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Original poster

Secondary school still open

34 replies

Rosebel · 14/03/2020 10:47

Up until this week I was of the opinion I'd keep sending my teenage daughter's to school. Then on Friday eldest tells me a b boy she sits next to was sent home coughing, high temperature and shortness of breath. So basically every symptom.
School have not told us this but did send an email earlier in the week saying they would not close even if there was a confirmed case of cornavirus unless forced to by LEA (and someone else can't remember who).
Now I'm thinking perhaps I should keep them off. Youngest has asthma so at risk anyway. Also I have a cough so perhaps should keep them off anyway.
Is it right secondary school staying open in this case? Would totally understand if there were no suspected cases or perhaps by the time people are displaying symptoms it's too late and they've already infected others?

OP posts:
MyHipsDontLieUnfortunately · 14/03/2020 10:54

Well they've been told they can't close so what do you expect them to do? It's time for disobedience.

tootiredtoconga · 14/03/2020 10:57

The Government want schools to stay open. Schools have been told they can't close unless specifically told to do so by Public Health England and Public Health England aren't recommending closure as a response to a confirmed case in school. Some parents are angry at schools for staying open, some will be angry if they close so, as usual, schools can't win.

Original poster
Rosebel · 14/03/2020 11:03

Absolutely disgraceful and even worse that they didn't even tell parents. Think it's obvious why it's spreading so fast.

OP posts:
AStarSoBright · 14/03/2020 11:08

In my office two people went home this week with temperatures, coughing and chest pains. The office didn't close.
Schools are being advised to stay open and, for now, I think this is the right thing to do. We can all, obviously, make our own decisions as to whether we send children to sc6

AStarSoBright · 14/03/2020 11:09

*school

SpruceTree · 14/03/2020 11:10

School is correct. We have had 2 cases my kids secondary school which is still open. My kids are still going in. My son has an autoimmune disease.
The government is right. Schools do not need to close. Children have only mild symptoms. If we close the schools/lock down too early the peak cases will come in the winter. We need the peak to flatten and arrive in June when the NHS has the vest chance to cope.
Covid-19 is coming. We cannot stop it. It will affect most of the population. Our best chance is to flatten the curve so our health service can cope.
Are you going to keep your children off forever? At some point they will need to come out and they will get infected.
Do you think schools or businesses can close forever? Lock down forever?
Closures should come later when infections are at a higher rate and THEN we should close things to flatten the curve.

noblegiraffe · 14/03/2020 11:12

Absolutely disgraceful and even worse that they didn't even tell parents.

Why are you blaming the school for sending home this kid who should have, per government instructions, been kept at home by their own parents? You haven’t even mentioned their role in this.

Schools will be sending home kids who look ill. It is in most cases unlikely to be coronavirus.

It would be super-helpful if parents could DO THEIR PART IN THIS and not send them in in the first place.

Schools are totally in the shit at the moment, please don’t blame them for doing as they have been told to by the government when other people aren’t.

Original poster
Rosebel · 14/03/2020 11:14

Why is it the right thing to do? Sporting events are being cancelled, major events postponed people told not to travel but let's put our children or any poor person who unfortunately comes in to contact with them at risk.
By the way I'm not having a go at anyone, just ranting as a bit worried.

OP posts:
Original poster
Rosebel · 14/03/2020 11:17

I'm not blaming the school for sending the child home I'm saying they should have let other parents know. I know children get sick quickly but how long does,it take to send an email?

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 14/03/2020 11:17

By the way I'm not having a go at anyone

You are. You called the school’s actions disgraceful.

Schools are beyond stressed at the moment. We have to do as we are told. We don’t want to be in this position. Please don’t add to the burden by kicking off at us.

noblegiraffe · 14/03/2020 11:19

how long does,it take to send an email?

And panic parents? Schools are trying to keep everything calm. Kids and parents.

You know that 111 is under unbearable stress at the moment? Guess what, so are school switchboards with parents phoning in.

noblegiraffe · 14/03/2020 11:20

Schools don’t have any answers. Whatever we do, it will be wrong.

And we don’t have any control over this.

Original poster
Rosebel · 14/03/2020 11:35

Sorry but I'm more panicked by my daughter telling me than I would be by a calm email.
I have no intention of saying anything to school, never said I was going to.
Yes on here,I said it was disgusting but this is an anonymous forum. Ranting on here means,I don't do it in RL

OP posts:
FredaFrogspawn · 14/03/2020 11:37

Our school will follow guidance from the LA. Parents need to do what they think is right for their children.

MitziK · 14/03/2020 11:43
  1. Unless she went to Medical with him and observed his temperature being taken, she doesn't know this. The other symptoms could be asthma, asthma with a cold, a cold or completely made up by somebody who wants to stay home.
  1. The school will not be sharing confidential medical information about anybody with randoms on the phone.
  1. The rumour mill is more effective when parents believe whatever their children tell them. Have an ambulance in school for somebody slipping over and hitting their head/parent can't get there immediately because they're a bloody doctor so are a little busy at the moment, by 5pm, parents are propagating stories of how somebody needed to be resuscitated, that it happened in front of Everybody and a 'teacher' told them to keep it quiet, but the person's auntie is in hospital dying of bubonic plague.

To give a non school version, my brother died after a car hit him. Not a visible mark on him, other than some reddening around his eyes. According to the cunts on facebook, before the family (mine) had even been traced and notified, there were brains spread along a quarter mile long stretch of road and claret splashed up the lampposts. No, there fucking wasn't.

In short, don't be another one of those people who screech down the phone at the poor cow whose job it is to answer the phone. Because, much as we'd love to, we can't laugh at you and tell you to get a grip (and a bucket load of salt) before giving you confidential medical information regarding an identifiable person.

noblegiraffe · 14/03/2020 11:45

And if the school sent out an email saying little Johnny was sent home with a cough they’d be accused of scaremongering and pupil-shaming.

We literally can’t win.

I have no intention of saying anything to school

Trust me, plenty are. If parents could understand that schools actually do care about the kids but that these are unprecedented times, we have very little control, basically zero guidance and wake up each morning wondering if we will hear on the news that schools are to be closed, and therefore cut us a bit of slack, that would be great.

Beansandcoffee · 14/03/2020 11:48

As an adult and a parent you need to do what you think is right. Take your child out of school if you think that is the right thing to do. Lock yourselves down and come back here in September and let us know how you got on. But be careful you then don’t catch it in September. No one knows what to do really. Everyone is trying their best but ultimately as adults we are allowed to make our own decisions.

Original poster
Rosebel · 14/03/2020 11:49

How many times? I'm not going to say anything to the school. Yes, children exaggerate so send an email saying there,is,a suspected case (or do not say anything to alert the other children) and problem solved. Obviously I shouldn't worry about my children or the fact my youngest could get ill. It's obviously wrong to prioritise my children.

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 14/03/2020 12:02

Not just speaking to you, but to the many parents who read this site.

send an email saying there,is,a suspected case

That would mean that literally every single school in the country has a ‘suspected case’, in fact more than one. Because every school in the country has kids (and teachers) with coughs. So every school in the country would have, per you, sent that email and caused probably, at this moment in time, unnecessary concern.

At this moment in time, it would be more sensible to assume that you are going to come into contact with it if that is how you are conducting your personal risk assessment.

MitziK · 14/03/2020 12:20

A 'calm' email?

You're asking expecting to be informed of the private physical, emotional and psychological issues of everybody on site that has needed to leave early or be absent that week, along with their family circumstances and health matters.

That is inappropriate on so many levels. You do not have the right to that information.

Original poster
Rosebel · 14/03/2020 12:25

So to say we have a suspected or confirmed case of coronavirus is not acceptable. No details but just saying that can't be wrong.

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 14/03/2020 12:50

To what end? Every school in the country would have had to send that email, so it’s not giving parents any extra information or help. What would be the point except to worry people?

42isthemeaning · 14/03/2020 12:52

Rosebel, I think you need to assume that anyone in a school could be carrying the virus with or without visible symptoms. It wouldn't be helpful to send home an email to all parents saying there was a suspected case. At the end of the day, any of us, both in and out of school could be carrying the virus even if we have a minor cold or no symptoms at all. I understand your worry, I'm also a parent and a teacher. I would say to do what's right for your family. No one would blame you for keeping your kids off if that's what you think is best. You're their mum.

Twasbambam · 14/03/2020 12:57

I love how cavalier some people are with their dc's health.

Only a third of CV cases have resolved globally to date. We genuinely do not know what the longterm implications of catching this virus are.

Even in mild cases, some serious, life limiting damage has been reported in survivors.

Dc, even usually healthy ones, are not magically immune.

MsJaneAusten · 14/03/2020 12:57

There are 1400 pupils at my school. We send several home every day due to illness. Do you really expect an email about every one? Do you also expect a list of which lessons they’ve been in, who they shared a drink with, who passed a glue stick to them?

Schools don’t decide whether to open or close over Coronavirus; Public Health England makes that decision.

Give your child some hand sanitiser. Advise them to use it often. Send them with a fully stocked pencil case and water bottle so they don’t need to share. Remind them not to touch their face.