To resent parents who are still sending their kids to school on Monday

[letmeinthroughyourwindow]

Not the genuine cases, obviously.

But I'm a teacher and we will be opening for the duration because 40% of our pupils have at least one parent who is a keyworker.

Before the list was released, the government told us to expect 10% and we planned accordingly. In fact, we planned for 20%.

When the list was released, it was so broad that far more parents than we ever expected fell into one of the categories.

Now, if your need is genuine then of course I want to care for your child. I'm happy to do it, and proud that doing so keeps you working.

But we have so many parents who are allowed to send their child to school, but shouldn't be, that it's infuriating me.

If you are a keyworker but your partner is a stay-at-home parent should you be sending them in?

If you are a keyworker but your partner works from home or is allowed to work from home indefinitely, should you be sending them in?

My sister's employer is allowing all employees who are parents to work from home on full pay, but many are saying that they don't need to, because their partner is a keyworker so their kids can still go to school

Just because you can send them, doesn't mean you should. It shouldn't be the best or easiest option for you, it should be a last resort if there is nowhere else to keep them safe.

The number one, most critical piece of advice for keyworker parents is, 'if it is at all possible for children to be kept at home then they should be.'

Please don't think I'm lazy and cba babysitting these children. I cried when my class went home yesterday, and care about every child in school. If I am in work full time anyway, then it really doesn't matter how many children are in the classroom.

But so many people don't understand social distancing. They are walking around like they are immortal, or only thinking that they themselves will probably be ok if they get it. For social distancing to have the desired effect, then everyone who can be at home, should be. If there was a chance of your child dying from this, would you send them to school? Well then think about who might die because they came into contact with your child.

And all of this brought on by a friend who called me last night to say that she is thrilled to be able to send her child to school on Monday because she is a deliveroo driver, even though her unemployed bf will be home all day on the PlayStation.

What about SEN schools? All pupils have an EHCP. Many parents are sending their children in. Legally they are entitled to. A high number of parents don't work and have other children in mainstream schools who are at home. They're STILL sending their SEN kids in on Monday.

Our school has taken a really hard line: both parents or single parent key worker, and key workers are NHS, 999, social/care staff, or teachers. That's it.

I am classed as a key worker, at a stretch, but am keeping the DC home.
I can WFH and have requested unpaid leave if that option is removed, as despite my role now being ‘critical’ it is low paid and we can survive on DH wage.

SEN kids often need routine and could not manage in a house full of other children. They may need 1:1 (or 2:1) care and have challenging behaviour which (especially if out of routine) would put other children in the house at risk. Many could not cope with the idea of doing school work at home. They would not be in an SEN school unless they had high needs.

When I left at midday yesterday, the head was saying over 90 children would be in on Monday and that number was rising. That's nearly half the school. These were parents who had actively requested places, not just ones who were theoretically key-workers. She was applying the criteria in its broadest sense - any job on the list, not querying if it's actually "essential" and only one parent needing to be a key-worker. We're already down staff, so she said it looked likely all staff still standing would be in full-time for the foreseeable (including Easter)

justchecking are you in Scotland? The rules are a lot more restrictive in Scotland - Eg, food production, distribution and retail is not considered a priority. I think food is more of a priority than the NHS but may be the staff are more ‘replaceable’.

Our school is being strict too. Head said in briefing on Friday that parents would have to contact her directly and that she will be treating each case on a case by case basis.

As some one who works at a school please let me reiterate.

If your child can stay at home then they absolutely should. Most of the children in school now will come with a heightened risk of infecting others as a by product of their parents occupations in sectors like the NHS etc.

The safest place for your children to be is at home.

But when you see half the school still in school people will start to become resentful - especially when the teachers are busy looking after those children so don’t have time to provide distance learning to those staying at home.

There’s only 35 at my school so about 10%

Please keep your children safe and at home wherever possible. I cant believe that any parent who has a choice will put their child at risk by being with others.
Think of the staffing too - the more children who are in school, the more likely we will have to shut them, simply because the schools can't staff for the numbers expected.
I posted this on another thread....
^Working for an LA, across schools, ( 300ish) I could write a book about yesterday - about parent response to this CRISIS - in fact I could start my own 'I work with schools as an LA officer - AMA'. Parents ( none key worker) threatening the head teacher that he will 'drop his children off and leave them at school anyway'; a parent ( free school meals) who was insisting that the provided, free packed lunch is driven to her house, 4 miles away, every day, ...etc etc.
Numbers are so high in some of our schools (including those that provide for children of military families - 450 pupils expected on Monday) that schools will end up closing because there just isn't the capacity to staff them^

Please, please for the sake of your own children, think about the safety of your child and others in society including other families and school staff. Please don't be so selfish as to 'demand' places, or be resentful that you have to look after your own child. The directive from the government is 'at least one critical worker' but also strongly says that children should only be in school if there isn't any other option.

Yanbu. This is a global emergency. Sending children to school is an absolute last resort.

DH is a teacher, I am a key worker. I will continue to WFH, DC will stay with me. I am normally locked away for eight (ten) hours on conference calls. I will change the way I work to make the best of the situation and still do my job.

I know someone sending their DC to school because they are a student nurse and their DH is useless. (or at least that's what they said on FB?)

One my team is sending their DC to school. He is "going to find it hard to manage his 8 and 6 yo boys". His wife is a solicitor and WFH our team has been WFH since last week. Both are salaried and will be paid. They probably have a lot of toilet paper. Twats.

Everyone else is WFH and looking after DC. We are lucky to be able to so so and will make the most of it.

They're STILL sending their SEN kids in on Monday.

Utterly selfish. In the end it means schools will close because teachers get ill.

They may need 1:1 (or 2:1) care and have challenging behaviour which (especially if out of routine) would put other children in the house at risk.

And in school they will put children and staff at risk if staffing is limited. Schools may have to refuse children in need of a lot of support for the safety of others.

Our Head is being welcoming - but strict. She has asked for evidence from employers (of both parents) and if she finds anyone taking the piss, will directly contact them and ask them to remove their child.

We've already had a few parents saying they "need" the childcare, but then backing out when their child has kicked off because their mates aren't going to be there.
Hardly essential childcare then, if they can change their minds so easily.

I honestly think it will take a teacher dying before the message gets through.

I couldn't agree with you more!

I work in a nursery. Most of our children will still be attending. There are plenty of parents who could keep their children at home but won't. So my children are having to go to school, so that I can go to work, to care for these children who should not be there!! All putting ourselves at unnecessary risk. It's a joke!

I honestly think it will take a teacher dying before the message gets through

We’d still get accused of moaning though 😂😂😂

I don’t think it’ll come to that. The govt. will follow France and Ireland when he realised this loose system won’t work.

Completely agree. I'm a key worker teacher. Dont want my children to go to school so we will juggle between us as much as possible. But friends have actually said how lucky I am to be a key worker! How lucky to send my kids to school!

Genuine thought: those parents whose children have ASD and need routine, they have potentially 5 months to get used to a new routine.

Our Head is being welcoming - but strict. She has asked for evidence from employers (of both parents) and if she finds anyone taking the piss, will directly contact them and ask them to remove their child.

I think that's good management.

Someone I know, who is working from home, is still sending his twelve and fourteen year olds to school because his ex-wife works for the NHS, purely because he has never had to look after them all day, and clearly doesn't see why he should start now.

I said this to him, and he said he was abiding by the school's guidelines, which were that children with one key worker parent could still attend, not 'trying to pull a fast one.'

"The govt list isn’t helping with that though, because it’s so extensive."

I agree that it's extensive. They stupidly trusted people to apply some common-sense.

"What about SEN schools? All pupils have an EHCP. Many parents are sending their children in. Legally they are entitled to."

Only if there is no other option.

I could write a book about yesterday - about parent response to this CRISIS

Same here. I was absolutely appalled by some of the parents reactions and responses yesterday. They cannot comprehend the difference between want (to send) and need (to send).

The thought fox

Sending ASD and kids who are heavily reliant on routine to school at this time is likely to be more counterproductive.

Their routine will be as far removed as they've ever know it. They will be on with kids who are not likely to be their peers, may not have the 1:1 support they usually do, sensory issues may not be able to be accommodated etc. It's not 'school' it's childminding in a school building.

"Saying that a child can be left at home with their key worker mother’s unemployed partner, the partner may not be the child’s father, may not have known the child long ( talking generally here not saying this is always the case). So leaving them with them potentially for long periods could be a safeguarding issue."

We are not providing childcare because step-parents don't want to look after their step-kids. If there's a safeguarding issue, that's entirely separate.