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.

I agree.
I work in a corner shop 16 hours per week in the evenings, I'm classed as a key worker as is the lady who just works sundays- shes Sending her kids to school.
Its madness. Mine will stay home.

Both me and DH are classed as key workers, but I don't think I should be. I work in finance for a care company.

They've spent thousands getting us all set up so we can work from home, yesterday, the MD told us we were key workers and should get the kids in school. A few of us aren't comfortable with it and feel like we're being asked to choose between work and our kids. Mine will only go to school if my employers force the issue but until then they're staying at home with me.

It's not going to be easy working and occupying them but we will find a way.

The government has completely messed this up. The message that sending children to school was an absolute last resort wasn't made strongly enough. They needed to say it had to be both parents, and they needed to tell employers that they had to facilitate parents staying at home wherever possible. Instead they've made it easy for employers to insist parents go to work and therefore it is inevitable that far too many children will be in school and it will be unsafe. We are both key workers (teacher and supermarket) and will not be sending DS in if we can possibly avoid it because I don't want him mixing with lots of people.

#binkyblinky .Their routine will be gone at school too. They woht be following the same timetable, just doing the online stuff their peers would be with whichever staff are in that day. It will ge very different to the school they're used to, different rooms everything.

I'm so pleased that most of you are being scathing of those abusing the rules. I hope social pressure makes them rethink their decisions.

Again, I am absolutely supportive of the genuine cases.

In our school we have a take-up of 40%. Due to staff shortages, I will have a class of 35 on Monday and there will be five more classes of a similar size. How is that social distancing?

Absolutely ridiculous. What has made you think children are at risk of dying? Keeping them off is to protect others and stop the spread. It’s not about stopping them dying for goodness sake.

My DH can work from home and I’m a key worker in the NHS. He’s the main earner so for financial reasons, I would be forced to stay at home and look after the children rather than look after the vulnerable elderly. Nursery solves this problem although we technically have 1 parent wfh. Technically he is a key worker too as he’s in finance although I don’t really understand why for his role. The Key worker list is very broad.

And the teachers?

hibbledobble

Thank you for all of your hard work in the current times. You are a hero.

Exact numbers won’t fully be known until Monday morning. Equally, this situation is very fluid and numbers could drop or increase as the days/weeks go by. All eventualities are being planned for by school staff, including over the Easter Holidays.

DH and I are both hospital doctors. I was part time but I've gone up to more than full time for the duration. We don't have anyone else to look after our children and already people are pulling away from us knowing that we've been treating coronavirus patients.

I don't want to send my children to school, I'd much prefer to keep them safe at home. But I don't have a choice. I've cancelled all my annual leave and I'm paying for extra childcare at weekends. I really wish that the list of key workers was smaller. I'm also aware that my children may well be taking the virus into school from home. If other parents have the option then I really think that they should keep their kids at home to keep them away from mine.

School have also said that as the teachers go off sick they will let fewer and fewer children come in, but that as we have 2 frontline key workers they will keep our boys as long as they have 1 person left in the building.

I'm scared about the impact on the boys but we have no choice

"Absolutely ridiculous. What has made you think children are at risk of dying? Keeping them off is to protect others and stop the spread. It’s not about stopping them dying for goodness sake."

I don't think you read what I said. I'll just let you re-read and realise how daft you look.

YANBU

However lots of unemployed parents who have children with ehcps are still sending their children to our school on Monday as they don’t want them at home. Lot’s of other parents clamouring to get their children in to school. Do they not get social distancing?

You really have no idea? Did they not teach you anything when you got your qualifications to be a teacher? There is a reason those children are allowed to go.

Please tell me why your profession matters more than nurses who are saving lives? Why do you matter more than the social workers who still have to visit clients and safeguard adults and children. Please tell me why teachers and their families are more important than everyone else who is playing their part in our society.

I am the person in my school coordinating the key worker children in a secondary school the government have been quite clear in that if the child can safely stay at home then that is where they should be and we've said we will only take their children to facilitate them going to work. I don't think some people are taking this seriously enough. If I didn't have to be at work on a rota basis I would be at home. My kids who are yr7 and Y1 will be staying at home. Please only send your children into school if there is noone at home and they are not old enough to stay safely by themselves please. Look at the news about Italy this WILL be us in the coming Months and people will be dying in their thousands if we don't give our heads a wobble and get a grip on reality.

Our school sent a very sniffy letter saying just because you can doesn't mean you should. It's the usual people who think they're more important. Probably an exact match with people who overtake on a motorway entry slip.

I put in the key worker form but I will hopefully not need a space and school know I will only use it if I need too, they are running a variable booking system so don't need to hold a place. If I need to go in I can get husband to take unpaid leave as that is the only option he has, I have also asked if I can take my kids with me (potential H&S issue) work are so far unofficially OK with that. However how much work I can get done remains to be seen.

Yanbu
I would rather keep my child at home, I'm so scared.
Me and dh are frontline NHS. My parents are key workers paying benefits, they could probably work from home but their employer doesnt have the facilities for them to access systems from home. Also, they're in their 60s with medical conditions so I dont want to expose them. My grandparents are in their 80s. Dh parents are key workers (sen teacher and food manifacturing /supply) and in their late 50s. Dh has a sister but she also works in food supply.
Tbh I would be wary of sending dc to family anyway, I don't want to put anyone else at risk.
I wish we could all just stay at home, I'm so so scared

Not Y1 Y 10 obviously wouldn't leave a 6 year old at home with a 12 year old

"You really have no idea? Did they not teach you anything when you got your qualifications to be a teacher? There is a reason those children are allowed to go."

It wasn't my comment you were responding to, but I just wanted to say that children with an EHCP are - quite rightly - one of the groups who can attend school if there is no other alternative. As the poster was talking about a child with two parents at home, they shouldn't be in school.

Yeah ukgift we all know that the children of the poor will be starved, beaten and kept in the cellar for the duration of the pandemic.

You know what? It’s STILL a pandemic. I STILL don’t want to die. My colleagues still shouldn’t have to put themselves at risk.

I’m fed up with this being put back onto schools every time. People need to take a bit of responsibility and not assume that every parent who gives their kid chips and quavers is a heartless shit. They might not parent in the MN approved middle class way, but most people are actually decent, even if their kid has FSM.

FreakStar I think our school is seriously underestimating how many children will be arriving at school on Monday.
One of my colleagues told me yesterday, that one of her parents told her that their children will be coming to school Monday as her Husband is a key worker and that she worked in finance....p/t, so her children will be in.

OP YANBU - but if anyone says this in real life people just say that teachers are moaning and selfish because they don’t want to help. They can’t win!

So many selfish parents - at this point in time, your ability to cope at home with your own children really isn’t a priority. Teachers and their own families are at risk through this so the fewer children in schools the better - for everyone! Hats off to those people and key workers who have found safe alternatives for their children, that’s the responsible thing to do. I’m teaching online from home and will be attending school on a rota basis - those days I’m in school I will have to send my children to school as DH is a key worker and I’m not allowed to take my own children with me. If an alternative presents itself in the meantime then I will absolutely use it.

I’m sick of hearing about how the WFH parent can’t get anything done and so their child will be sent into school, your work productivity is not more important than the health of others! Manage your own children like the vast majority.

The main issue for me as a teacher are those children with horrible home lives who aren’t coming to school, they are the ones who this is truly awful for.

@Tobebythesea any chance he can look after the kids AND work from home, like a lot of people are trying.

A vet said : I should be on the list. Are you saying my job isn't important? It'll be important when I'm putting your bloody dog down. I don't know what you mean about this. We're farmers and vets are a vital service.

Our school just took a harder line than the government guidelines to stop exploitation. All parents needed to be on the list to qualify.