technical is it, and actually she's not a drone that the Government seems to believe she is. In reality, she probably really wants to spend Christmas with her vulnerable grandparents and if she catches COVID she would rather stay at home than risk them catching it from her. Give her a break please.

If the poster is aching she likely isn't working.

When colleagues have had Covid even though we mostly WFH they take a day or two off if they are aching and/or have headaches.

I didn't think I had to include "because family and friends think I'm nuts when I offer to stay away if we have sniffles" 🙄

They all think I'm nuts for testing still tbh

Keep her off for a week for covid when she’s otherwise well and you’ll end up with a snotty (pun intended) letter about attendance 🤷‍♀️

I’d refuse to test too because under those circumstances it’s very clear that the government expects DC in school, and there’s nothing the doctor can do so what exactly would be the point of testing?

Boo-hoo, I want more holiday days from work.
Therefore, I'm letting my daughter, Sally Superspreader, crack on at school.

You don’t need to test. The school can’t insist on this.

Congrats all you people who have the luxury of being able to stay home though 😳🙄

Seems a bit unlikely that they would want you to test if your child has been at school all day exposing everyone in the class including the teacher to covid if she does have it. What's the point in testing now? It's too late and they presumably aren't supplying tests.

As stated previously, I'm a primary teacher. I am not a drone but also a human being with very elderly and quite unwell in-laws who I would like to see their 3 year-old granddaughter over Christmas without getting sick. But doubt they'll be able to. Again. I always seem to be sick over Christmas which is not a surprise really considering I teach 32 - 90 kids a day, none of whom have to stay at home if they have Covid 😞

Yeah, well thanks to all the parents sending their kids in likely Covid-positive, it has gone through the staff like a dose of salts, meaning we've had 8 teachers out, too unwell to work, over the last couple of weeks. Very little learning going on in those classes with patched-together cover.

Because all workplaces allow short notice holidays?

My point was that some people don't have an option of working from home at all
Yet everytime there is one of these threads they are berated by those whi.are able to.work from home and pat themselves in the back for doing the right thing with no understanding of those in jobs where thats not an option

@TheCrystalPalace Bet your HLTA'S are loving that! 😞

Well maybe schools should stop with the attendance pressure then 🤷🏻‍♀️ can’t have it both ways.

This thread makes me realize why Boris Johnson was elected. The absolute indifference to the life and safety of others, the spiteful one downship of the people who won’t be inconvenienced, is the new British spirit of the blitz, I guess. Not keep calm and carry on but “fuck you Ive got mine.”

YANBU. I don't know why people are still making a ridiculous fuss over an illness which is no worse than a bad-ish cold.

It's not the schools that set the attendance thresholds; you know that, right?

Well, there were a fair few of them off work as well as the 8 teachers. It was a mess.

I just feel that if children are once again the lowest of the low when it comes to Covid, and will be the only people having to test, then it seems rather unfair. There are so many customer facing roles out there where they come into contact with Covid that it seems wrong that children are being penalised yet again, when they don’t even feel ill.

My Covid bingo card is nearly full.

It's like a 2020 retro thread.

These threads often make me wonder if some MNetters have ever worked a day in their lives?

They seem to think everyone can just stay home at the drop of a hat and so often too.

You want people to be more selfless, vote for a government that funds time off properly. Putting other people before your own family is a luxury.