The exit plan and schools.

[NeverGuessWho]

I know this whole thread will be hearsay, but I’m just interested in hearing people’s opinions of where schools are likely to fit in to the exit plan?

A friend thinks they will be opened early on, as this will free up more people to work, and hence enable furloughed workers to return to work. This will crucially save money.

IMHO, schools will be one of the last restrictions to be lifted. Once schools are opened, there will effectively be multiple mass gatherings in every town and city, all at the same time. Surely this will result in a surge of cases of the virus.

Unless of course, they pursue the antibodies/certified passport route?

What do people think?

A lot of teachers I know - including myself, are hoping for schools to reopen sometime in June to allow us time to go over what's happened during this time and complete trauma work with the children where needed.

This would also allow the potential for another peak in infections to come during the summer and not in Sept when flu season begins.

@BertNErnie - really great point about another peak and wishing to avoid it in the flu season.

I have heard about the possibility of a series of lockdowns followed by a a resumption of getting back to work.

Am not sure this work as the uncertainty would cause confusion, given the weekend before the full lockdown people were still going to the beach even though the advice was to keep distance...

Of course we don’t want exhausted teachers, resignations etc

Many of us inc me and my husband have been asked to move our holidays - to take them now rather than in July/Aug as our companies will be in dire straits then. Not told - asked. But the implication is we need to else the companies won’t survive!

On Sky it was showing how bad the tourist industry was affected in Western Super Mare cancel the hols and the tourism industry suffers. That will affect economy too.

It's not a magic wand.

Daily Mail article was ok but obvious. But quoting that flawed article is lazy journalism. Plays on peoples emotions.

@Newgirls I do understand where you are coming from and I don't know any teacher who wouldn't want to help get the country up and running again but there needs to be some serious thought about what that will look like. Potentially we will have teachers who have been working non stop since the announcement of school closures and they do need a break before going back into the classroom.

Many of us inc me and my husband have been asked to move our holidays

That can’t really happen with teachers though.

Welsh government announced they would not cancel the 6 weeks. We aren't usually that much different in England.
I know Scotland is different.

I guess Bert a 2-4 week break rather than 6? Would that give time for rest and not all lesson prep, marking etc? Paid of course. But of course this isn’t ideal for anyone

I realise they can’t ‘move’ holidays but also pls realise that many people won’t have or be able to afford a holiday this year. It is rubbish all round (unless royal, Elton John etc 😬)

Before any schools open, l would like to know what protection is available for teachers.

Everyone is so keen for them to open, but no one seems to give a shit that the teachers are just cannon fodder. It’s like all school staff have just been ignored🤷🏼‍♀️And yet we are the middle of snot, spit, tears, bogies, chewing gum, snogging and spitting (secondary) and playing the Corona game. Crammed into a tiny room with a million students.

@theEmoji because no one cares about teachers- on the other thread on this topic they are working out how many dead teachers there is likely to be! It’s vile. Everyone dying for schools to open while teachers like me crying myself to sleep at the thought of having to go in just to be the second save because you know I can have the ‘summer off’ to recover. Never mind possible permanent lung damage, or worse. It’s like it’s a joke. I’ve been told I am not allowed to wear PPE at work!

I don’t understand opening schools
can be comprehended when the virus is still in high numbers without the simple fact that teacher safety is not important.

Think you answered your own question there toad

It’s not just teachers but TAs,office staff, cleaners, kitchen staff, caretakers.... and then their families.

Yet plenty of workers are carrying on working close to others and have to even now in all kinds of jobs whilst some teachers are able now to work from home. It is not fair currently that so many are at risk at work when teachers (who are not in school) are not. It is just the price we pay to have our society continue. If we shut down for a year we would not be able to pay teachers and nurses next year.

You really really dont like teachers do you, Xenia?!

I don't think schools will reopen before September. We will be reaching the peak end of April probably, then there will be a couple of weeks ans by June it will be deemed way too risky to reopen schools for the sake of a month or 6 weeks. That's only my own guess.

Other sectors who are out at risk are starting to complain. Supermarket workers have complained and now got plastic screens, numbers limited and stickers on floors to ensure social distancing. How will that work in overcrowded classrooms (many of which have long needed an overhaul) and children needing you to get close for conversations and perusal of work? They won’t all fit in classrooms if they keep 2 metres apart and what good would it do anyway? All day with 30 kids in a small room with little ventilation.

My husband isn’t at work. He’s working from home as are all sectors bar key workers. Surely schools need to go back when it’s deemed safe enough for all sectors to go back.

Yes the supermarkets are complaining, and it’s take 10 staff from London transport to die, before someone is fighting for protective equipment.

It’s a bloody disgrace that no key workers have got any. But it’s also a bloody disgrace that the NHS haven’t either😡

Why don’t you just shoot us Xenia? That would get rid of as all. You’d like that wouldn’t you?

Buses are now getting hole free plastic screens and first half of bus people free. It’s just not workable with schools.

@TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince

Please don't encourage her!

Xenia,

I think my question is:

Is there anyone in England at the moment who is (legally) working, in their normal workplace, under the conditions that you are proposing:

• No social distancing
• No protection for more vulnerable employees (you suggested they should go and work in supermarket delivery for lower pay - but of course the supermarkets have already sent exactly those employees home on full pay because of the risks to their health)
• No PPE
• Rationed or absent cleaning products
• Up to a couple of thousand people in the same workplace at the same time, unavoidably mixing with no social distancing
• Over 30 people in each room for extended periods, with minimal spacing

You have also said that you would want:

• No quarantine of anyone if someone develops COVID, despite very close contact and contamination of surfaces
• No adherence to minimum safe supervision levels
• No 14 day self-isolation or family isolation if someone develops a cough or new temperature

as otherwise the schools would have to shur down regularly when too many staff were ill.

Public Health is, rightly, very busy investigating and closing places of work not adhering to current social distancing and self-isolation guidelines. Specific groups, like the Post office and, as has already been said, bus drivers and supermarket workers, have demanded safer working conditions and are being listened to seriously.

Yet teachers - and only teachers - must accept these risks in their workplace 'because otherwise the country won't be able to pay them'?

Can’tkeepaway, l wouldn’t waste your breath. Xenia is obviously Pritti Patel or Katie Hopkins.

She’s not worth your time.

You need to keep away in fact!!!